2024 WNBA Season: Part 2 (August ---)

[nwhoopfan]

What happened to Sloot? She's sporting a face mask.

 

[Bigboote]

Went out of the game with a knee injury. Questionable to return, but gut feeling is she's out.

Thanks. I tuned in a little late and hadn’t heard anything.

Banged up knee one minute into her return from a broken hand really sucks.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Aces, other than Wilson, were absolutely terrible today. Can't wait for the usual suspects to blame it entirely on Plum, because that's what they do.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

Stewie officially not washed. Best she’s played since 2022 imo. Losing her three point shot might have been the best thing to ever happen to her.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Sparks were up by 10 thru 3 quarters, but then decided not to bother playing the 4th quarter. Sky gonna steal this one. Reese doing Reese things--double double w/ 4-13 shooting. Much more impressed by Cardsoso and Allen's contributions.

 

[Blueballer]

Thanks. I tuned in a little late and hadn’t heard anything.

Banged up knee one minute into her return from a broken hand really sucks.

She didn't "bang" anything. It was a non contact injury. She just grabbed her knee and asked out right away. She knew it was bad. Poor kid.

 

[BlueSkyGLW]

All good points and the reason Seattle could win with Sue, Loyd was good at defense, and so was Clark at small forward.
New York may be able to win games in the regular season. But Las Vegas, Minnesota, and now Connecticut with Mabrey, will be better in the playoffs.

I do not discount a different outcome. Fiebich seems to play well on both sides of the ball (though she is not really a perimeter defender). Sabrina just needs to commit more to defense, which means more effort. It is something she can do to a greater extent in the short run of playoffs. The main weakness is Sloot. But if the other four starters increase their commitment to defense in the playoffs, you never know how it can turn things around if the bench do the same like Fiebich is beginning to show. We shall see.....

Today's game (without Betnijah) showed promise against the now whole Aces team with Gray back and this is still the team to beat for the Libs (if they don't sleep on the others). The other contenders are not easy by any means but not as well "synced" whose top 7 players are very good and experienced - only Kiah is short on offense. Gray is not yet fully whole but improving every game.

Some things I noticed in this game: Wilson gets too much benefit from the refs and too much praise from the announcers; the announcers talk too much, often asides from the action; there was a detectable home court officiating benefit early in the game (didn't finish watchin the game).....nothing too unusual.

BTW, Jones' injury last year slowed her down; this year, she and Stewie are working better together, as they should because they played on the same team in Russia a few years ago and, of course, last year, too.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

What happened to Sloot? She's sporting a face mask.

Apparently accidentally injured by a practice player during the Olympic break. No additional details mentioned.

 

[Bigboote]

Oops!

 

[Geew1992]

What happened to Sloot? She's sporting a face mask.

Broke her nose during practice

 

[MilfordHusky]

Sparks were up by 10 thru 3 quarters, but then decided not to bother playing the 4th quarter. Sky gonna steal this one. Reese doing Reese things--double double w/ 4-13 shooting. Much more impressed by Cardsoso and Allen's contributions.

Someone on the BY looked at Angel's stats in detail before the break. So many of her rebounds come from her own misses, though maybe not as many as I thought. She has a tendency to get multiple shots and tips on a single play. On the plus side, she is a rebounding demon. On the negative side, many of her putbacks are wild. The low shooting percentage correlates with the large number of O boards. If she gets 3 tips and the last one goes in, that's a plus. The early misses don't hurt the team. If she gets 3 tips and the last one misses and goes to the other team, that's a negative.

 

[triaddukefan]

Sparks were up by 10 thru 3 quarters, but then decided not to bother playing the 4th quarter. Sky gonna steal this one. Reese doing Reese things--double double w/ 4-13 shooting. Much more impressed by Cardsoso and Allen's contributions.

Don't forget about Big Mama

 

[nwhoopfan]

Don't forget about Big Mama

I thought that was Dolson's nickname? I was impressed, but that was a different game.

 

[azfan]

The Liberty won't win a Championship with Sloot and Sabrina as the backcourt, no defense. Gabby would be a perfect fit, Sloot, Sabrina, and Gabby could split time, and Gabby could play some 3.

Stewie and company looks pretty good on the defensive side of the ball against Vegas, the WNBA's leading scoring team, yesterday. I suspect you would be looking for either the Sun or Storm to defeat Liberty in the finals this year?

BTW Liberty the number three scoring defense in the league... Since the Olympic break have given up 68 and 67 points

While the million dollar coach in the valley of the sun has title aspirations that hope is on the same footing as criticism of the WNBA leaders. As a Mercury fan wish we had the Liberty defense and coach. Oh we did have their coach but we fired her.

 

[azfan]

BTW, we'll see how the Liberty plays the Aces (with Chelsea back) in their coming game......maybe the Lib's coach has come up with something (during the Olympics break) to make the current roster more effective - the Sparks were no test of any kind.

Pretty good and it looks like she did.

Coach schemed up way to hold the Aces to one point less than the Sparks despite the presence of Gray.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

Someone on the BY looked at Angel's stats in detail before the break. So many of her rebounds come from her own misses, though maybe not as many as I thought. She has a tendency to get multiple shots and tips on a single play. On the plus side, she is a rebounding demon. On the negative side, many of her putbacks are wild. The low shooting percentage correlates with the large number of O boards. If she gets 3 tips and the last one goes in, that's a plus. The early misses don't hurt the team. If she gets 3 tips and the last one misses and goes to the other team, that's a negative.

How is it a negative if it was an offensive rebound of missed shot anyways? It’s just a net neutral if she misses imo.

 

[MilfordHusky]

How is it a negative if it was an offensive rebound of missed shot anyways? It’s just a net neutral if she misses imo.

It's negative because it's wild and doesn't get her team any points. You might argue that, if a teammate took the initial shot, it's neutral. Certainly, if she took the initial shot, it's a negative.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

It's negative because it's wild and doesn't get her team any points. You might argue that, if a teammate took the initial shot, it's neutral. Certainly, if she took the initial shot, it's a negative.

I mean the initial shot miss is a negative regardless of who took it but the offensive rebounds off a missed shot aren’t negatives if they don’t get in. They are essentially bonus shots. People have go through so much trouble to paint Angel’s rebounding in a negative like, it’s so crazy to see.

 

[cancontent]

 

[BlueSkyGLW]

Pretty good and it looks like she did.

Coach schemed up way to hold the Aces to one point less than the Sparks despite the presence of Gray.

Fiebich,, who was in there for Betnijah Laney-H, is not really a perimeter defender but with her positioning and wingspan at 6'4" (I believe that is what she is listed at), she was effective more than not. The biggest plus that I saw was she moves the ball - along with clever passes for assists - better than BLH and she is an excellent shooter from distance.

So, the coach is using her players better now - Fiebich wasn't the only bench player who contributed very well. It looks like Year 2 together is finally yielding good results on the defensive side, against the better teams, finally.

That doesn't mean they could not benefit from Gabby in their roster but the urgency doesn't look as badly as in the early part of the season.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Here comes the Dream. Plenty of time to catch the Sky for the 8th playoff spot. And with the Mabrey trade, it doesn't seem like Chicago is exactly trying to finish the season strong.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Have yourself a day Lexie Hull! 22 points 6-7 from 3. Twin sister is there cheering her on.

 

[azfan]

So, the coach is using her players better now - Fiebich wasn't the only bench player who contributed very well. It looks like Year 2 together is finally yielding good results on the defensive side, against the better teams, finally.

That doesn't mean they could benefit from Gabby in their roster but the urgency doesn't look as badly as in the early part of the season.

Yep!

Who couldn't... Perhaps Connecticut and Seattle who both lost today to bottom dwellers. The Sun really made Atlanta look outstanding likewise Seattle's vaunted defense really had trouble containing the offensive machine known as Lexi Hull.

Defense really key but of the contenders in the w it appears Sandy Brondello has Liberty bringing the pain.

 

[nwhoopfan]

After a chilly first half, Fever got hot in the 2nd half, especially 4th quarter and ran away from Seattle. Team was 15-31 from deep. 27 for Mitchell, 23 for Clark, 22 for Hull. Caitlin w/ 9 assists (teammates blew at least 4 bunnies, she should've had plenty more). 15 rebounds and 8 assists for Boston.