2024 WNBA Season: Playoffs

[Dillon77]

I can't decide which team I want to see win. On the one hand, the Sun have my Gamecocks Tiffany Mitchell and Ty Harris but I enjoy watching the Lynx style of play more than the Sun.

Deciding games take on lives of their own due to the finality of it all. For me, that's good enough.

 

[cancontent]

I can't decide which team I want to see win. On the one hand, the Sun have my Gamecocks Tiffany Mitchell and Ty Harris but I enjoy watching the Lynx style of play more than the Sun.

I'd suggest just sitting back and watching what unfolds. Your instincts will take over the reveal the answer.

 

[TheFarmFan]

I can't decide which team I want to see win. On the one hand, the Sun have my Gamecocks Tiffany Mitchell and Ty Harris but I enjoy watching the Lynx style of play more than the Sun.

That's always been my problem with the modern iterations of the Sun. I respect 'em, but don't especially enjoy watching them. Defense may win championships (or at least get to championship series), but it ain't always the most fun to watch.

 

[GamecockFam]

I'd suggest just sitting back and watching what unfolds. Your instincts will take over the reveal the answer.

Ok Confucius

....your response sounds like a fortune I'd find in a fortune cookie

 

[cancontent]

Ok Confucius

....your response sounds like a fortune I'd find in a fortune cookie

Mission accomplished!

 

[visitingcock]

I'd suggest just sitting back and watching what unfolds. Your instincts will take over the reveal the answer.

In football, a former gf used to pull for both offenses. Defenses never stopped an offense. The offenses just failed to di=o their jobs.

 

[JellyBean]

It will be interesting to see how Cheryl Reeves schemes up for the final game of her semi. Minnesota fans need to be concerned about an offensively challenged Sun squad that put 92 on the Lynx hitting 53% from the field including three land. The Sun also have an intangible as they may not be able to bring the band back together next year. Game 5 is certainly going to be a blast watch.

Should we? To be honest, Sun are decent and can put points on the board. Just like they can put points on the board, they can also not put points on the board. Both teams will be playing tight. Hopefully my Lynx are loose and carefree. Let's go, Lynx!

 

[JellyBean]

I can't decide which team I want to see win. On the one hand, the Sun have my Gamecocks Tiffany Mitchell and Ty Harris but I enjoy watching the Lynx style of play more than the Sun.

Cheer for the Lynx.

 

[cancontent]

In football, a former gf used to pull for both offenses. Defenses never stopped an offense. The offenses just failed to di=o their jobs.

Love it!

 

[Dillon77]

Due to the matchups with the Lynx, I think the Sun have done better when Steph White plays three guards (Harris-Carrington-Mabrey) along with Thomas and Bonner. Jones has a tough time finding space with Collier/Smith and Hines-Allen clogging the lane, with Courtney Wiliams or Hiedeman cheating to throw an extra hand in. Mabrey, Carrington and now Harris have all had a stellar game, which usually comes when another of them has an off game.

As White and Dawanna Bonner have stated, they've got be cognizant of the three-point shooting and can't allow the Lynix to get open looks. Mabrey did a good job on Carleton last game. Stay tuned.

 

[WBBTakeover]

I can't decide which team I want to see win. On the one hand, the Sun have my Gamecocks Tiffany Mitchell and Ty Harris but I enjoy watching the Lynx style of play more than the Sun.

I'm rooting for the Sun because I can't stand Cheryl Reeve and because of the Gamecocks. I guess I'm okay with AT getting her first ring.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Semi round really went according to plan showing greater distance between the one and four seeds than between the two and three seeds.

SB demonstrated her coaching acumen and Hands-On style in the previously mentioned kerflunckle with JJ.

That said the semis did have the four best coaches demonstrating their skill and acumen. We'll have the two premier coaches in the league facing off in the finals

An average coach should be able to win when they have two former MVPs in the post while their opponent starts Kiah Stokes. Remind me what happened when Becky Hammon had two MVPs in the post?

 

[WBBTakeover]

Gray, Young, and Plum were all All-World last year. They have been inconsistent this season. Even A'ja's superlative play wasn't enough for Vegas to make the finals.

Hammon has said or at least intimated that players were focused on other things this year and were not hungry enough.

Well, Chelsea became a mother and dealt with two major injuries (the broken foot, which everyone knew about, and the hip, which no one outside of Las Vegas knew about). Jackie and Kelsey were all-in for making the Olympic team, with the former literally hurting herself to grab a spot while the latter had to deal with a public divorce from a weirdo, attention-seeking husband. Kelsey has also hinted throughout the year that she wants out of Vegas, so we'll see what happens (she will be cored, so the team she picks will have to give up some assets).

 

[MilfordHusky]

Well, Chelsea became a mother and dealt with two major injuries (the broken foot, which everyone knew about, and the hip, which no one outside of Las Vegas knew about). Jackie and Kelsey were all-in for making the Olympic team, with the former literally hurting herself to grab a spot while the latter had to deal with a public divorce from a weirdo, attention-seeking husband. Kelsey has also hinted throughout the year that she wants out of Vegas, so we'll see what happens (she will be cored, so the team she picks will have to give up some assets).

Lots of complications. I only recently learned that Kelsey's divorce was a factor. Who is Chelsea's wife?

 

[MilfordHusky]

Phee has 26/11/3/1/4. She is the only player ever to have 25/10 in 3 straight playoff games. Not A'ja, not Stewie, not Maya, no one.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Sun made a late push, but both deciding games in the semis were surprisingly non competitive. Might be a bit ahead of myself, but I'm starting to think AT is never gonna win a Title. Not unless she leaves the Sun to go be a complimentary piece with another team that is already close to Championship level.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Disappointed LV lost, but at least Connecticut is out as well. I'm okay with either Minny or NY winning, although the Lynx already have plenty of trophies and Liberty have none.

 

[Vowelguy]

I can't decide which team I want to see win. On the one hand, the Sun have my Gamecocks Tiffany Mitchell and Ty Harris but I enjoy watching the Lynx style of play more than the Sun.

I've rooted for the Sun from its start as my home-state team. But with Mabrey ... and Dijonai ... and AT ...., while MN has Pheesa, had to switch to the Lynx.

 

[bballnut90]

Finals should be a GREAT series. It reminds me a bit of the 2012 and 2015 Fever/Lynx series, where Minnesota had star studded super teams and the Fever had scrappy teams led by 1 star and a bunch of support players, but at the end of the day, either team can win. This time the Liberty are the full fledged super team, and the Lynx are in the mold of the scrappy underdog.

I think this series is a toss up. Collier is playing better than anyone in the world right now and she has a solid supporting cast where players know their roles well and execute, and most importantly, they're very well coached. The Liberty are also playing great and look like a much improved team with Fiebich in the lineup. She has been a major weapon as a 6-4 wing with dead eye shooting. Sabrina is playing all-world right now and has been the standout so far for the Libs so far in the playoffs. JJ/Stewart are playing at about a 7.5/10 for what they're capable of, I think Stewart especially has a higher gear she hasn't hit yet, but she's playing quite well even if her shooting is a little off so far.

I'll be shocked if it's a sweep either way, realistically I think this goes 4, likely 5 games. I think the pressure is on the Liberty though. If they can't win a title after assembling these super teams the past 2 years (and getting past the Aces this year), it'd be a big disappointment.

 

[Bigboote]

Phee has 26/11/3/1/4. She is the only player ever to have 25/10 in 3 straight playoff games. Not A'ja, not Stewie, not Maya, no one.

I haven’t watched the W for all that long, but has anyone had such a sustained excellent playoffs? One sortofa clunker game, but every other has been fantastic.

 

[bballnut90]

I haven’t watched the W for all that long, but has anyone had such a sustained excellent playoffs? One sortofa clunker game, but every other has been fantastic.

That's a heck of an accomplishment. Others who have come close to the 25/10 record include:

Candace Parker in 2012:
25/9
32/9
25/11
33/15

A'ja Wilson in 2023:
38/16
34/8
30/11

A'ja Wilson in 2022:
33/13
34/11
23/13

In regards to having a pristine playoff runs without any notable mediocre games, some standouts after researching Basketball Statistics & History of Every Team & NBA and WNBA Players | Basketball-Reference.com:
Cynthia Cooper in 1998 (only 5 games played)
Lisa Leslie in 2001
Cappie Pondexter in 2010 (only 5 games)
Candace Parker in 2012 (only 4 games)
Candace Parker in 2013 (only 3 games)
Sylvia Fowles in 2017
Breanna Stewart in 2020
Breanna Stewart in 2022
Chelsea Gray in 2022 (maybe the best playoff run I've ever seen from 1 player)

 

[JellyBean]

Hats off to Connecticut. They made the playoffs exciting as always. The intensity levels were high and both teams did not disappoint. My beloved Lynx!! Well, done! Heck many of us fans did not expect this magical season. I figured that we would be playoff bound but not on this level. Congrats!

 

[Geew1992]

Who had the lynx in the finals at the beginning of the season?? Hats off to reeve for coaching gamer ass off.

As for the sun, where do they turn? On the older side of the spectrum with a lot of free agents.

 

[Dillon77]

Sun made a late push, but both deciding games in the semis were surprisingly non competitive. Might be a bit ahead of myself, but I'm starting to think AT is never gonna win a Title. Not unless she leaves the Sun to go be a complimentary piece with another team that is already close to Championship level.

I thought the Sun had a chance twice: midway through the second quarter when they made a push, but stupidly gave up a four-point play at the end to mitigate all the work they'd done. And, as you noted, at the end. I didn't think that push -- or any -- was sustainable without Mabrey -- who must've been affected by that collision with Carleton -- in the line-up for most of the second half (she shot well in the first).

Watching the Sun in the second half, it's kind of amazing how that team got to this point time and again, which speaks to the drive of the players and coaching of Kirk and Steph White. Save for Bonner and Mabrey, there's no consistent outside shooting to open up the middle.
And Bonner is pushing the envelope in terms of consistency.

All the Sun frontcourt are UFA's this year, so it will be really interesting to see how Jen Rizzotti and crew move forward. Tough decisions abound there in the off-season and they're centered around the Bonner/AT combo. Will a couple split up at this time in their lives to chase different dreams? Plus, Brionna Jones is without contract.

One could move Carrington up to wing to have a Harris-Mabrey-Carrington backcourt, backed up by Burton, but the decision on AT/Bonner/Jones is the crux of the matter.

 

[GamecockFam]

Who had the lynx in the finals at the beginning of the season?? Hats off to reeve for coaching gamer ass off.

As for the sun, where do they turn? On the older side of the spectrum with a lot of free agents.

I've got a feeling there are going to be drastic changes to the Sun coming soon. They always seem to be on the brink of a finals but cannot make it over the hump with their current squad, so I could see the Sun management wanting a different look.