2024 WNBA Season: Playoffs

[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.

 

[cancontent]

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!

Really happy to see Carleton get a chance at a title. The Olympics was a disappointment even though she was the MVP of the Canadian team. With the bounce back season she's had, this is a great accomplishment for her.

 

[Dillon77]

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.

You owe me an OJ...see just above your comment.

 

[GamecockFam]

You owe me an OJ...see just above your comment.

I totally missed your post!

 

[cancontent]

interesting factoid here considering how some view draft selections and success.

 

[nwhoopfan]

The Sun have completely remade their roster several times. Thomas is the only real constant, been there her entire career starting in 2014. I thought Bonner had been there longer but she arrived in 2020. The back court has been entirely reconstituted 3 times during Bonner's tenure.

Oh wait, B. Jones has been with them since 2017.

 

[Dillon77]

The Sun have completely remade their roster several times. Thomas is the only real constant, been there her entire career starting in 2014. I thought Bonner had been there longer but she arrived in 2020. The back court has been entirely reconstituted 3 times during Bonner's tenure.

Oh wait, B. Jones has been with them since 2017.

The two Terps have the long-time tenure with the Sun. Will it set on them?
I'll be really intrigued what the prioritization by Sun management on the front-court players.

 

[FanFromMaine]

“Will it set on them?” You gotta love it!!!

But “The Sun Also Rises.”

 

[WBBTakeover]

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

Her name is Tipesa (Moorer) Gray.

 

[JoePgh]

I don't think that there is much chance that Dawanna Bonner or Alyssa Thomas will play for another WNBA team next year. They are both very well-paid relative to other WNBA players, and they have been free agents before and have chosen to return to Connecticut. I think it would disrupt their personal lives to move elsewhere, especially if they don't move together.

However, I do think that there is a distinct possibility that Bonner (age 37) will retire and not return at all next year. If she does, Olivia (unless she is left unprotected and goes to the Valkyries) will have an opportunity to move into the starting lineup. She is no Dawanna Bonner (and her game is entirely different anyway), but I think she can be a good enough center to allow the Sun to win a championship if the other pieces remain in place.

 

[Dillon77]

I don't think that there is much chance that Dawanna Bonner or Alyssa Thomas will play for another WNBA team next year. They are both very well-paid relative to other WNBA players, and they have been free agents before and have chosen to return to Connecticut. I think it would disrupt their personal lives to move elsewhere, especially if they don't move together.

However, I do think that there is a distinct possibility that Bonner (age 37) will retire and not return at all next year. If she does, Olivia (unless she is left unprotected and goes to the Valkyries) will have an opportunity to move into the starting lineup. She is no Dawanna Bonner (and her game is entirely different anyway), but I think she can be a good enough center to allow the Sun to win a championship if the other pieces remain in place.

Connecticut will have $621,000 come off the books with AT, Bonner and Brionna Jones becoming UFA's.
In all candor, the front office might hope -- a lot -- that DB does retire because they'll probably be willing to resign AT.
The key, imho, is what will they do with Brionna Jones? Do they stick with her?

If Oliva Nelson-Ododa does move into a starting role, it would be for Jones, who plays the true center role.
However, if Bonner is retired, Conn will have funds to look for another free agent at the forward position.

This will be interesting....

 

[Bigboote]

I’d say Thomas would be a good draw for the Mystics. If they played in a bigger arena.