2024 WNBA Season: Playoffs

[cancontent]

Nor I...Was this precipitated by the Sun, White or a combination thereof?
With the Golden State position now filled, that leaves Atlanta and Chicago as the two open positions, but the big question mark, of course, is will White be drawn to Indiana and visa versa, even though the new president said she was impressed with what Sides had accomplished. (Some might say, that was yesterday!)

Don't forget LA hasn't been filled yet (or don't think is has been).

 

[Geew1992]

Nor I...Was this precipitated by the Sun, White or a combination thereof?
With the Golden State position now filled, that leaves Atlanta and Chicago as the two open positions, but the big question mark, of course, is will White be drawn to Indiana and visa versa, even though the new president said she was impressed with what Sides had accomplished. (Some might say, that was yesterday!)

LA is open too

 

[nwhoopfan]

Some general notes for 2025: Finals will move to 7 games, and the first round will be 1-1-1 instead of 2-1 format. That is great news, the lower seeded team will get a home game now.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Monumental collapse by New York last 5 minutes of the game. Might still pull it out with FTs w/ virtually no time remaining, pending a review.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Also regular season will expand from 40 to 44 games.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Rough game for Stewie. Just missed a FT that would've won it in regulation. Collier really bringing the defense against her.

 

[JellyBean]

 

[nwhoopfan]

Crazy game. 18-3 Minnesota run to close regulation. Built up a 4 point lead in OT, then tried to give the game away w/ back to back turnovers leading to layups. Collier w/ a really tough fade away jumper for the game winner.

I know one poster is gonna blame this on Ionescu...but Stewie absolutely disappeared when her team needed her.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Williams and McBride tore up the Lib. 45 points combined, 15-29 shooting, 6-13 behind the arc. Williams had a massive 4 point play late in regulation.

Collier...yeah she's good. Pretty clearly outplayed Stewie tonight.

There went home court advantage for the Lib.

 

[GoChips20]

One of the best playoff games I’ve ever seen.

 

[REB1094]

That was INSANE. Have to pop a melatonin because there’s no way I’ll be able to fall asleep after that

 

[Blueballer]

What a phenomenal game. Too bad somebody had to lose. Feel bad for Stewie. She didn't shoot well tonight. Gutsy performance by Minn.

 

[WBBTakeover]

10/16 from the field with SIX blocks (!!!) is literally insane. Making 13 three-pointers on good shooting AND LOSING AT HOME is literally insane. Taking 26 shots when there are two MVPs in the post is literally insane.

Kudos to Minnesota! They're the ONLY team in the league that treats the Liberty like the Liberty (and others) treat the Aces. They are committed to putting belt to bare bottom EVERY SINGLE TIME they face New York and I'm all for it.

 

[cancontent]

That was INSANE. Have to pop a melatonin because there’s no way I’ll be able to fall asleep after that

I'm glad I listened to the game while capturing the aurora by a lake. If I had seen it all live, there wouldn't be enough melatonin to put me to sleep!

 

[Bigboote]

WOW! I was thinking early on that the Lynx should rest their starters. Slow on defense, all the misses were short, all signs of fatigue. But I was so wrong.

 

[DRR25]

WOW!

 

[GamecockFam]

That game was going how I expected up until that last second run by the Lynx. The plot I dreamed up in my head before the game: Liberty go up big in the first half, the Lynx crawl back into the game and make it competitive, and then the Liberty go on a tear in the 4th, winning the game convincingly by double digits. Obviously the third act didn't happen because of the one and only Courtney Williams!

Prior to the game my head was saying that NY would win it in 4 but my heart was desiring for the Lynx to win it all. I'm going with my heart from here on out...let's go Lynx!

 

[cancontent]

This graphic is wild. Look at where everything changed!!!! Just insane!

 

[JellyBean]

Like others have stated, this was a great game!! I am not going to lie and say I saw Minnesota coming back and getting a win. New York was just clicking. I mean up 15-20 points, you kind of know the game is in the game. But thankfully Minnesota players hung in there and did not give up. Courtney Williams. I am so glad that we have her in Minny. That big 4-point play! That was a huge shot. Way to go, Minnesota!!

 

[ConnManFan]

Teams don't ever seem to efficiently work the clock in the W. You see a lot of bad 3's where the offensive player clearly thinks, "this will ice the game for sure.' and then take a bad shot. Work the clock and get the best shot you can is a foreign concept. Grats to the Lynx for hanging arouind, but that was an all-time choke job by the Liberty. Stewwie and Ionescu were both brutal from the field. They combined to shoot 14 for 47. That's a combined fg% from 2 first all league players of 29.7%.

 

[GoUconn7961]

I didn't know whether to cry for Stewie or cheer for Phee, so I did a bit of both.

I know A'ja had a year, but it's astounding that Phee didn't get one first place MVP vote. She is clutch, she is the center of that team and between her and Williams, they willed the Lynx to win last night.

As far as Stewie, I can hear CD yelling at her - Breanna Stewart!!!

Also - JJ needs to stop with those half-hearted toss passes. She's causing way to many turnovers.

 

[Bigboote]

Teams don't ever seem to efficiently work the clock in the W. You see a lot of bad 3's where the offensive player clearly thinks, "this will ice the game for sure.' and then take a bad shot. Work the clock and get the best shot you can is a foreign concept. Grats to the Lynx for hanging arouind, but that was an all-time choke job by the Liberty. Stewwie and Ionescu were both brutal from the field. They combined to shoot 14 for 47. That's a combined fg% from 2 first all league players of 29.7%.

The Washington Post had a column yesterday on the different approaches the Liberty and Lynx took to building their teams. The Lib went for talent and the Lynx for fit/chemistry. That‘s part of the difference you cite in your first couple of sentences.

 

[Dillon77]

Initially posted this in WNBA offseason by mistake (I was channel switching between this game and the Yankees-Royals and lost track of our "way too many" WNBA threads). Anyways:

Whoa. Lynx come back from what once was an 18-pt. deficit to get a 95-93 win in OT led by three 20+ pt. performances by Courtney Williams (23), Kayla McBride (22) and Napheesa Collier (21). K-Mac carried the Lynx early, Williams helped bring them back in regulation (huge 4-pt. play at end of regulation of to take a one-pt. lead) and 'Phee sealed the deal, like usual.

Special shout out to Alanna Smith for grabbing a missed Williams three-pt. attempt and tossing it back to Williams, who then hit a trey, got fouled by Ionescu and hit the four. Key play.

Huge win. How huge? Lynx Coach Cheryl Reeve was jumping up and down on the sidelines after the last horn.

 

[Dillon77]

The Washington Post had a column yesterday on the different approaches the Liberty and Lynx took to building their teams. The Lib went for talent and the Lynx for fit/chemistry. That‘s part of the difference you cite in your first couple of sentences.

Chemistry point is well-taken (and completely on target in general).
However, I think I've read the basis for at least three of these Liberty players (Stewie, Jonquel Jones and Vandersloot) came about when they'd had good vibes playing together in Europe. Ionescu, of course, was drafted.

 

[Rb335]

A classic case of play to win vs play not to lose. The liberty seemed comfortable up 15, some lazy offensive possessions with bad shots. Allowed the Lynx to put some game pressure on them and they got really frazzled. Add in some costly mistakes, missed bunnies, and the free throw.

It will make game 2 very interesting. How do the liberty respond to that. They were playing lights out for a stretch, home court was rocking, and then an almost embarrassing collapse. That felt like a game that could really get in their heads.