2025 WNBA Regular Season | Page 24 | The Boneyard

2025 WNBA Regular Season

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baggerbob said:
The Liberty missing 2 starters who also are great defenders makes this game almost meaningless. Wait until they play later in the season.
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Yes and when the opponent hits 17 threes chances are they are going to win. Indiana has outstanding shooters but they don't do that all the time. Credit to them for connecting today.
 
baggerbob said:
The Liberty missing 2 starters who also are great defenders makes this game almost meaningless. Wait until they play later in the season.
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They've been winning games w/out JJ, until today. Fiebich hasn't been doing much for them so far.

Indiana just got Clark and Cunningham back today, and now are without Bonner, so their lineup has been in flux as well.

I think it's still a good win for the Fever. They've gotten off to a bit of a slow start, but just beat the top team in the league. Led the Liberty by a similar margin going into the 4th quarter about a month ago, but let the lead slip away and lost by 2. NY had all their starters for that game.
 
Stagnant said:
I am going to give the wings a chance since they have a new front office. But I already don’t like some of the things they have done.

Their draft was okay. I thought they botched the expansion draft. Leite should have been protected. The coaching hire looks questionable. I don’t know about bringing in Nalyssa Smith. And I think Hines Allen on basically a max contract looks like a foolish deal.
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I think you are being way too generous! The truth is, the Wings are a disaster of biblical proportions! They have been bad for a long time with a team that has been unable to go anywhere largely imo because of Arike Ogunbowale. She is, has been, and will always be a player who can have great individual games as a scorer but will never be able to make her teammates better, indeed has no desire to. She is simply a volume shooter who occasionally has games where she actually shoots a good percentage and looks like a world beater but then reverts back to the 8-21 game where she scores 23-24 pts with one assist. Some were excited when they saw they were getting Paige but the weight of Arike and all the other “me, me, me” players is simply too much for even Paige to overcome.

Nalyssa is terrible, she has seriously regressed since Baylor, their best player besides Arike and Paige is Carrington, a legit good player on both sides of the ball but who has a terrible attitude, plays borderline dirty and is a technical waiting to happen. (She probably should have at least four or five so far already imo and is extremely fortunate that she has not seriously injured someone) Siegrist is too slow and cannot seem to score like she did in college, though if she were surrounded by a real team she might could play a lot better. McCowan has lost her get up and go, and the rest of the roster seems like an odd collection of castoffs and freshmen who just don’t make a lot of sense. I feel so bad for Paige!

Plus, this coach does not appear able or willing to put his foot down and require the players read: Arike, Carrington, and Smith to play the game as it should be played. I think their best bet ( and best hope to keep Paige long term) is to tank this year and hope they can get Betts, trade Arike and Smith, hire a coach with some real gravitas & give her/him enough power to where she/he can force Carrington to adjust her ‘tude and tone down the rough/dirty play (otherwise, trade her too) and then attempt to surround that core of three plus (perhaps Siegrist) with a supporting cast that can ply a team game!

They have a great player in Paige who knows all about how to make her teammates better. If they don’t make some serious changes to this roster one of two things will happen, neither of them good! One; they will waste a player who could turn that franchise into a perennial winner. Two; Paige will bolt to another team as soon as she is able.
They desperately need Betts and to trade Arike! I do not believe they will ever win with Arike on that team, not even with Paige.
 
bballnut90 said:
Watched the Lynx/Wings game. I don't think Dallas is as bad as many are fearing. I know it's just 1 game but we saw:
-Arike didn't play hero ball and seems excited to play with Bueckers in a more team oriented offense
-Paige didn't light it up but looked solid and comfortable on the court
-Siegrist was a really nice spark plug off the bench
-Hines-Allen looks like she's ready to contribute at a high level this year
-Carrington brings a lot of much needed energy defensively and did a good job of attacking the rim

The Lynx are probably the most polished team in the league and pulled away in the third. Dallas isn't going to light it up but they're definitely a playoff contender. Nalyssa Smith still can't defend though and I'm not sure how they're planning to use McCowan (if at all) but they're going to be quite undersized if they aren't getting quality defense from those 2.

Lynx look like the front runners again assuming they can get McBride back. Collier is quickly on the MVP campaign trail this year with a brilliant opening game of 34 points. Courtney Williams had 25 points, 9 assists and 0 TOs, she dominated the third quarter. Jess Shepard looked fantastic out there--she's in great shape and had some great post moves. She'll be a major weapon for them if she can stay healthy. Diamond Miller also looks healthy and active and had a huge night. Adding someone with her athleticism and activity level will make them that much tougher to compete with this season. Pretty impressive level of play for both teams considering it's opening day.
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Have to disagree on Dallas. They are terrible! I do not see even Page being able to turn this batch of me players, bad players, and mismatched castoffs into a functioning team. Arike is just not going to change at this point of her career. Even Paige needs a team around her. A team! Not a bunch of individuals.
 
Seattle continues to disappoint but hats off to Golden State!! Well done! The Valkyries are frigging awesome!! No Fear attitude. They are playing well. Basically, they are killing the whole "teams gotta build chemistry to play well" argument. Teams like Dallas and Chicago really do not have an excuse when you look at Golden State. A team that was assembled a few weeks before the season started. Throw in a short training window and preseason, pretty much the same as other teams, and you get an expansion team that is out playing others and fearless. Well done, Golden State.
 
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JellyBean said:
Seattle continues to disappoint but hats off to Golden State!! Well done! The Valkyries are frigging awesome!! No Fear attitude. They are playing well. Basically, they are killing the whole "teams gotta build chemistry to play well" argument. Teams like Dallas and Chicago really do not have an excuse when you look at Golden State. A team that was assembled a few weeks before the season started. Throw in a short training window and preseason, pretty much the same as other teams, and you get an expansion team that is out playing others and fearless. Well done, Golden State.
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The Valkyrie play with a nothing-to-lose attitude. I think the bar was set so low that they just go out and hoop, knowing that they're already exceeding expectations. It's so fun to watch them play.
 
Just took a look at the rest of Minnesota's June schedule. Heck we got the chance to finish the month 5-0 or 0-5, just depends on the level of focus the team has and that "H" word. We play the Aces, the Sparks, the Dream, the Sun, and the Mystics. On paper, the Aces, the Mystics, and the Dream are a problem. The Sparks could be a problem. The Sun....might be a problem. But I like our chances here in Minnesota.
 
streaking will ferrell GIF


@TheFarmFan was this you last night? ;)
 
A bizarre situation occurred in the last few minutes of Q2 during the Lynx-Sparks game. I am interested to hear any opinions from fellow Boneyarders who might have officiating experience in their past.

At the 2:48 mark, Collier was fouled by Barker (non-shooting) and rather than inbounding the ball was sent to the line due to the officials mistaken belief that LA was over the limit. Collier sank both free throws (increasing the Lynx' lead to 28 points) and play resumed. The game officials did not catch their mistake until the second stoppage in play a full two and a half minutes later, during which time Minnesota had increased their lead to 32. After a brief discussion at the scorer's table, the refs took both of Pheesa's free throws off the scoreboard and continued on with the game.

None of the Lynx coaches made a fuss, perhaps because the game was already a complete blowout, but one has to wonder what would have happened if it was a tight game? How can officials go back, change the score and wipe out a team's possession in this particular case?

The befuddled announcers actually lauded the refs for recognizing and correcting their mistake, but was the situation really corrected? Wouldn't it have been more "fair" for the refs to decide that both free throws were to be removed from the score, but also that Minnesota would then be given the ball out of bounds since they had their possession taken away from them?

I am of the opinion that Roy Gulbeyan and crew botched this up. Any 'yarders with officiating experience (any level, any sport) see this situation differently?
 
cancontent said:
streaking will ferrell GIF


@TheFarmFan was this you last night? ;)
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Do you have a nest camera in my living room?!

Seriously though, Nakase needs to be seriously considered for coach of the year. It's not just that the Valks are 5-5 when everyone left us for dead, it's that in every presser, the players repeatedly talk about the trust their coaches have instilled in them, their belief in following the game plan, and the chemistry they have in each other. I'm not sure I've ever seen a team come together this quickly and be this dialed in on the same page. KT was asked about Leite and said she was "my baby" and she was "so proud" of her, and Nakase talked about how the whole team was invested in getting Amihere and Powers touches last night to get them confident and integrated. I am such a fan of how selfless, gritty, and dialed in our team is. Doesn't matter if we win or lose, because if they're giving it their all I will yell myself horse whether we're up 30 or down 15 and be incredibly proud regardless of the result.

So yes, 3 W's in a row - WE'RE GOING STREAKING!
 
TheFarmFan said:
Do you have a nest camera in my living room?!

Seriously though, Nakase needs to be seriously considered for coach of the year. It's not just that the Valks are 5-5 when everyone left us for dead, it's that in every presser, the players repeatedly talk about the trust their coaches have instilled in them, their belief in following the game plan, and the chemistry they have in each other. I'm not sure I've ever seen a team come together this quickly and be this dialed in on the same page. KT was asked about Leite and said she was "my baby" and she was "so proud" of her, and Nakase talked about how the whole team was invested in getting Amihere and Powers touches last night to get them confident and integrated. I am such a fan of how selfless, gritty, and dialed in our team is. Doesn't matter if we win or lose, because if they're giving it their all I will yell myself horse whether we're up 30 or down 15 and be incredibly proud regardless of the result.

So yes, 3 W's in a row - WE'RE GOING STREAKING!
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LOL. I'm not that good with technology ;)

It's been fun to watch how this team has developed and your genuine excitement for having a local team to support is infectious.

The Valks have also shown that the talent available via the expansion draft is deeper/better than what most may have assumed. It's a great sign for Toronto and Portland next season.
 
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Chicago and Connecticut actually giving a competitive and somewhat fun back-and-forth contest thus far, trading three's (Mabrey, Nurse) within the last 10 seconds of the half to make it 38-36. Reese has 6 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, while Kia Nurse is 3-3 from three. Tina Charles, Jacy Sheldon and Marina Mabey have scored 32 of the Sun's 36 point with Mabrey shooting 6-11 overall and 4-8 from three. Her release from three -- always fast -- seems to be even quicker this year.
 
Chicago is going w/ the no PG approach. I certainly don't think you can consider either Atkins or Nurse a PG. Van Lith w/ significant minutes off the bench, but only 1 assist for her.
 
Connecticut still very firmly in the worst team in the league conversation.
 
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nwhoopfan said:
Chicago is going w/ the no PG approach. I certainly don't think you can consider either Atkins or Nurse a PG. Van Lith w/ significant minutes off the bench, but only 1 assist for her.
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Think it's more due to how the game was going more than anything else. The Sun's focus was more on Reese today and Reese took advantage by looking for her open teammates.
 
11/13/11 for Reese (also 3 steals and 2 blocks). 16 for Van Lith, that's gotta be a career high. 3 other starters in double figures and decent contributions from throughout the reserves, another 20 combined for Williams, Onyenwere and Banham.

22 for Mabrey and 19 for Charles, but not enough from the rest of the Sun.
 
Dillon77 said:
Chicago and Connecticut actually giving a competitive and somewhat fun back-and-forth contest thus far, trading three's (Mabrey, Nurse) within the last 10 seconds of the half to make it 38-36. Reese has 6 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, while Kia Nurse is 3-3 from three. Tina Charles, Jacy Sheldon and Marina Mabey have scored 32 of the Sun's 36 point with Mabrey shooting 6-11 overall and 4-8 from three. Her release from three -- always fast -- seems to be even quicker this year.
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Chicago comes out in the 2nd half and outscores the Sun, 40-30 to take the win: 78-66. Reese finishes with a triple double (11 points and assists, 13 rebounds) and Hailey Van Lith comes off the bench to score 116 points. Felt like Connecticut was a 1/2 step behind on virtually most aspects of the game in the half. As noted by the commentators, just not enough diversity in that Tina Charles (19 points) and Marina Mabrey (22 points) were being hounded all fourth quarter. Until Jacy Sheldon was reinserted, just didn't see any other juice on offense.

If Kariata Diaby is going to be the chief sub in the frontcourt for the Sun, I'd be a worried: she's just not at the level needed. Why didn't Morrow or Peters play today? Rivers? She, along with Sheldon, could've stopped Hailey Van Lith's cross-over bursts.

Good win for Chitown while Connecticut....whew, this could be a long season unless some cohesion and/or new approaches come together....fast.
 
Dillon77 said:
Chicago comes out in the 2nd half and outscores the Sun, 40-30 to take the win: 78-66. Reese finishes with a triple double (11 points and assists, 13 rebounds) and Hailey Van Lith comes off the bench to score 116 points. Felt like Connecticut was a 1/2 step behind on virtually most aspects of the game in the half. As noted by the commentators, just not enough diversity in that Tina Charles (19 points) and Marina Mabrey (22 points) were being hounded all fourth quarter. Until Jacy Sheldon was reinserted, just didn't see any other juice on offense.

If Kariata Diaby is going to be the chief sub in the frontcourt for the Sun, I'd be a worried: she's just not at the level needed. Why didn't Morrow or Peters play today? Rivers? She, along with Sheldon, could've stopped Hailey Van Lith's cross-over bursts.

Good win for Chitown while Connecticut....whew, this could be a long season unless some cohesion and/or new approaches come together....fast.
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Rivers was put due to illness I believe. Not sure about Morrow or Peters.
 
nwhoopfan said:
11/13/11 for Reese (also 3 steals and 2 blocks). 16 for Van Lith, that's gotta be a career high. 3 other starters in double figures and decent contributions from throughout the reserves, another 20 combined for Williams, Onyenwere and Banham.

22 for Mabrey and 19 for Charles, but not enough from the rest of the Sun.
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Bench outscored Sun 32-2
 
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Baller29 said:
Morrow isn’t good enough for the W. They’ll waive or trade her soon.


Idk about peters
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By what standard? The number of times I see posts like this on the board, it makes me shake my head.

The same was being said about Hillmon when she was drafted by the Dream. Some thought Amihere being drafted in 2023 was a sign she was going to get cut. Who's still in Atlanta?

If she does get waived, it doesn't mean she's not fit for the W. It may be a situation that Connecticut wasn't the right fit for her. Bridget Carleton is a great example of that as she was a 2nd round pick who got waived and is now a key cog in Minnesota. That took time as well as she had to work her tail off to earn her starter's role.
 
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