2025 WNBA Regular Season

[Dillon77]

Speaking of Berger (& not harping on her inability to shoot well), does anyone recall her frequently (or ever) playing point guard while in college?

Chloe Moore-McNeil was the primary point guard for the Hoosiers when Grace Berger was her backcourt running mate at IU.
However, I watched a number of those games and Berger would often run half-court sets for Coach Moren. I've often thought of her as a combo guard.

As of now, I'm guessing the Wings "braintrust" has made a decision that, with Arike O. out, Paige B. would be more valuable as the de facto scoring guard and that handling the ball all the time, too, would wear her out. Or cut down on efficiency.
And/or everyone on Dallas is getting a tryout for next season.

Until Berger figures out where the heck her shot was lost, I'd see how Serena Sundell does in the next few games. Dallas management can figure out who can fill out the floor next year with Paige B. leading the charge.

 

[cancontent]

BTW, Oscar returns with "The Paper" on Peacock, another "mockumentary" by the creative forces behind "The Office."

Saw the ad for this weekend and I'm low key geeked out about it.

 

[GamecockFam]

Saw the ad for this weekend and I'm low key geeked out about it.

Oooh, this is the first I'm hearing about this! The wiki makes it seem like a mix of the Office and Party Down. I think there is a lot of potential in its story telling as they could follow the Party Down method by covering a different local events each week using the documentary style of The Office... 100th birthday celebration interviews, high school sports coverage, investigating suspected business fraud, etc. Basically there are an endless variety of newspaper topics that could be prime for comedy.

 

[Basingstoke]

Chloe Moore-McNeil was the primary point guard for the Hoosiers when Grace Berger was her backcourt running mate at IU.
However, I watched a number of those games and Berger would often run half-court sets for Coach Moren. I've often thought of her as a combo guard.

As of now, I'm guessing the Wings "braintrust" has made a decision that, with Arike O. out, Paige B. would be more valuable as the de facto scoring guard and that handling the ball all the time, too, would wear her out. Or cut down on efficiency.
And/or everyone on Dallas is getting a tryout for next season.

Until Berger figures out where the heck her shot was lost, I'd see how Serena Sundell does in the next few games.

Thanks for the IU info.
I understand Dallas' rationale in "trying out" players for the future, however, since Paige (& Maddie) are the only sure holdovers (& Paige the absolute centerpiece), I think their decision is wrong headed in that Paige should be the pg in this process. What good does it do if multiple possessions go by without Paige touching the ball or ever having it returned to her. It's not that Paige should do all the scoring or passing, but she sets the tone and embodies the philosophy of intelligent team-first basketball - rather than the heroball and lack of awareness to compliment the talents of others as well as yourself. I believe that her teammates should be given this opportunity to show how well they can work with Paige.

 

[Bigboote]

Chloe Moore-McNeil was the primary point guard for the Hoosiers when Grace Berger was her backcourt running mate at IU.
However, I watched a number of those games and Berger would often run half-court sets for Coach Moren. I've often thought of her as a combo guard.

I was going to say something similar. She played something between combo guard and point forward in college. I think she led them in assists for three years or so.

Her rookie year the Fever played her quite a bit at point, then when Clark showed up, they forgot about Grace.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

The million dollar coach did what he was supposed to do - that is defend the home court. I think in society today we tend to over praise people who do what they're supposed to do. That said it was a great win for Phoenix and may well have assured them home court in the playoffs-until they meet the eventual champion.

And when posters have a personal dislike of a player/coach, there is a tendency to downplay said individual's accomplishments.
The leading COY candidate has a 12-7 record at home. It is impossible for every coach to win every home game unless every team wins a combined zero games on the road.
Winning a game against the defending WNBA champion who is neck-and-neck with the Mercury in the standings is something to celebrate. It is yet another step in a staircase.

 

[azfan]

And when posters have a personal dislike of a player/coach, there is a tendency to downplay said individual's accomplishments.
The leading COY candidate has a 12-7 record at home. It is impossible for every coach to win every home game unless every team wins a combined zero games on the road.
Winning a game against the defending WNBA champion who is neck-and-neck with the Mercury in the standings is something to celebrate. It is yet another step in a staircase.

Absolutely

I would characterize the view of the million dollar coach as skeptical. He is very well liked, perhaps, a la Sandy Bullock, he might receive Mr. Congeniality as an award.

In a 13 team league I suppose the adjective leading might be used for the coach with the 5th ballot for COY behind Nakase (home record 12-7 for an expansion team), Reeve,(home record 19-2 worthy of celebration), Smesko (home record 13-7) and Hammon (home record 14-5 with a long current winning streak).

Nate is very popular, running 5th in the league in performance and should be acknowledged for slightly above average work AND receive kudos for an agent that made him the highest paid coach in the W. If he has earned 1.2 million then the 4 coaches who have done a much better job this year all deserve raises - above the 1.2 million dollar salary Nate earns for being well liked.

Has he earned the highest salary in the league?

Not yet, but he is well liked.

 

[azfan]

Fun game on tap in the valley of soul crushing heat as the Merc host the reeling Fever (losing 3 out of last 5). Phoenix has won 6 out of 7 (the only loss to the streaking Aces) and a victory will lock in the coveted 4th seed as the Mercury final four games are against the bottom dwellers.

As always, it will be fun to watch the well liked Tibbetts match wits with Stephanie.

Tonight's other game has Golden State with leading COY candidate coach Nakase hosting the Mercury's first round opponent. Nakase could not only burnish her COY credentials but do the million dollar coach a favor by beating Sandy Brondello's squad.

 

[ochoopsfan]

KLS and Aliya at the Storm game last night.
I saw Lou about 3 weeks ago for Aliya's 2nd Birthday Party. Lou is on schedule with the rehab of the ACL. If you didnt see the scar, you would think she was 100%

 

[JellyBean]

Speaking of Berger (& not harping on her inability to shoot well), does anyone recall her frequently (or ever) playing point guard while in college?

Oh yeah. She handled the point guard duties alot while at Indiana. Just a short clip of Indiana/Lady Vols but I am sure if you wanted to watch a full game, YouTube would have you covered.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

I would characterize the view of the million dollar coach as skeptical.

This very much feels like your view, not the view of the franchise, media, players, or season ticket holders.
JMHO ...

 

[cancontent]

This could help Vegas going into the play-offs. As @Dillon77 would say, stay tuned.

 

[Basingstoke]

For me, the true bottom line with regard to WNBA coaches' salaries is that virtually all of them are underpaid (along with the players).

 

[JellyBean]

JellyBean, what do you mean by "great to see Coach Reeve finally listen to the crowd and rest Phee"? Fans in the stands were calling out for Pheesa to sit? Or were they shouting for certain subs to go in? Legit question - one can't tell watching on WNBA League Pass.

I think when Minnesota was up 14-16 points, a small group of us fans started chanting "Get Phee some rest." Just for her to sit when we have those double-digit leads. We have some pretty decent players who could help so that Phee can rest some. Yeah, watching the games on League Pass it is tough sometimes to hear what the fans are saying or doing.

 

[azfan]

This very much feels like your view, not the view of the franchise, media, players, or season ticket holders.
JMHO ...

Of course!

I'm not certain I ever indicate I was speaking for anyone other than myself.

And myself is looking for the home teams to win tonight securing the four/five matchup and home court for the Merc.

 

[azfan]

Ih, watching the games on League Pass it is tough sometimes to hear what the fans are saying or doing.

I do love the league pass. It's much easier to cast than Prime and it's an unbelievable value.

Sure hope that doesn't go away as the W matures and evolves

 

[TheFarmFan]

@nwhoopfan My Friend, my Friend, NYet on the comments for another hour pleeeeeaase. =)

 

[nwhoopfan]

@nwhoopfan My Friend, my Friend, NYet on the comments for another hour pleeeeeaase. =)

Can I jinx AT by saying she almost has a triple double at halftime? Not even playing in the game you might be referencing.

 

[cancontent]

Can I jinx AT by saying she almost has a triple double at halftime? Not even playing in the game you might be referencing.

Considering it's not the Valkyries, I think I can post this without getting yelled at (virtually) by @TheFarmFan 😉 ☺️

 

[azfan]

Can I jinx AT by saying she almost has a triple double at halftime? Not even playing in the game you might be referencing.

Mack is sooooo good defensively and a lock for the Kia Stokes missed layup trophy. If only we could get Mack and Breezy on.the floor at the same time. That's an offensive show worth the price of admission.

OMG Breezy hits the lay up with 5 minutes remaining!!!!! The Fighting Irish fan goes crazy To bad Mack was on the bench

Best play of the game, third quarter Sammie pushes Sims and I mean shoves her on the way to the rim. Even the Phoenix appointments couldn't believe the no call. Another consequence of playing with the very physical AT, the refs let kiddos play. I mean, AT would foul out of every game if her 'contact" was called. AT makes Mabry look like a finesse player.

That said a great player. She and Wilson deserve co MVP.

Oh, the likeable and wealthy Merc coach and his squad defend the home court.

 

[nwhoopfan]

If I was a betting man, I wouldn't put a penny on the Liberty. They aren't right, and haven't been for a LONG time. Might put a penny, but not much more on the Fever.

 

[nwhoopfan]

the very physical AT, the refs let kiddos play. I mean, AT would foul out of every game if her 'contact" was called

Thank you! I've been saying this most of her career. It's ludicrous. What's worse is most of the time she commits a blatantly obvious offensive foul by plowing thru another player, her victim gets called for a blocking foul.

 

[nwhoopfan]

My jinx worked, sort of. Phoenix won, but AT finished 1 rebound and 1 assist shy of a triple double. She was so close at the half, I'm pretty shocked she didn't get there.

 

[MilfordHusky]

NY and Indiana are slipping. Meanwhile, Golden State has guaranteed a .500 season and probably a playoff berth.

 

[TheFarmFan]

Can I jinx AT by saying she almost has a triple double at halftime? Not even playing in the game you might be referencing.

My jinx worked, sort of. Phoenix won, but AT finished 1 rebound and 1 assist shy of a triple double. She was so close at the half, I'm pretty shocked she didn't get there.

Thank you for your service, sir. We gotta keep it in the West Coast fam, and after the Merc beat us 4 times, I'll take every petty stat I can get.

 

[GoChips20]

Golden State gets to .500 and is very likely to finish their first season with a winning record.

Incredible stuff from Nakase and staff.

 

[Bigboote]

Wow, there’s a three-way tie for second place right now.

 

[GamecockFam]

Yeah the imbalanced officiating of physical play really irked me in the Fever @ Mercury game last night, but it is what it is.

I also wonder what the record is for these East Coast teams that have to travel to the West Coast and play games at 10 PM EST. I have an inkling of a suspicion that West Coast teams have a disproportionate amount of wins due to the time of game play. I think it would be much harder to play a game at the time you're usually thinking about going to bed, but alas that is the life of a sports professional and they must overcome it. West Coast teams don't have the same issue when traveling to the East Coast.

 

[TheFarmFan]

Yeah the imbalanced officiating of physical play really irked me in the Fever @ Mercury game last night, but it is what it is.

I also wonder what the record is for these East Coast teams that have to travel to the West Coast and play games at 10 PM EST. I have an inkling of a suspicion that West Coast teams have a disproportionate amount of wins due to the time of game play. I think it would be much harder to play a game at the time you're usually thinking about going to bed, but alas that is the life of a sports professional and they must overcome it. West Coast teams don't have the same issue when traveling to the East Coast.

Yes but: Golden State's worst loss of the season was a 10am PDT Sunday start in Incasville after finishing around 12:45 am EDT Saturday morning in San Francisco. So it definitely cuts both ways.

As for the reffing in Merc games, I think they're the team that gets away with the most unwarranted contact across the entire league. And let's be honest: AT has the most aggressive elbows I've ever seen in the W.

 

[GamecockFam]

Yes but: Golden State's worst loss of the season was a 10am PDT Sunday start in Incasville after finishing around 12:45 am EDT Saturday morning in San Francisco. So it definitely cuts both ways.

As for the reffing in Merc games, I think they're the team that gets away with the most unwarranted contact across the entire league. And let's be honest: AT has the most aggressive elbows I've ever seen in the W.

Don't know if I agree. I would much rather play at 10 am than 10 pm, but that is probably preferential. I am a morning person after all. 😆

I would think that it would be much harder to stay mentally active at 11:30 pm in the 4th quarter. At least with morning games you can wake your body up through the game play.

 

[cancontent]

Don't know if I agree. I would much rather play at 10 am than 10 pm, but that is probably preferential. I am a morning person after all. 😆

I would think that it would be much harder to stay mentally active at 11:30 pm in the 4th quarter. At least with morning games you can wake your body up through the game play.

But I think you're overlooking the time difference and the impact on their internal body clocks into your scenario. Being three hours behind, plus playing on short rest, will have some impact.

This topic comes up every year during the NFL season with west coast teams playing 1 pm games on the east coast. There seems to be some logic to the theory based on some of the studies the networks have reviewed during their pre-game shows.

 

[GamecockFam]

But I think you're overlooking the time difference and the impact on their internal body clocks into your scenario. Being three hours behind, plus playing on short rest, will have some impact.

This topic comes up every year during the NFL season with west coast teams playing 1 pm games on the east coast. There seems to be some logic to the theory based on some of the studies the networks have reviewed during their pre-game shows.

I don't think I did. IMO internal body clocks would be more impacted by playing games past ones bedtime vs the morning time when most people are awake. I definitely agree that both scenarios would cause impacts due to playing outside of norms, but I think it would be disproportionate impacts to East teama travelling west to play past bedtimes. At least West teams playing on the east coast at 10 AM their local time would have been awake at that hour on their coast.

As far as other impacts, I'm chalking that up to bad scheduling. I consider that a different category but I agree that shorter recovery time leads to issues no matter the scenario. As a fan, I really dislike these back-to-back games and how they affect the outcome of the game.

 

[Geew1992]

Yes but: Golden State's worst loss of the season was a 10am PDT Sunday start in Incasville after finishing around 12:45 am EDT Saturday morning in San Francisco. So it definitely cuts both ways.

As for the reffing in Merc games, I think they're the team that gets away with the most unwarranted contact across the entire league. And let's be honest: AT has the most aggressive elbows I've ever seen in the W.

I think the lost to the wings is worse

 

[TheFarmFan]

Don't know if I agree. I would much rather play at 10 am than 10 pm, but that is probably preferential. I am a morning person after all. 😆

I would think that it would be much harder to stay mentally active at 11:30 pm in the 4th quarter. At least with morning games you can wake your body up through the game play.

Except the Liberty have been on the West Coast since Friday, so their body clocks should be fully adjusted by Tuesday evening (general rule is an hour adjustment per day). I get your theory as a theory but in practice it really shouldn't apply here, and I can assure you when you take a red eye that leaves at 3+ am EDT on a Saturday (right after a game), waking up at 7 am EDT Sunday to warm up for a game doesn't feel any better than staying up until 11:30 EDT five days after going west.

And in any event, the Liberty outscored us after half time, so the eye test also didn't suggest they wilted at that "late" hour.

 

[YKCornelius]

Except the Liberty have been on the West Coast since Friday, so their body clocks should be fully adjusted by Tuesday evening (general rule is an hour adjustment per day). I get your theory as a theory but in practice it really shouldn't apply here, and I can assure you when you take a red eye that leaves at 3+ am EDT on a Saturday (right after a game), waking up at 7 am EDT Sunday to warm up for a game doesn't feel any better than staying up until 11:30 EDT five days after going west.

And in any event, the Liberty outscored us after half time, so the eye test also didn't suggest they wilted at that "late" hour.

FarmFan, you are absolutely correct regarding the red-eye scenario. I would suggest to everyone posting on this topic, that it is more than just the change in a player's body clock (i.e., do they feel like it is either still morning or still evening to them) that can effect performance.

Another significant component of the "jet lag" effect, which further underscores the goofiness of the WNBA scheduling, is that when a person is on a 5.5 hour flight from East Coast to West Coast (or 4.5 hour from West to East flying in the jet stream) his/her body is breathing air regulated at approximately 6.5K feet of pressure altitude for all but about an hour of the flight. A body, especially a professional (or collegiate) athlete, needs time to acclimate and adjust in order to optimally perform.

Bottom line: WNBA scheduling is bonkers. Any team who flies x-country the day before playing is set up for poor performance, if not abject failure. Adding at least one full day of travel-time should be a hard line in the new CBA.

 

[azfan]

NY and Indiana are slipping. Meanwhile, Golden State has guaranteed a .500 season and probably a playoff berth.

The team really misses Sabrina

 

[sivad40]

Liz Kitley is back.

 

[JellyBean]

Liz Kitley is back.

Hopefully Kitley can make a solid impression, so a team, any team, can add her to their roster permanently. Another solid player who can help a team, given the right situation. Looking forward the Minnesota/Golden State match ups. Let's go, Lynx!

 

[Dillon77]

Liz Kitley is back.

Now, that's good timing (and/or work by her agent and the team) ....Take advantage of it, Liz.

 

[azfan]

How much do I love women's basketball. Well I'm watching the Sky and Sun..lol

I did get to see history made as Tina became the all time made field goal leader surpassing the goat.

And while Cardosa is having fun one would wonder why a Merc fan would watch this....

 

[nwhoopfan]

No Allisha Gray, no problem for the Dream. Still lighting up the Sparks. I would say defense is optional for LA, but it isn't even optional, it's strictly not used. At all. Against anybody.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Well LA didn't give up nearly as many points in the second half, but didn't really gain any ground after being down 12 at the half.

Meanwhile Connecticut had a chance to gain a firm grip on #10...but instead got blown out by 24 by Chicago and are now 1/2 game behind the Sky.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Angel Reese picked up a technical and hit the magic number for the season, she'll have to sit out their next game.

 

[snlMINAJ]

It's gotta be such a tricky balance of continuing Phee's campaign for MVP and not messing up the team chemistry by resting starters for too long. Since they have the #1 overall seed on lockdown I expect starters will play less minutes than usual but I think they need to get 20 minutes to stay in game shape and keep team chemistry.

the 4-4 from three moved her closer to 50-40-90.... there's that!

 

[JellyBean]

Angel Reese picked up a technical and hit the magic number for the season, she'll have to sit out their next game.

Unless the league pulls the tech, which is doubtful, but you never know.