2025 WNBA Regular Season | Page 22 | The Boneyard

2025 WNBA Regular Season

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What is going on with Vegas? Is Hammon just a below average coach (I say that sort of joking... sort of)? She has much of the same pieces as last year - trading down by swapping Plum for Loyd, but the BIG difference is she lost 2 of her assistants.

I do get that Loyd is not playing at anywhere near the level Plum was for Vegas, but still... the Sparks were 3-7 before that game and Vegas has 4 Olympians on their roster...

Hey Becky - instead of throwing your team under the bus for lack of effort, how about looking in the mirror and figuring out why your coaching sucks this season?
 
EricLA said:
What is going on with Vegas? Is Hammon just a below average coach? She has much of the same pieces as last year - trading down by swapping Plum for Loyd, but the BIG difference is she lost 2 of her assistants.

Hey Becky - instead of throwing your team under the bus for lack of effort, how about looking in the mirror and figuring out why your coaching sucks this season?
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The Golden State Coach took the play book with her
 
Stagnant said:
All star voting is open.

The all star game is an exhibition. I am going to vote for players I want to watch.

And so. I voted for both Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers.
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By any metric any other than playing time, I'm struggling to see why you feel the need to justify what seems, to me, to be obvious. ;)
 
TheFarmFan said:
By any metric any other than playing time, I'm struggling to see why you feel the need to justify what seems, to me, to be obvious. ;)
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I think Caitlin has played only 3 games. The wings are like 1-10. ‍ that’s probably why I felt the need to explain.

-Shrug-
 
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Dillon77 said:
I noticed Jessica Shepard wasn't in the lineup for the Lynx last night against Seattle, offering her support to both 'Phee and Alanna Smith. Turns out the Nebraskan is going be away for awhile:

Steps away from Minnesota: Jessica Shepard has stepped away from the Lynx to compete in EuroBasket, Mitchell Hansen of CanisHoopus.com reports.
Impact The 28-year-old center will miss several weeks of the WNBA season to join the Slovenian national team for EuroBasket. Diamond Miller, Alissa Pili and Maria Kliundikova are candidates for a slight bump in minutes during Shepard's absence.

As per the suggestion on taking her place, Pili played just under 5 minutes last night and the other two didn't get in the game.
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I was wondering what happened to Shepard when I was looking at the box scores. I am about to cue up the game now. This stinks but also could give other players some minutes. Jessica was having a nice run. She will be missed here in Minnesota.
 
Kind of a stale start to the season. Some notable reasons why in my opinion:

1. Caitlin Clark is out, ratings have dropped as a result and Indiana hasn’t looked good with her out despite a ton of hype with new coaching and free agents signing.

2. Phoenix is missing Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper. Plus they don’t have DT or Griner. They’re doing well all things considered but aren’t going to draw interest or viewers in the same way until their stars are back.

3. Big names and exciting playmakers Jewell Loyd and Arike Ogunbowale have been awful. Both are kind of dragging down excitement for their franchises despite Wilson and Bueckers having very good starts to the season.

4. Libs and Lynx being the clear front runner is underwhelming. No shade to either team but we appear to be streamlined for another finals rematch this year with almost all of the same players for each team. Collier also seems to be headed to a pretty straight forward MVP award without other contenders at this point.

5. Chicago draws a lot of viewers but has been underwhelming too, and now with Vandersloot out they look like a long shot to be a playoff contender.

6. Encapsulating all of this, the young stars the league is building around are all on awful teams or injured. Clark, Brink, Bueckers, Aaliyah Edwards and Rickea Jackson have all missed notable time due to injuries, and Kamilla Cardoso/Angel Reese are on a bad team and haven’t improved from a year ago.

I think the quality and excitement will heat up as the season unfolds but I’ve found the season to be a bit flat to start.
 
bballnut90 said:
Kind of a stale start to the season. Some notable reasons why in my opinion:

1. Caitlin Clark is out, ratings have dropped as a result and Indiana hasn’t looked good with her out despite a ton of hype with new coaching and free agents signing.

2. Phoenix is missing Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper. Plus they don’t have DT or Griner. They’re doing well all things considered but aren’t going to draw interest or viewers in the same way until their stars are back.

3. Big names and exciting playmakers Jewell Loyd and Arike Ogunbowale have been awful. Both are kind of dragging down excitement for their franchises despite Wilson and Bueckers having very good starts to the season.

4. Libs and Lynx being the clear front runner is underwhelming. No shade to either team but we appear to be streamlined for another finals rematch this year with almost all of the same players for each team. Collier also seems to be headed to a pretty straight forward MVP award without other contenders at this point.

5. Chicago draws a lot of viewers but has been underwhelming too, and now with Vandersloot out they look like a long shot to be a playoff contender.

6. Encapsulating all of this, the young stars the league is building around are all on awful teams or injured. Clark, Brink, Bueckers, Aaliyah Edwards and Rickea Jackson have all missed notable time due to injuries, and Kamilla Cardoso/Angel Reese are on a bad team and haven’t improved from a year ago.

I think the quality and excitement will heat up as the season unfolds but I’ve found the season to be a bit flat to start.
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I think the Valks have been a super exciting storyline given that we've already won thorough 9 games as many games as some thought we would (and Atlanta did) win their entire first season.

It's just no one else in the league cares about us yet, so I feel like we suffer from a lack of national attention. No big names, no particularly great angles to tell this story other than that Nakase should be front runner for COY and she wasn't 3ven in ESPN's most recent long list. (oy!)
 
TheFarmFan said:
I think the Valks have been a super exciting storyline given that we've already won thorough 9 games as many games as some thought we would (and Atlanta did) win their entire first season.

It's just no one else in the league cares about us yet, so I feel like we suffer from a lack of national attention. No big names, no particularly great angles to tell this story other than that Nakase should be front runner for COY and she wasn't 3ven in ESPN's most recent long list. (oy!)
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Which could be a good thing. Let the national public sleep on the Valkyries. It will make giving side eye to the new "fans" who claim they were there from the start even more satisfying. ;)
 
cancontent said:
Which could be a good thing. Let the national public sleep on the Valkyries. It will make giving side eye to the new "fans" who claim they were there from the start even more satisfying. ;)
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Is there any room for more?! (in person, at least. ) Every game has been a sellout and when I can't go, my secondary resale ticket fetches a price far higher than the pro rata share for my season tickets, which has been incredible. And I see folks in Valks merch all over town. All that said, the more the merrier! Join the bandwagon before that fills up too.
 
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Somebody on the Vegas sideline dropped the ball with this injury. Wilson came to the sidelines after that hit and just got her nose plugged and kept playing for several minutes. She should have been checked immediately by the training staff. You can’t take a players word. Check the eyes and ask the questions. She was very vulnerable out there and it’s fortunate she didn’t take another hit.
 
TheFarmFan said:
I think the Valks have been a super exciting storyline given that we've already won thorough 9 games as many games as some thought we would (and Atlanta did) win their entire first season.

It's just no one else in the league cares about us yet, so I feel like we suffer from a lack of national attention. No big names, no particularly great angles to tell this story other than that Nakase should be front runner for COY and she wasn't 3ven in ESPN's most recent long list. (oy!)
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Totally agree. The Valkyries (I do like the way you use "The Valks") have been exciting to watch this season. They play hard, smart, and together. They do not look like an expansion team. And you guys as a fan base. Y'all are doing it right! I love the energy you guys bring to every game. Even in the games you guys are losing. The energy is still electric. Stuff like that makes it fun to watch a Golden State game. Keep up the great work.
 
Arike with a strong turn around game. 26 points, 8 assists, 9-17 FG. Up 9 on Vegas with 3 min to go. Paige having a solid game too.

Fever started 2-9 last year before turning it around. I wouldn't be shocked if Dallas improves significantly if Arike can find her shot more consistently.
 
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OMG that was an awful ending for Dallas. That was like the CT collapse at the end of the game when lost to MINN. Combination bad play calls , home calls and Arike trying to do too much again. Just can't blow that big a lead in that short a time. Inexcusable. I'm not real impressed with that 1st year coach either. He displays no passion whatsoever.
 
Stagnant said:
Absolute choke job by the wings tonight.
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  • 15-0 run by Aces before Bueckers hit two free throws.
  • On a key sequence late, Carrington made an inexplicable lazy handoff that the Aces tied up and led to a jump ball that the Aces won.
  • Aces seemed to get numerous second and third chances. Wings looked equal parts dazed and stuck in their tracks.

Real shame because they had been playing well up to the 4th quarter.....Geiseilsoder can play.
 
Dillon77 said:
  • 15-0 run by Aces before Bueckers hit two free throws.
  • On a key sequence late, Carrington made an inexplicable lazy handoff that the Aces tied up and led to a jump ball that the Aces won.
  • Aces seemed to get numerous second and third chances. Wings looked equal parts dazed and stuck in their tracks.

....Geiseilsoder can play.
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She can? IMO she killed them at the end of this game. Yeah she can shoot but her lack of mobility is crippling trying to play defense against a team like the Aces. Plus they had zero rebounding at the end of this game. Are there no out of work post players the Wings can add to their roster. Lack of height is really hurting their post play.
 
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Holy smokes! The Aces/Wings. Huge red flag for both teams, more so for the Aces though because they are a year and some change removed from Back to Back titles. At one point in the game, when the Aces were down 10-11 points, Coach Hammon had that look of "WT is going on here?" It will be interesting to see how they fix things.

Dallas. So confusing. That 3rd quarter. They were clicking on all cylinders. They looked like they were finding their groove out there. Then it became a game of, since you shot one from 15 feet, my turn to shoot a 20 footer. Then since i missed that 20 footer. Let me try another 20 footer. SMH. Then defensively, let's forget that there is a 4th quarter. We will only focus on 3 quarters.

Just an interesting game.
 
JellyBean said:
Holy smokes! The Aces/Wings. Huge red flag for both teams, more so for the Aces though because they are a year and some change removed from Back to Back titles. At one point in the game, when the Aces were down 10-11 points, Coach Hammon had that look of "WT is going on here?" It will be interesting to see how they fix things.

Dallas. So confusing. That 3rd quarter. They were clicking on all cylinders. They looked like they were finding their groove out there. Then it became a game of, since you shot one from 15 feet, my turn to shoot a 20 footer. Then since i missed that 20 footer. Let me try another 20 footer. SMH. Then defensively, let's forget that there is a 4th quarter. We will only focus on 3 quarters.

Just an interesting game.
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Didn't see it but per the box score, after being down 11, the Aces go on a 17-2 run to win the game with 14 of the 17 points coming off FTs. Seems like a strange finish to an otherwise solid game.

Dallas is up 82-71, then Paige has 3 consecutive fouls and two turnovers (plus a Hines-Allen offensive foul) which led to 6 points for the Aces.
Now it's 82-77, Arike commits two TOs, Dallas commits 2 more fouls and give up 4 points at the line, now 82-81.
At 82-81, Loyd hits a 3 to take the lead. Cue 4 more FTs in the final 15 seconds to secure the win.
 
I didn't watch any of the game except for the last two minutes. I was about to turn off the lights and go to sleep but had to check the scores one last time. I saw the Aces were down by 5 with like 2 minutes to play, so I just had to pull up the game on my phone and see the action.

Paige definitely looked like a deer in the headlights and took some ill-advised shots in those minutes. She was avoiding the physicality of the Aces. The Aces defense and level of effort ramped up to a playoffs level of intensity. Seems like the players took Becky's message to heart as that was some absolutely frenetic play by the Aces that resulted in them getting all those free throws.

The Aces really need another experienced frontcourt player to pair with A'ja. It showed while she was out of the game and I cannot see them recreating this type of win against any other team in the league. Maybe next year...?
 
Blue Huskie said:
She can? IMO she killed them at the end of this game. Yeah she can shoot but her lack of mobility is crippling trying to play defense against a team like the Aces. Plus they had zero rebounding at the end of this , game. Are there no out of work post players the Wings can add to their roster. Lack of height is really hurting their post players
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Well, there's a quite a bit to unpack there:
  • Ms. G can shoot well, for sure: In fact, she didn't miss a shot last night. At the end of the day, shooting is one of (the most, according to many studies) ways to awin. On top of that, she sets decent screens and goes to open areas to receive what passes come back...keeps the ball moving. Lot of "hockey assists" from her. Was Siegrist hurt last night or has Koclanes decided she isn't worth putting on the floor?
  • I didn't see that much of an issue with her on defense or rebounding until that end run. At that point, Vegas was running four guards around Stokes and if she was exposed, that was the time. Koclanes chose not to put another guard or small forward into cover the other guard. BTW, at frenzy time, most of the offensive boards were being garnered by Vegas guards. Who know, maybe A. James could've helped there. But Nye, Gray and, particularly, Young were causing havoc there.
  • Where I do agree with you is that this team is trying to get by with no legit center, now that Big T is off to EuroBasket. Now that I think of it I think Geisilhoder (sp) is, too.

I still play in a men's league and am, unfortunately, aware of when the bottom drops out: shots won't fall, flow comes to a halt and the other team always gets a second or third chance. Sooner or later, they're going to make you pay. Loyd did.
 
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GamecockFam said:
The Aces really need another experienced frontcourt player to pair with A'ja.
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We've all known that for several years, yet they do nothing. Last night they had Stokes and Kitley starting...and nothing off the bench. Joyner Holmes didn't play, but she's hardly a decent option anyway. That's all they have for a front court w/ Wilson out of the line up.
 
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