2025 WNBA Regular Season | Page 44 | The Boneyard

2025 WNBA Regular Season

In the big D....... The home team was the team that was fatigued in the first quarter as Indiana goes on the road for the second game of the back to back and shows tremendous energy in the first quarter.

Kelsey Mitchell was again magnificent. It's very very difficult to win on the road even against the Wing and Indiana has to be delighted.

If you're a Wings fan you got to be very disappointed that the team didn't come out prepared to play and Indiana fans have to be very optimistic after seeing this performance.

Dallas continues an utter ineptitude defensively giving up 31 in the first quarter and another 90 + points allowed loss.

And to beat that drum you can't spell Dallas without an L. This was a loss that revealed a great deal about both teams.
 
Phoenix may have the million dollar coach but Minnesota has the wizard of coaches challenges winning two in overtime. I'm not sure but when I think of Cheryl Reeves I think of equal pay for equal work. Four is the number isn't it I mean championships and coach of the year awards.

Nate does have his team out to the lrad at the end of the first quarter against Stewie and the Liberty
 
In the first quarter of tonight's Fever-Wings game, I thought that, yes, the Wings came out very flat and, on the other hand, the Fever played unbelievably well. If I remember correctly, they shot 13 of 15. They were aggressive and efficient and the difference between both the quality of their players (even missing Clark) and their connectivity vs the Wings players was like night and day.
Mitchell was lightning quick (as was Boston compared to Li), and they are so fortunate that they were able to reacquire McDonald (who is a gifted point guard and a real asset as a starter or coming off the bench). Add the impact that Howard had tonight and it really was an unfair fight.
I won't, on the other hand, disparage Dallas. Though outmanned and outclassed because of their lack of connectivity on both offense and defense, they hustled and fought back from a huge deficit. It's sad to me that Paige doesn't have anyone close to Mitchell's quality to pass to and really pile up the assists, or someone like Boston to pass to in the post and play a two-man game.
Aside from Paige (who actually missed a number of shots we're used to see her make with regularity): Arike just doesn't seem involved or really present on the court (except for short bursts), Li has talent but a lot to figure out, Smith is a great athlete whose performance (IMO) has never lived up to her talent level, James has talent but plays (as other Wings players do) with blinders on when she has the ball, Hines-Allen works hard but is under-sized and often tries to do too much, and virtually no one has grasped that attacking 3 against one without looking for an open shooter is not a good idea (& no one can make a layup)- I have no idea whether Koclanes is at fault in his and his staff's coaching, but I'm pretty sure that any top-of-the-line coach would be incredibly challenged trying to mold this group.
I have a feeling that Dallas will incrementally improve over the course of the season (adding Geiselsoder and, eventually, Siegrist will help), but their ceiling, unfortunately, seems pretty low for the foreseeable future.
Just my 2 cents (but I'll still watch them and hope...).
 
Kaitlyn Chen played 25 minutes and scored 10 points in Golden State's win over Chicago Friday night!

Friday was actually a great scoring night for UConn players in the WNBA generally as every UConn alum who played Friday, except one, scored in double figures. Ironically the one, Tina Charles with 7 points, is the second leading scorer in WNBA history.

Napheesa 26 (W)

Paige 27 (L)

Kia Nurse 17 (L)

Tiffany Hayes 13 (W)

Chen 10 (W)

Stewie 17 (L)

Gabby 16 (W)

Olivia 12 (L)

Bria Hartley 19 (L)
 
azfan said:
Phoenix may have the million dollar coach but Minnesota has the wizard of coaches challenges winning two in overtime. I'm not sure but when I think of Cheryl Reeves I think of equal pay for equal work. Four is the number isn't it I mean championships and coach of the year awards.

Nate does have his team out to the lrad at the end of the first quarter against Stewie and the Liberty
Expand ...
The Mercury were sizzling from 3. I really like the roster construction of the team. Especially all of their hidden gems they've found. How do you feel about all of the buzz around potentially signing Bonner?
 
Reypl21 said:
The Mercury were sizzling from 3. I really like the roster construction of the team. Especially all of their hidden gems they've found. How do you feel about all of the buzz around potentially signing Bonner?
Expand ...
You weren't asking me, but potentially a bad move when the chemistry seems good now. Would change the dynamics A LOT. Remember when Seattle added Tina Charles mid season and they went from maybe the best team in the league before the move to definitely not that down the back stretch of the year.
 
nwhoopfan said:
You weren't asking me, but potentially a bad move when the chemistry seems good now. Would change the dynamics A LOT. Remember when Seattle added Tina Charles mid season and they went from maybe the best team in the league before the move to definitely not that down the back stretch of the year.
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@Reypl21 @azfan

Three-part thought pattern:
- Even without Clark, look at the ball movement Indiana has shown amongst all positions since resolving the Bonner issue.
Arizona already has crisp ball movement and a ton of shooting.
  • On the other hand, Bonner was at her best when facilitated by her on- and off-court partner, Alyssa Thomas, who was uncanny finding Bonner in the right place for her scoring abilities. Of course, AT is on Phoenix and who's to say that approach wouldn't work in the desert?
  • But, does it need to? Phoenix now has the second-best record in the W with the Big 3 and a cast of very adept, willing and complementary players. A Kat Westbeld is certainly not close to the scorer Bonner is, but as a cog in the Phoenix lineup she helps the collective play.
 
Huskee11 said:
Kaitlyn Chen played 25 minutes and scored 10 points in Golden State's win over Chicago Friday night!

Friday was actually a great scoring night for UConn players in the WNBA generally as every UConn alum who played Friday, except one, scored in double figures. Ironically the one, Tina Charles with 7 points, is the second leading scorer in WNBA history.

Napheesa 26 (W)

Paige 27 (L)

Kia Nurse 17 (L)

Tiffany Hayes 13 (W)

Chen 10 (W)

Stewie 17 (L)

Gabby 16 (W)

Olivia 12 (L)

Bria Hartley 19 (L)
Expand ...
I was so happy to see Chen play so well. Would love to see her stick with this team. I am one of those people who was late to the Kaitlyn Chen appreciation train, but I’m on board now.
 
Huskee11 said:
Kaitlyn Chen played 25 minutes and scored 10 points in Golden State's win over Chicago Friday night!

Friday was actually a great scoring night for UConn players in the WNBA generally as every UConn alum who played Friday, except one, scored in double figures. Ironically the one, Tina Charles with 7 points, is the second leading scorer in WNBA history.

Napheesa 26 (W)

Paige 27 (L)

Kia Nurse 17 (L)

Tiffany Hayes 13 (W)

Chen 10 (W)

Stewie 17 (L)

Gabby 16 (W)

Olivia 12 (L)

Bria Hartley 19 (L)
Expand ...
KC is in a great situation. I always talk about "Right Fit" for a player to thrive and grow. KC got that out in Golden State. Love watching that team play!!
 
Stagnant said:
The Valkyrie are going to waive some players this week. But it doesn’t matter. I really appreciate that they gave Kaitlyn a chance.
Expand ...
If they waive Chen, which would be a bad move on their part, Dallas should pick her up in a heartbeat. She is a much better backup point guard option than anyone currently available on the Wings roster. (Perhaps inadvisable roster moves or non-moves are dictated by finances and/or roster commitments that I am not aware of.)

And if they keep playing Paige 36+ minutes a game, she will be worn down before we get to August.
 
nwhoopfan said:
You weren't asking me, but potentially a bad move when the chemistry seems good now. Would change the dynamics A LOT. Remember when Seattle added Tina Charles mid season and they went from maybe the best team in the league before the move to definitely not that down the back stretch of the year.
Expand ...
Took their best defensive player out of the lineup to start Tina, ended messing up the team chemistry.
 
azfan said:
In the big D....... The home team was the team that was fatigued in the first quarter as Indiana goes on the road for the second game of the back to back and shows tremendous energy in the first quarter.

Kelsey Mitchell was again magnificent. It's very very difficult to win on the road even against the Wing and Indiana has to be delighted.

If you're a Wings fan you got to be very disappointed that the team didn't come out prepared to play and Indiana fans have to be very optimistic after seeing this performance.

Dallas continues an utter ineptitude defensively giving up 31 in the first quarter and another 90 + points allowed loss.

And to beat that drum you can't spell Dallas without an L. This was a loss that revealed a great deal about both teams.
Expand ...
Agree FWIW. Just to add...

Dallas was likely not wining that game - down 8 or so late, but Arike should not be handling the ball or making decisions. with a few minutes left, she gets the ball, dribbles far too long with the shot clock winding down, and jacks up an off balance 3 from about 3 feet beyond the arc.

Yet another example of poor decision making by Arike. Neither she nor Dijonai should have the ball in their hands to make decisions running the offense. Both are well below average.
 
EricLA said:
Agree FWIW. Just to add...

Dallas was likely not wining that game - down 8 or so late, but Arike should not be handling the ball or making decisions. with a few minutes left, she gets the ball, dribbles far too long with the shot clock winding down, and jacks up an off balance 3 from about 3 feet beyond the arc.

Yet another example of poor decision making by Arike. Neither she nor Dijonai should have the ball in their hands to make decisions running the offense. Both are well below average.
Expand ...
Arike was on the bench for a long time, while Dallas was chipping away at the lead and ultimately going ahead briefly. Interesting decision to sit her for so long, but the game swung back the other way when she was back on the floor. Not blaming her. Not unusual for teams to rally, then run out of gas.
 
EricLA said:
Agree FWIW. Just to add...

Yet another example of poor decision making by Arike. Neither she nor Dijonai should have the ball in their hands to make decisions running the offense. Both are well below average.
Expand ...
The Wing motto. It must be driving Paige nuts.
 
Reypl21 said:
The Mercury were sizzling from 3. I really like the roster construction of the team. Especially all of their hidden gems they've found. How do you feel about all of the buzz around potentially signing Bonner?
Expand ...
I totally agree with @aceboon. It would be a lousy idea and I'd be stunned if the Mercury make that mistake.
 
So the home stand in Dallas continues against the Mystic.

While winning on the road is hard it appears that if you are going rise to the challenge the best place to do it is Dallas.

The Wang are a 6-point favorite at home which makes it tempting the mortgage the homestead with the expectation that the Mystics front court will be enough to overcome the Dallas at court.

Dallas wins if Paige duplicates her performance from last night, the Wing figure out a way to blacked more than 25 rebounds, and generate enough pressure to hold the Mystics to less than 50% in the field.. (the fact is Dallas has really been able to put these three together in a single game this season)

More likely the Mystic Front Court will simply overwhelm Dallas.

If Dallas starts the game in the same lackadaisical manner they did against Indiana they could well give up 90 points to the low scoring Mystics

Edit-Paige out. Arike may well go for 35 but I sure don't like the Eings chances now
 
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It should also be noted that from the head coach to the GM the Mercury front office is a shift to the "new guard" of the WNBA, both Tibbetts and Nick U'Ren are longtime NBA guys. When it came to putting a supporting cast around their Big 3 they got to work scouting and just didn't go with alot of retreads that have been passed around the league due to familiarity(looking at you Indiana Fever front office). Despite Bonner's history in Phx the current regime doesn't have any ties to her and won't be beholden to nostalgia, and they've already shown that once with how they told BG they were moving on this past offseason.
 
aceboon said:
It should also be noted that from the head coach to the GM the Mercury front office is a shift to the "new guard" of the WNBA, both Tibbetts and Nick U'Ren are longtime NBA guys. When it came to putting a supporting cast around their Big 3 they got to work scouting and just didn't go with alot of retreads that have been passed around the league due to familiarity(looking at you Indiana Fever front office). Despite Bonner's history in Phx the current regime doesn't have any ties to her and won't be beholden to nostalgia, and they've already shown that once with how they told BG they were moving on this past offseason.
Expand ...
Seems like some smart decision making from Tibbetts and U'Ren. Are the people who were down on Tibbets (sarcastically calling him the "million $ coach") coming around, or do you guys still think he stinks?
 
I just heard stocks (steals and blocks) in the context of 5 Huskies being in the top ten: Stevens, Bueckers, Williams, Stewart and Collier.
 
Any idea why Bueckers didn't play tonight? She was in at the end of the game last night and I sure didn't notice any injury. Anyway Wings beat the Mystics.
 
nwhoopfan said:
Any idea why Bueckers didn't play tonight? She was in at the end of the game last night and I sure didn't notice any injury. Anyway Wings beat the Mystics.
Expand ...

Knee, possibly precautionary.
 
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