August WNBA thread

[Tangential]

Sky outclassing the Sun 31-14 after 1Q. Nearly flawless. Just give them the trophy.

I saw your ensuing comment, but they did hold on for the W, which ultimately is all that matters, so nice call eebmg.

I am still unwaveringly & adamantly sticking with my Ace's pick to win it all. If the WNBA had 48 minute games like the NBA, I'd have them 3rd behind Chicago and Connecticut (with the easiest decision for the 2022 awards -- 6th player of the year).

 

[MSSportsGuy]

A starting lineup of:

McCowan/Izzy
Thornton/Sabally
Gray
Arike/Marina
PG

is pretty impressive and has a ton of potential. Assuming Arike starts, Vickie Johnson needs to sell either Gray or Marina (I'd pick Marina) to embrace a Kelsey Plum sixth player of year role; and really embrace either Burton or Harris as the starting PG.

That's not a bad team by any stretch and underscores that I'm not sure VJ knows what she is doing.

I wonder if McCowan will get any looks for MIP.

 

[Tangential]

That's not a bad team by any stretch and underscores that I'm not sure VJ knows what she is doing.

I wonder if McCowan will get any looks for MIP.

Completely agree with your initial 2 contentions.

Probably not because she was so underutilized the 1st half of the year, that her total season stats don't nearly show her improvement, importance to the team, and abilities. If there was a MIP from 1st half of the season to 2nd half ...

 

[MSSportsGuy]

Completely agree with your initial 2 contentions.

Probably not because she was so underutilized the 1st half of the year, that her total season stats don't nearly show her improvement, importance to the team, and abilities. If there was a MIP from 1st half of the season to 2nd half ...

Understandable. I am just thinking out loud. Not really sure who else would be in the running but that could just be my brain not working properly on Monday.

 

[Tangential]

Understandable. I am just thinking out loud. Not really sure who else would be in the running but that could just be my brain not working properly on Monday.

All good. I do that very often myself. I think that I've heard Young, Plum, Ionescu in the mix. Pretty sure that there must be others that my brain cannot think of right now. Interesting note that the last 2 MIP winners (Laney & B Jones) both had significant improvement the year after they received the award.

Btw, I am a huge McCowan fan and love seeing her play over the last month bring back memories of her dominance in the maroon & white.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

All good. I do that very often myself. I think that I've heard Young, Plum, Ionescu in the mix. Pretty sure that there must be others that my brain cannot think of right now. Interesting note that the last 2 MIP winners (Laney & B Jones) both had significant improvement the year after they received the award.

Btw, I am a huge McCowan fan and love seeing her play over the last month bring back memories of her dominance in the maroon & white.

Definitely all 3 you named could be good ones as they've taken big steps forward (which is ironic given all were #1 picks but not all of them can be Stewie or Aja).

 

[ochoopsfan]

I'm not saying that there aren't poorly officiated games. (I only saw the last 3 minutes of this game on my phone -- I think the whistle for the foul on Cloud's 3 was .1 or .2 seconds after the clock ran out, but TerpWomenFan could be referring to many other calls or no-calls). I just asked you which calls -- just because there's a short-term disparity in fouls called, it may or may not be a poorly officiated game.

Last second shot, and foul was after buzzer. I hope u can view pic. Click pic to open it up.

 

[Tangential]

Last second shot, and foul was after buzzer. I hope u can view pic. Click pic to open it u

Thanks. Both TerpsWomenFan & I agreed with the no call. Natasha -- not so much.

 

[ochoopsfan]

 

[sivad40]

 

[Tangential]

Aside from the fact that Hamby has been slumping and Stokes gave them energy with multiple 4th quarter offensive rebounds, I like the balance of having a lesser scorer starting with 4 bona fide scorers and more punch off the bench.

 

[baggerbob]

I saw your ensuing comment, but they did hold on for the W, which ultimately is all that matters, so nice call eebmg.

I am still unwaveringly & adamantly sticking with my Ace's pick to win it all. If the WNBA had 48 minute games like the NBA, I'd have them 3rd behind Chicago and Connecticut (with the easiest decision for the 2022 awards -- 6th player of the year).

That was probably Sue and Stewie's last game in

Seattle.
Washington has 2 games left home and home against Indiana.
Seattle has 3 road games at Chicago, Minnesota, and Las Vegas. They would have to win 2 of 3 for home court.
Can't see Indiana winning any games.

 

[ochoopsfan]

That was probably Sue and Stewie's last game in

Seattle.
Washington has 2 games left home and home against Indiana.
Seattle has 3 road games at Chicago, Minnesota, and Las Vegas. They would have to win 2 of 3 for home court.
Can't see Indiana winning any games.

Wait, are you saying that if Mystics get home court over Storm, they will sweep the series?

 

[baggerbob]

Wait, are you saying that if Mystics get home court over Storm, they will sweep the series?

The team that gets home court gets the first 2 games at home. If they win the 2 games at home series is over.

 

[TheFarmFan]

That was probably Sue and Stewie's last game in

Seattle.
Washington has 2 games left home and home against Indiana.
Seattle has 3 road games at Chicago, Minnesota, and Las Vegas. They would have to win 2 of 3 for home court.
Can't see Indiana winning any games.

Is it pretty much baked in at this point that Stewie is going to make a move to the Liberty come the off-season? The idea of her pairing with Ionescu is tantalizing given how versatile they both are. Thus far Ionescu hasn't had the opportunity to pair with a really dynamic big.

 

[baggerbob]

Is it pretty much baked in at this point that Stewie is going to make a move to the Liberty come the off-season? The idea of her pairing with Ionescu is tantalizing given how versatile they both are. Thus far Ionescu hasn't had the opportunity to pair with a really dynamic big.

Seattle has become a bad team, management screwed up in hiring Quinn.
Benching your best defensive player at the end of the year was stupid. Ezi is a better defensive and offensive player then Gabby. If Bonner can play the 3 then Stewie should play the 3, Tina at the 4 and Ezi at the 5.
This is Jewell's worst year shooting, and Sue has been off because Seattle has a very bad shooter at the 3.
No one bothers with Gabby, because her offense is so bad.
26 minutes a game and 7 points doesn't make it in the WNBA.

 

[Dillon77]

Wow. The Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu goes for 32 and Marinne Johannes for 19, but Marina Mabrey has a career high 31, augmented by Allisha Gray's 18 and Big T's 16. in Dallas 86-77 win over the Liberty. Mabey shot 11-18 overall and 3-6 from three, while also running point for most of the second half. I guess it was a defensive move but Awok Kuier played nearly 18 minutes. Didn't score much but did clog up the middle a bit.

However, this was all about Mabrey nearly matching Ionescu in the third, then propelling Dallas to a lead and pulling away, along with Gray. Interesting, when I look at the scoreboard, only Ionescu and Johannes scored in double figures for NY, while Mabrey, Gray and Big T were the only ones for Dallas. However, it worked for Dallas -- They're in the playoffs now and can get the sixth spot if they beat the Liberty again next game.

 

[baggerbob]

Is it pretty much baked in at this point that Stewie is going to make a move to the Liberty come the off-season? The idea of her pairing with Ionescu is tantalizing given how versatile they both are. Thus far Ionescu hasn't had the opportunity to pair with a really dynamic big.

Actually a better place for Stewie, and Ezi would be Minnesota with Collier, Moriah, McBride, and a nice bench. Good management team and coach. Ezi is a restricted free agent, but she needs to get out of Seattle.
She can stay in Australia if she can't get out of that mess that the Storm have become.

 

[eebmg]

Wow. The Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu goes for 32 and Marinne Johannes for 19, but Marina Mabrey has a career high 31, augmented by Allisha Gray's 18 and Big T's 16. in Dallas 86-77 win over the Liberty. Mabey shot 11-18 overall and 3-6 from three, while also running point for most of the second half. I guess it was a defensive move but Awok Kuier played nearly 18 minutes. Didn't score much but did clog up the middle a bit.

However, this was all about Mabrey nearly matching Ionescu in the third, then propelling Dallas to a lead and pulling away, along with Gray. Interesting, when I look at the scoreboard, only Ionescu and Johannes scored in double figures for NY, while Mabrey, Gray and Big T were the only ones for Dallas. However, it worked for Dallas -- They're in the playoffs now and can get the sixth spot if they beat the Liberty again next game.

With Natash Howard out, very bleak. No one but Sabrina and Johannes. Crystal simply not looking to score enough or getting into the paint to create.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Wings clinched a playoff berth.

Last year the Liberty made the playoffs. They are in danger of not making it this year. With a overall better roster I'd say, especially considering how much healthier/better Ionescu has been. I've long been unimpressed w/ Brondello's coaching, this year isn't going to change that at all.

 

[socal613ws]

A'ja Wilson betting odds fave +100 to win Mvp, geez you wouldn't know it after some of the posters saying she might be the 3rd option on the team
Plum +600

 

[sivad40]

The LA Sparks were stuck in DC. Their flight was delayed and then got cancelled. Some of the team stayed in a hotel and others stayed at the airport.

 

[bbsamjj]

Wings clinched a playoff berth.

Last year the Liberty made the playoffs. They are in danger of not making it this year. With a overall better roster I'd say, especially considering how much healthier/better Ionescu has been. I've long been unimpressed w/ Brondello's coaching, this year isn't going to change that at all.

Yeah they made the playoffs last year, but they made it at 12-20. They are actually on average scoring more and giving up fewer points than last year. Obviously Laney has been out nearly all year, and not been at 100% in the few games she's played.

Interestingly, they shoot better than their opponents from both FG and 3pt (near identical on FT). They average more turnovers than their opponents (15.7 v 12.7), but also more assists (20.6 v 18.5). They get outrebounded, but not by much (34.2 v 35.7).

The biggest difference seems to be in FTs. The Liberty have only taken 490 FTs this year. Their opponents? 678. That's a massive difference, particularly in close contests.

 

[ochoopsfan]

 

[cancontent]

Had to google that surgery to figure out the injury. Ow, ow, and OWWWWWW.
Anything abdominal sucks. You forgot how much of your body uses those muscles until they hurt!

 

[ochoopsfan]

Trying to find out about the injury, as I havent heard of it before.

What causes avulsion injury of the left iliac crest?

• The avulsion injury is also associated with left external oblique muscle and associated injury to the left transversus abdominus muscle tear. There is mild left-sided Iliopsoas bursitis and muscle sprain. There is stress fracture of the left iliac crest. There is muscle strain and sprain of the left iliacus muscle.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Seattle leads Chicago by 38-26 after Q1 on 76% shooting. Gabby has 10 on 4-4 shooting.

 

[bbsamjj]

What a first half in Chicago.

The Sky have scored 55pts, shot 56.4%FG, have 18 assists on 22 baskets, and just 5 turnovers.

But they are losing to the Storm, who have scored 66 points while shooting 66.7%FG, have 24 assists on 28 baskets, and only TWO turnovers.

Between the two teams, that's 121pts, 42 assists on 50 baskets and 61.7 %FG. And just 7 turnovers.

In other words, this is a video game.

 

[Bigboote]

Had to google that surgery to figure out the injury. Ow, ow, and OWWWWWW.
Anything abdominal sucks. You forgot how much of your body uses those muscles until they hurt!

Yeah, I agree with everything you said. The collision itself didn't look that bad to me, but she had to be carried from the bench to the evaluation room. Say what you want about Arike, but she's really (really) tough, and I knew it was bad when I saw that.

I hope she makes a full and speedy recovery.

 

[nwhoopfan]

No D here. If you like offense, this is the game for you!

Loyd has found her missing shot, enjoying her return home.

Sloot can be such a scorer at times, it's surprising her career average is only about 10 ppg.