Canada's Kia Nurse ends 1st WNBA season with 28-point performance

[SVCBeercats]

Canada's Kia Nurse ends 1st WNBA season with 28-point performance | CBC Sports

 

[RockyMTblue2]

That's our Kia. Just hope Liberty gets a better situation next year by a factor pf 10X or Kia get's traded to a winner.

 

[Lynx23]

That's our Kia. Just hope Liberty gets a better situation next year by a factor pf 10X or Kia get's traded to a winner.

I don't see Kia going anywhere (I know, wishful thinking). There's a very good chance she starts for the Liberty next year, and with an early first round draft pick, the Liberty may win the KLS or Collier sweepstakes. It won't hurt to have another UConn player on board. Kia, Bria, and Tina led the Liberty in scoring this year. For the record Kia, who played a full 40 minutes today, is second on the team in points per game behind Tina even though she only started the last seven games of the season. The Liberty's biggest problem this year as I see it was turnovers and Kia averaged less than one per game, tops among Liberty players who averaged 18 minutes a game or more. FWIW, she finished the season 5th among rookies in scoring per game, beating out her former UCONN teammates who also had good rookie years, and 45th overall in the WNBA (140+ players). If life is fair and her hustle and defensive skills are considered, she makes the WNBA All-Rookie team. Not betting on it though, considering the WCBB Defensive Player of the Year couldn't crack a 10-player AA Team last year. I'm certainly not happy about the Liberty's season but I believe Kia will continue to get better, and I'm impressed with Amanda Zahui B and also believe Rebecca Allen has the potential to grow her game. Of course, Tina Charles is the best! Boyd shows flashes of brilliance but her turnovers are just too much to bear sometimes. In summary, add someone who can score consistently and subtract one or two players who tend to give the ball away, and I think the Liberty improve dramatically. They showed guts down the stretch with just an eight-player rotation while playing their last four games in only six days.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I watched parts of all 6 games today, so I didn't see all of Kia's game, but she was extremely aggressive. Now that Lindsay Whalen is retiring, Kia will be the resident hockey player in the W. On one play, she got an offensive rebound among the trees, went back up with a shot, and got hammered to the floor by Griner. Kia calmly sank both FTs. She finished 7th in the W in FT shooting at 87.0%. Remember her FT struggles the first half of her freshman year? That is ancient history. She was an excellent pick at #10.

 

[Reypl21]

That's our Kia. Just hope Liberty gets a better situation next year by a factor pf 10X or Kia get's traded to a winner.

Kia looks to be one of their cornerstone pieces going forward... I'm not sure she'll get traded, unless the other part of the deal is a superior guard. Kia looked unstoppable for some moments, and other times invisible. She's just a rookie, so next year will be more telling

 

[bballnut90]

I don’t know why, but I just can’t imagine Charles staying with New York unless major changes are made (coaching, arena, roster)...which means Nurse should have opportunity to take on a bigger role next year. Up and down rookie season finishing with a strong game. Showed flashes of ability we never saw at UCONN...Libs did well to draft. Management should get rid of some of their other SG/SF players (at least two of Zellous/Hartley/Rogers/Prince) and have Kia take on a larger role next year. She has the frame and skills to be a good pro—if she can finish better with contact she’ll be a 12-15 ppg scorer on NY next year.

 

[Reypl21]

I don’t know why, but I just can’t imagine Charles staying with New York unless major changes are made (coaching, arena, roster)...which means Nurse should have opportunity to take on a bigger role next year. Up and down rookie season finishing with a strong game. Showed flashes of ability we never saw at UCONN...Libs did well to draft. Management should get rid of some of their other SG/SF players (at least two of Zellous/Hartley/Rogers/Prince) and have Kia take on a larger role next year. She has the frame and skills to be a good pro—if she can finish better with contact she’ll be a 12-15 ppg scorer on NY next year.

The players you mentioned taking up the SG/SF slots all sound like really short shooting guards to me, expect for Zellous. Zellous would be the first I get rid of honestly. Hartley can be good, Rodgers was once and All-star, and Prince has her moments. Pick two? Hartley and Rodgers. Kia could play the 3 because of her height and strength, but I like her at the 2. If the previously mentioned players make up some of the "SF"s. Then MY desparelty need a KLS or Napheesa. What other good 3's are there in this draft? I think they might be able to get Napheesa. I think the older players, but not that elite, will realize how good the younger kids are coming in as. It seems like almost every year the draft classes we getting deeper, with a few dud classes here and there. This league is getting so much more talented.

 

[shizam]

The players you mentioned taking up the SG/SF slots all sound like really short shooting guards to me, expect for Zellous. Zellous would be the first I get rid of honestly. Hartley can be good, Rodgers was once and All-star, and Prince has her moments. Pick two? Hartley and Rodgers. Kia could play the 3 because of her height and strength, but I like her at the 2. If the previously mentioned players make up some of the "SF"s. Then MY desparelty need a KLS or Napheesa. What other good 3's are there in this draft? I think they might be able to get Napheesa. I think the older players, but not that elite, will realize how good the younger kids are coming in as. It seems like almost every year the draft classes we getting deeper, with a few dud classes here and there. This league is getting so much more talented.

I wouldn’t want any of the veteran Liberty guards. You can’t trust them
Laimbeer is a genius winning with that crew. He won 22 games last year with that roster? Amazing.

 

[ctkaiser]

I wouldn’t want any of the veteran Liberty guards. You can’t trust them
Laimbeer is a genius winning with that crew. He won 22 games last year with that roster? Amazing.

When they were putting this Liberty team together didn't they realize they had way too many guards? Who was in charge Isaiah Thomas or Dolan?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

For Tina being in NY seemed more important than the team. Well, she's not in NY anymore. For what's left of her career she should, the team should, find new ownership in a medium size NBA city.

 

[Rixxx]

Lambeer also did it with Carolyn Swords and Lindsey Allen. Come to think of it, Brittany Boyd was on the disabled list all year with an Achilles injury.
My points are few: Carolyn Swords was always moving to the hole in a pick and role situation. Kiah IMHO picked up that habit but did not receive the passes during games when she was in. Lindsey Allen was always a pass first guard and didn't fill the stat sheet with turnovers. Speaking of turnovers, the team total I am sure, without checking, had less turnovers last year with Boyd out.
I agree with, I think,it was Scoop who thought that the Libs will have two less guards next year from this group.

 

[Waquoit]

For Tina being in NY seemed more important than the team.

It was more like getting away from a bad coach.

 

[CL82]

So. I'll say it. I thought Kia would have a successful WNBA career but would be more of a journeyman kind of player. Tough, invaluable but not anyone who be noticed by the casual fan.

Yep, well, it's not the first time I've wrong, a fact that I'm sure Mrs. CL82 can vouch for.