Interesting WNBA Previews

[Wbbfan1]

http://wnbalien.com/

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think the smart money is always on Maya Moore.

In the East, though, this lineup is loaded.


Celine Dumerc/Shoni Schimmel/Jasmine Thomas
Tiffany Hayes/Matee Ajavon
Angel McCoughtry/Swin Cash
Sancho Lyttle/Aneika Henry
Erika de Souza/Nadia Gomes Colhado

Dumerc may be the 2nd best PG in the league. Angel is an elite player. Tiff is a dynamic player. Swin still has game. They will be fun to watch. The key is Angel playing team ball and staying positive. She has other players she can rely on.

 

[VAMike23]

Damiris Dantas is going to have to play well and do it soon for the Lynx because they are going to miss Brunson's rebounding and defense in a big way.

If Dantas can step up, and Brunson can be back to 100% around the playoffs, they will be OK. Not even sure what the timetable is for Dev Peters to come back, but I'm guessing that neither she nor Brunson will be really sharp until late in the season.

It will be interesting to see what Tan White brings them, and if they will have White and Whalen on the court at the same time very often.

Of course, the Invincible Queen is a nice constant to have

 

[MilfordHusky]

I'm not sure how long Brunson, Peters, and Wright are out. They will be missed. I expect Maya to up her game to try to fill the void.

 

[VAMike23]

Brunson is out for 2 months, then she has to work her way back into form. Not sure about Peters but her surgery could easily put her out 4-6 weeks. For whatever reason I seem to recall the Wright's absence is not expected to be as long as the other two. Could be mistaken.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Thw WNBA transactions page lists several players as suspended - temporary or season long. I think Dumerc is one of those temporary suspended, along with Fowles, Cambage, Prince and others. Season suspension list included Amber Harris.

Anyone know the reason why they are listed as suspended?

 

[VAMike23]

From the Lynx game preview:

Injury Report

The injury bug has hit the Lynx hard. Knee injuries have Brunson, Peters and Wright out for an extended time. Brunson is expected to miss 8-10 weeks. Peters is expected to miss 4-6 weeks, while Wright will likely miss another three weeks.

Washington guard Tayler Hill (personal) is out indefinitely.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Thw WNBA transactions page lists several players as suspended - temporary or season long. I think Dumerc is one of those temporary suspended, along with Fowles, Cambage, Prince and others. Season suspension list included Amber Harris.

Anyone know the reason why they are listed as suspended?

Suspended? Strange. I have no idea but am equally curious.

 

[MilfordHusky]

From the Lynx game preview:

Injury Report

The injury bug has hit the Lynx hard. Knee injuries have Brunson, Peters and Wright out for an extended time. Brunson is expected to miss 8-10 weeks. Peters is expected to miss 4-6 weeks, while Wright will likely miss another three weeks.

Washington guard Tayler Hill (personal) is out indefinitely.

Thanks. Tayler is pregnant and due this month. She should be easy to spot. Her boyfriend is a former OSU player who plays in Europe. The child should have good genes.

Minnesota may lose more than usual this year. Those injuries give our favorite player an opportunity to claim the MVP award.

 

[psconn]

Suspended? Strange. I have no idea but am equally curious.

"Suspended" typically indicates a long-term absence from the team. Chelsey Gray is suspended from the Sun as is Asjha Jones. I think, but am not sure, that suspended players do not count toward the 12 player cap. Clearly Jones and Gray don't.

 

[rocky rococo]

Those "suspended" were all injured before training camp opened, or are on Euro teams going deep into their playoffs. It's not a punitive "suspension", but an administrative category under the CBA.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Thanks, guys. I was in suspense over the meaning of the term.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Thanks for the explanation. It seems like they could find a better word to describe the players absence though.

 

[easttexastrash]

Phoenix loomed really good tonight. A vast improvement over last season. Nice to see them run a more disciplined offense.

 

[VAUConnFan]

I think the smart money is always on Maya Moore.

In the East, though, this lineup is loaded.


Celine Dumerc/Shoni Schimmel/Jasmine Thomas
Tiffany Hayes/Matee Ajavon
Angel McCoughtry/Swin Cash
Sancho Lyttle/Aneika Henry
Erika de Souza/Nadia Gomes Colhado

Dumerc may be the 2nd best PG in the league. Angel is an elite player. Tiff is a dynamic player. Swin still has game. They will be fun to watch. The key is Angel playing team ball and staying positive. She has other players she can rely on.

While I understand where you are coming from with this, Atlanta gas been in the WNBA finals three of the last four years; Beaten all three times by better teams, but beating better, higher seeded teams each of those years to get to the finals. The one year they did not make any headway was their transition year when the consensus here wanted to turn Ms McCoughtry into a head case only to have the Dream turn it all back around the following year. Whatever Angel has been doing the last four years has worked well for her and for the team.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Phoenix loomed really good tonight. A vast improvement over last season. Nice to see them run a more disciplined offense.

Please explain.

 

[MilfordHusky]

While I understand where you are coming from with this, Atlanta gas been in the WNBA finals three of the last four years; Beaten all three times by better teams, but beating better, higher seeded teams each of those years to get to the finals. The one year they did not make any headway was their transition year when the consensus here wanted to turn Ms McCoughtry into a head case only to have the Dream turn it all back around the following year. Whatever Angel has been doing the last four years has worked well for her and for the team.

Angel is a phenomenal talent. She has a history of being by far the best player on her team. She also wants very much to win. Putting those things together, she has tried to do too much, in my opinion. Specifically, she will take too many shots, including low percentage shots. She now has some excellent teammates. I think the team will do better when Angel dials back a little and blends her game with her teammates. DeSouza, Dumerc, et al. are excellent players. If Angel asserts herself at times and defers at others, the Dream will be very, very good.

 

[easttexastrash]

Please explain.

Much better ball movent, being patient and making more passes in the offense before taking a shot. Last year it was a game of "who can shoot first?"

 

[Striper69]

Angel is a phenomenal talent. She has a history of being by far the best player on her team. She also wants very much to win. Putting those things together, she has tried to do too much, in my opinion. Specifically, she will take too many shots, including low percentage shots. She now has some excellent teammates. I think the team will do better when Angel dials back a little and blends her game with her teammates. DeSouza, Dumerc, et al. are excellent players. If Angel asserts herself at times and defers at others, the Dream will be very, very good.

Shoni almost set the team record for assists Friday night and 10 more the next night. I didn't know the game was going to be televised so I only have the second half recorded.
She seems to have found her niche with this team and is using her passing skills to give the great shooters already on her team easy shots.
21 assists in the first two games? Could be a Rookie Of The Year waiting for her at the end of the year.

 

[rocky rococo]

Unfortunately for Shoni this year, one of thje world's top PGs, the only non-US PG that can compare with the best Americans at the position, Celine Dumerc will soon be arriving in Atlanta. I say "this year" because I suspect having the opportunity to play with, practice with and back up Dumerc will be a great benefit to Shoni's development.

 

[Striper69]

She (Shoni) has shown that she belongs in the league though. She's making more of a splash than any of the other rookies. Though it is only two games that's a 2-0 record. Things look rosy for the Dream right now.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Shoni almost set the team record for assists Friday night and 10 more the next night. I didn't know the game was going to be televised so I only have the second half recorded.
She seems to have found her niche with this team and is using her passing skills to give the great shooters already on her team easy shots.
21 assists in the first two games? Could be a Rookie Of The Year waiting for her at the end of the year.

It would be nice if distributors of the ball were so recognized and rewarded. What will also work against Ms Shimmel is that Atlanta was already a very good team.

 

[Striper69]

It would be nice if distributors of the ball were so recognized and rewarded. What will also work against Ms Shimmel is that Atlanta was already a very good team.

Maybe not. Most of the other rookies aren't on the elite teams. Shoni and her Louisville teammate Asia Taylor got lucky and are on last year's finalists.

Shoni's probably came out better than any of the other rookies. She is on a team that already has a great small forward (McCoughtry) and a great center (DeSouza). Add in the solid vet power forward Swin Cash and she couldn't have came out much better.

 

[VAUConnFan]

She (Shoni) has shown that she belongs in the league though. She's making more of a splash than any of the other rookies. Though it is only two games that's a 2-0 record. Things look rosy for the Dream right now.

Chiney has had two very nice games. Dantas at Minnesota is playing extremely well.
The Dream have been in three of the last four WNBA finals. It is not as if they are rebuilding.