July WNBA thread

[azfan]

How do you know? Do you have info that we don’t?

Based on what I've seen on the bench and on the court.

 

[ochoopsfan]

Crystal!!

 

[eebmg]

Storm pooped to the Atl Dream 90-76 loss (and not that close)

Only Stewie in double figures.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Rebecca Allen back from concussion protocol, a few minutes into the game took a shot to the head, had to be helped off the court, probably right back on concussion protocol again. That is just some horrible luck.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I just don't get it w/ Dangerfield. It's nearing halftime, she has produced literally zero statistics. No FGA, no assists, no steals, no rebounds, absolutely nothing. In 9 minutes of PT. Oh wait, she does have 3 fouls.

 

[eebmg]

Rebecca Allen back from concussion protocol, a few minutes into the game took a shot to the head, had to be helped off the court, probably right back on concussion protocol again. That is just some horrible luck.

Chineye throwing alot of elbows.

 

[eebmg]

I just don't get it w/ Dangerfield. It's nearing halftime, she has produced literally zero statistics. No FGA, no assists, no steals, no rebounds, absolutely nothing. In 9 minutes of PT. Oh wait, she does have 3 fouls.

I agree. She looked so passive like she did not want to touch the ball. Some emotional letdown after being picked up?

 

[nwhoopfan]

Las Vegas hasn't been right ever since that epic collapse against Chicago. Getting whooped by Minnesota early.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Why does Powers get so many FTs? She has 6, Las Vegas has 0. Sure, that seems legit.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Lynx outrebounding Aces 14-3 in Q1. Game is on Prime, which I don't have, but that seems like a team wide massive lack of effort. 33-15 lead.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Q3 was all LA. Nneka and KLS got it started, then Chiney finished it off.

 

[eebmg]

Liberty were very disappointing in the 2nd half. Complete team failure. No one had a good game. Fall out of playoffs.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Wow, Canada got a gift on an and-1. Fouled at the FT line, took 2 dribbles to get to the rim and hit the layup. She wasn't REMOTELY in a shooting motion at the time of the foul. Just ridiculous.

NY has been ice cold most of the 2nd half. Briefly got hot, trimmed a 9 point deficit to 1, but immediately fell behind by 9 again. Whatever momentum the Lib had been starting to gain, it's gone now. And LA has looked pretty good ever since that drubbing they took from Chicago.

 

[baggerbob]

Storm pooped to the Atl Dream 90-76 loss (and not that close)

Only Stewie in double figures.

Seattle has been bad on offense all year, when your center is a better outside shooter then your small forward, you are in trouble. Start Talbot and let Gabby come off the bench.
Since Stewie came to Seattle only one season was the offense worse 2019, the year Stewie missed.
No team bothers to worry about Gabby hitting an outside shot, she hasn't shown she can.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Aces need to do some soul searching. Trailing 78-55 thru Q3. Something is definitely not right with them. Good thing Hammon didn't actually get the Coach of the Year award yet, cuz now it's looking like she would have to give it back.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Powers has 31.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Looks like the Aces waived the white flag. Their reserves are continuing to get destroyed. 99-67. PATHETIC!

 

[nwhoopfan]

102-71 final. There is absolutely no excuse for the Aces to lose by 30 to anybody. Ridiculous.

 

[bballnut90]

MVP race thoughts.... leading candidates right now appear to be (in order):
A'ja Wilson-18.4 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 2.3 blocks, 48.7% FG, 80% FT, team in 2nd
Kelsey Plum-20.4 ppg, 5.8 apg, 43.7% FG, 42.5% 3pt, 82.8% FT, team in 2nd
Breanna Stewart-21.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.1 steals, 45.1% FG, 36.7% 3pt, 86.2% FT, team in 4th
Candace Parker-13.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 4.9 apg, 45.7% FG, 38.4% 3pt, 85.1% FT, team in first
Alyssa Thomas-13.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 5.8 apg, 48.3% FG, team in 3rd
Jackie Young-17.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 4.1 apg, 48.7% FG, 44.6% 3pt, 83.6% FT, team in 2nd

Outside looking in:
Skylar Diggins-Smith, team in 9th
Sabrina Ionescu, team in 10th
Nneka Ogwumike, team in 7th
Arike Ogunbowale, team in 8th


There really isn't a slam dunk MVP choice at this point, though based on stats I'd be inclined to give it to Plum or Wilson right now. Probably Wilson if you place greater emphasis on defense. Stewart is having a great year too but I think Seattle needs more team success or a big letdown by Plum/Wilson to overtake 1st place. Candace Parker/Alyssa Thomas are also quietly putting together stellar seasons and deserve consideration despite not having gaudy points per game. Parker in particular is playing at an extremely high level right now...not bad for 36. Young is still in the mix but her production is trending downward after a great start. The players on the outside looking in have big stats but are all long shots unless their team can crack top 4-5, which I don't think is likely.


Overall the season still feels wide open. Each of Chicago, Vegas and Connecticut have extremely balanced scoring and appear to be the favorites, but as we learned from last year, anything is possible after 16-16 Chicago went on to dominate the playoffs. I could see Seattle, Washington or even LA making a big run in the playoffs if they get hot.

 

[Dillon77]

MVP race thoughts.... leading candidates right now appear to be (in order):
A'ja Wilson-18.4 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 2.3 blocks, 48.7% FG, 80% FT, team in 2nd
Kelsey Plum-20.4 ppg, 5.8 apg, 43.7% FG, 42.5% 3pt, 82.8% FT, team in 2nd
Breanna Stewart-21.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.1 steals, 45.1% FG, 36.7% 3pt, 86.2% FT, team in 4th
Candace Parker-13.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 4.9 apg, 45.7% FG, 38.4% 3pt, 85.1% FT, team in first
Alyssa Thomas-13.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 5.8 apg, 48.3% FG, team in 3rd
Jackie Young-17.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 4.1 apg, 48.7% FG, 44.6% 3pt, 83.6% FT, team in 2nd

Outside looking in:
Skylar Diggins-Smith, team in 9th
Sabrina Ionescu, team in 10th
Nneka Ogwumike, team in 7th
Arike Ogunbowale, team in 8th


There really isn't a slam dunk MVP choice at this point, though based on stats I'd be inclined to give it to Plum or Wilson right now. Probably Wilson if you place greater emphasis on defense. Stewart is having a great year too but I think Seattle needs more team success or a big letdown by Plum/Wilson to overtake 1st place. Candace Parker/Alyssa Thomas are also quietly putting together stellar seasons and deserve consideration despite not having gaudy points per game. Parker in particular is playing at an extremely high level right now...not bad for 36. Young is still in the mix but her production is trending downward after a great start. The players on the outside looking in have big stats but are all long shots unless their team can crack top 4-5, which I don't think is likely.


Overall the season still feels wide open. Each of Chicago, Vegas and Connecticut have extremely balanced scoring and appear to be the favorites, but as we learned from last year, anything is possible after 16-16 Chicago went on to dominate the playoffs. I could see Seattle, Washington or even LA making a big run in the playoffs if they get hot.

Solid analysis. Some thoughts:

• Jackie Young got off to a very hot start and, in part, balanced A'ja getting up to form/finding her place as the literal center of attention in the new Ace lineup.
• Once Young twisted her ankle, the ball started going more directly to A'ja and she delivered. And has kept doing so, even with Jackie back. Young is used to adjusting to others, so I'm not so sure she's tailed off per se, as much as adjusted to the flow.
• Overall, Aces have Wilson, Young and Plum leading the charge. Not bad, huh?
• There's a lot to admire about Thomas, but I feel the strength of the Sun is their team approach. If not one, then the other. Really well-integrated team. Yes, Thomas has taken on more responsibilities with the "point forward" role, but on any given day Jonquel Jones of Dewanna Bonner can take the team over.

 

[ochoopsfan]

Points in the Paint, for and against stats, thru July 3rd
LA Sparks have by far the best differential of all WNBA teams.

TEAM​	GP​	PITP​	OPP PITP​
LOS ANGELES SPARKS​	20​	40.6​	32.1​
CHICAGO SKY​	20​	40.3​	38.4​
CONNECTICUT SUN​	21​	38.3​	32.4​
MINNESOTA LYNX​	22​	36.4​	31.5​
LAS VEGAS ACES​	21​	35.4​	32.3​
WASHINGTON MYSTICS​	23​	34.3​	29.9​
INDIANA FEVER​	22​	34.0​	39.5​
PHOENIX MERCURY​	22​	32.7​	35.9​
DALLAS WINGS​	21​	30.4​	38.4​
NEW YORK LIBERTY​	20​	30.2​	35.8​
ATLANTA DREAM​	21​	29.8​	27.4​
SEATTLE STORM​	21​	28.3​	37​

 

[TheFarmFan]

Points in the Paint, for and against stats, thru July 3rd
LA Sparks have by far the best differential of all WNBA teams.

TEAM​	GP​	PITP​	OPP PITP​
LOS ANGELES SPARKS​	20​	40.6​	32.1​
CHICAGO SKY​	20​	40.3​	38.4​
CONNECTICUT SUN​	21​	38.3​	32.4​
MINNESOTA LYNX​	22​	36.4​	31.5​
LAS VEGAS ACES​	21​	35.4​	32.3​
WASHINGTON MYSTICS​	23​	34.3​	29.9​
INDIANA FEVER​	22​	34.0​	39.5​
PHOENIX MERCURY​	22​	32.7​	35.9​
DALLAS WINGS​	21​	30.4​	38.4​
NEW YORK LIBERTY​	20​	30.2​	35.8​
ATLANTA DREAM​	21​	29.8​	27.4​
SEATTLE STORM​	21​	28.3​	37​

That's why I feel like KLS was such a difference maker for them. She and Lexi Brown are the only players on their team who are prolific shooters from outside, and none of their bigs (Ogwumike x2, Cambage, and ONO) are especially high volume three point shooters...

And looking at thr Sparks' stats, I knew neither Carter or Canada were great from outside, but wow, for guards they sure are allergic to making long range shots.

 

[socal613ws]

I can't watch another game with Jordin Canada starting, she is so bad and turnover prone.

 

[ochoopsfan]

I can't watch another game with Jordin Canada starting, she is so bad and turnover prone.

Team was exhausted and playing back to back after a delayed trip back from Dallas, so 3 in 4 days. She had no back up pg, Kiana Williams is not a back up, IMO. She played 70 of the 80 minutes in the 2 games vs the Liberty and Mercury and was still clutch enough to make 2 FT's with 35 seconds left in the game.

 

[Skins87]

Solid analysis. Some thoughts:

• Jackie Young got off to a very hot start and, in part, balanced A'ja getting up to form/finding her place as the literal center of attention in the new Ace lineup.
• Once Young twisted her ankle, the ball started going more directly to A'ja and she delivered. And has kept doing so, even with Jackie back. Young is used to adjusting to others, so I'm not so sure she's tailed off per se, as much as adjusted to the flow.
• Overall, Aces have Wilson, Young and Plum leading the charge. Not bad, huh?
• There's a lot to admire about Thomas, but I feel the strength of the Sun is their team approach. If not one, then the other. Really well-integrated team. Yes, Thomas has taken on more responsibilities with the "point forward" role, but on any given day Jonquel Jones of Dewanna Bonner can take the team over.

Or Bri Jones