July WNBA thread

[Geew1992]

always liked Diggins as a player since College, I think she has always lacked help so is really unfair to say she hasn't won anything. Let's not forget Taurasi before she had Griner went through a long spell of not winning a title. Same with Sue Bird before she got Stewart. Who is the best player Diggins has played with in her career? Nobody that comes close to those 2 players.

Pretty sure she had a pretty good team around her, her senior year. Beat UCONN twice. But choked in the semis.

 

[JellyBean]

Haven't watched a WNBA game for awhile, but I'm amazed at how often DT & Diggins-Smith complain to the refs? If something doesn't go their way the first thing they do is whine.

Yeah. Those two are just comical with their complaining.

 

[UConnCat]

Pretty sure she had a pretty good team around her, her senior year. Beat UCONN twice. But choked in the semis.

Beat UConn three times actually, including in the 2013 Big East Championship game which is Diggins-Smith's one championship.

She had enough talent around her to get to 3 straight Final Fours. The 2011 loss to aTm in the championship game was unexpected and one that got away. The loss to Baylor in the 2012 championship game was expected -- Baylor was just better. I wouldn't say Diggins "choked" (I'm not a fan of ever saying that about athletes) against UConn in the 2013 FF; UConn defended her very well.

Diggins-Smith's future with USA Basketball will be interesting to watch. She looked a bit overwhelmed in the few minutes she played in Tokyo.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

I get the no love lost for Diggins on this board but she is definitely a fierce competitor.

What I liked about her at ND is she didn't back down from UConn when she played them. There was no fear and this attitude carried over to her teammates and program. Do/did I like ND? Nope, but their games with UConn brought back the memories of the games with UT and certainly brought attention to the sport. I found myself rooting for Diggins a few games.

I don't know if she is the PG in waiting for Team USA as her play was a little erratic at times. She is one of the best guards in the league and doesn't seem to be a bad teammate. That being said she complains, a lot, just like some other players. I prefer players to just keep quiet and play the game.

 

[UConnCat]

Interesting. Story by Howard Megdal who is very good. Behind a paywall.

Referring to her coach as a clown on twitter probably didn't help.

Tough spot for Nygaard given the stuff with Griner but she seems in over her head.

 

[cancontent]

Interesting. Story by Howard Megdal who is very good. Behind a paywall.

Referring to her coach as a clown on twitter probably didn't help.

Tough spot for Nygaard given the stuff with Griner but she seems in over her head.

Good points. I wonder if management is second guessing their decision to let their previous coach go now?

 

[MSSportsGuy]

Interesting. Story by Howard Megdal who is very good. Behind a paywall.

Referring to her coach as a clown on twitter probably didn't help.

Tough spot for Nygaard given the stuff with Griner but she seems in over her head.

Brondello wasn't a favorite by many who felt they underachieved with DT, Griner, and later SDS. Maybe it was time for her to go. Sadly the Griner situation was impossible for the organization to predict and there really isn't anything they can do about it.

However, Nygard's (sp) hire was a head scratcher for sure given her lack of experience. I'm not saying she shouldn't have the job but someone who was a proven commodity with the organization and was accused, fairly or not, about not having won more, was let go for someone with no head coaching experience at the collegegiate or professional level. I think there would have been other takers for a roster with 3 Olympians who just came out of a finals appearance.

Sometimes it's best for organizations to cut their losses and move on. Sometimes players are the problem and need a move, but this could be 2 future HOF players who have been removed from the roster since the first of the season. That should raise some eyebrows.

 

[EricLA]

What a great win by Minny today. Down the stretch it sort of felt like they were trying to give the game away - slim lead, turnovers, etc.

Then with 5 seconds left, up 3 and with a foul to give, sort of mystifying why they didn't try to disrupt Chicago's offense by fouling. Left Quigley wide open with no one within 3 feet of her, and got lucky that she missed the 3 to tie the game.

Still, 2 great wins in a row by them - pound town over Vegas the other day and a squeaker today.

in fact, in their last 9 games they have 4 losses but... to the Storm by 2, To Vegas twice by 1 and 6, and to Chicago by 3. They are trending in the right direction and showing they can be competitive with anyone.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Did Jefferson and Sloot cancel each other out? 4 pts/6 assists for Jefferson and 2 pts/5 assists for Sloot.

 

[UConnCat]

Good points. I wonder if management is second guessing their decision to let their previous coach go now?

They have to be. Brondello led the team to the finals last year and they let her go! To make matters worse they replaced her with a coach whose only head coaching experience was at the high school level. What role did Diana have in Nygaard's hiring?

Bottom line is the team is a mess. Charles wanted out for a reason. Taurasi's best days are behind her and her effort has been lacking. Diggins-Smith has been the team's best player by a lot this season and she recently called her coach a clown on twitter. Nygaard deserved to be called out but then rightly apologized. The team removed the tweet (video) Diggins-Smith objected to but yet Skylar still hasn't taken down her tweet with the clown emoji. The coach has lost control of the team.

Meanwhile, Diggins-Smith has just made her twitter account private. LOL

 

[JellyBean]

We will take that win here in Minnesota. The Lynx seems to be putting the pieces together. Seem to have a good rotation and everyone understanding their roles on the team. Plus, it helps that we got Sylvia Fowles back from injury, Kayla McBride being her consistent self with the solid 14-16 a night, and Aerial Powers playing on another level. When players are making their shots, everything looks and feels better. Well done, Minnesota!!

 

[cancontent]

We will take that win here in Minnesota. The Lynx seems to be putting the pieces together. Seem to have a good rotation and everyone understanding their roles on the team. Plus, it helps that we got Sylvia Fowles back from injury, Kayla McBride being her consistent self with the solid 14-16 a night, and Aerial Powers playing on another level. When players are making their shots, everything looks and feels better. Well done, Minnesota!!

They healthier all around. Having Dantas and Achonwa back helped to stabilize the post/forward position too. Glad to see with this being Fowles final season.

 

[JellyBean]

Did Jefferson and Sloot cancel each other out? 4 pts/6 assists for Jefferson and 2 pts/5 assists for Sloot.

Pretty much. They pretty much went stat line for stat line.

 

[JellyBean]

They healthier all around. Having Dantas and Achonwa back helped to stabilize the post/forward position too. Glad to see with this being Fowles final season.

Yes. The team is healthy and like you, I am glad that the team is putting the pieces together for Fowles in her last season here in Minnesota.

 

[Dillon77]

We will take that win here in Minnesota. The Lynx seems to be putting the pieces together. Seem to have a good rotation and everyone understanding their roles on the team. Plus, it helps that we got Sylvia Fowles back from injury, Kayla McBride being her consistent self with the solid 14-16 a night, and Aerial Powers playing on another level. When players are making their shots, everything looks and feels better. Well done, Minnesota!!

They healthier all around. Having Dantas and Achonwa back helped to stabilize the post/forward position too. Glad to see with this being Fowles final season.

Keeping the roles consistent and understandable always helps: good move by Coach Reeve.

Dantas and Achonwa most certainly help provide depth and consistency up-front to back up Big Syl, but the person who seems to both be enjoying and very effective in her super-sub role is Jess Shepard. Her drive "and one" today late in the game was crucial as were 6 rebounds.

Powers, of course, has been in 6th gear on a five-speed bike the last few games.

 

[bbsamjj]

I can't imagine the amount of stress the Mercury are going through given the Griner situation. This is not to say there aren't other problems with the team/organization, but it's just a huge dark cloud hanging over the team each and every day

 

[Dillon77]

They have to be. Brondello led the team to the finals last year and they let her go! To make matters worse they replaced her with a coach whose only head coaching experience was at the high school level. What role did Diana have in Nygaard's hiring?

Bottom line is the team is a mess. Charles wanted out for a reason. Taurasi's best days are behind her and her effort has been lacking. Diggins-Smith has been the team's best player by a lot this season and she recently called her coach a clown on twitter. Nygaard deserved to be called out but then rightly apologized. The team removed the tweet (video) Diggins-Smith objected to but yet Skylar still hasn't taken down her tweet with the clown emoji. The coach has lost control of the team.

Meanwhile, Diggins-Smith has just made her twitter account private. LOL

Pretty much with you on all these points (I've also received and read Megdal's post).
One or two other thoughts:

- I watched the Sparks - Mercury game the other night and was caught off-guard/mystified by some of the substitutions/alignments and play calls in the 2nd half of that game. Maybe Brondello was missing some aspects of the game for many posters, but she had control of the late-game huddles. How DeShields and Cunningham were shunned on offensive "must" plays is a challenge for another week.

- So, at some point GM Pitman has to answer for this, one would think. After all, he should have his hands on virtually all of these moves.

My lord, Coach Johnson in Dallas can hold off the questioners by just playing Teaira for 20 minutes. Beats being in the Valley of the Sun. Does Kia really want to come back?

 

[eebmg]

Did Jefferson and Sloot cancel each other out? 4 pts/6 assists for Jefferson and 2 pts/5 assists for Sloot.

Moriah had 5 steals as well. A big one in crunch time as well as a nice assist Moriah by TKO

 

[cancontent]

Keeping the roles consistent and understandable always helps: good move by Coach Reeve.

Dantas and Achonwa most certainly help provide depth and consistency up-front to back up Big Syl, but the person who seems to both be enjoying and very effective in her super-sub role is Jess Shepard. Her drive "and one" today late in the game was crucial as were 6 rebounds.

Powers, of course, has been in 6th gear on a five-speed bike the last few games.

Didn't mean to give the impression Shepard hasn't made a huge impact. The addition of Achnowa and Dantas just is a buffer that was sorely needed.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Stupid Aces are gonna lose...again. Make that 5 out of 7. Their D has been absolutely atrocious, getting torched again, NY is up to 112.

 

[nwhoopfan]

24 has to be a career high for Han Xu, right? Only missed one shot. Wilson has shot about a million FTs, but they still are gonna lose by double digits. What in the heck happened to them? This all traces back to that game against Chicago, they suck ever since then.


edit--my bad, they lost by 9; 116-107

How is it even possible to lose when you score that much?

 

[nwhoopfan]

Ionescu w/ the triple double. Candace Parker fans sure were chirping a lot when she got her third to set the league record. That didn't even last a month til Sabrina tied her. Ionescu will end up with 3-4 X as many at least by the time she's done.

 

[eebmg]

Ionescu w/ the triple double. Candace Parker fans sure were chirping a lot when she got her third to set the league record. That didn't even last a month til Sabrina tied her. Ionescu will end up with 3-4 X as many at least by the time she's done.

First 30pt triple double in WNBA history but I fell asleep at half time when I was sure the Aces were going to blow the Liberty out of the water with how the Aces were shooting.

and 0 TO's/

 

[eebmg]

Video of Sabrina Highlights. Only het shot making, not assists. Slome of those 3pt shots are 5+ feet behind the line

 

[eebmg]

and Han Xu with her best night of her career by far.




Hope Geno recruits China soon.