Los Angeles Sparks @ Las Vegas Aces - 6/29/18

[Shades]

Las Vegas, NV - 10:30 PM ET
TV: AT&T Sportsnet-Rocky Mountain

Video:
WNBA League Pass

Game page:
06/29/18: Los Angeles Sparks @ Las Vegas Aces - WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA

ESPN Gamecast:
WNBA LAvLV,6/29/2018 - ESPN

 

[Shorty Dee]

I am hoping Las Vegas can walk away with the win.

 

[Shades]

18-15 Aces end of first

Hamby 6 pts, 2 ast, 1 blk

Gray 7 pts, 1 reb, 1 ast

 

[shizam]

Love my Aces however late 1st quarter Aces blow 3 possessions in a row with 2 missed layups by Plum and Hamby on breaks and a stupid overthrown 3/4 court pass by Nared missing a wide open Hamby (my fave player) Nared has a slow motor, low b-ball IQ and is lackadaisical. Aces have too many contested layups that rim out. Inability to finish.
Hamby is +16 in 8 minutes w 3 min left in half
Aces lead 32-31

 

[shizam]

At half Aces up by 7
Hamby +21 in 9 min/9 pts
Dearica should get more Coffey and Young’s minutes even if she isn’t a true 3. She moves well enough

Hamby finished +23 25 minutes w 13 points. Coffey 5 minutes and no longer starting. That’s more like it. Play your best players instead of screwing around like Bill has been.

 

[bballnut90]

Aces look fully in control. Wilson having a heck of a night. I think they can make the playoffs this year, especially with McBride playing well and Plum is starting to play better too. If she plays consistently and they get Jefferson back, it could be a tough battle for PG spot. They also have Allen who is a very solid backup PG (3.7 A/TO ratio). Huge upside for this team.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

I think MoJeff will be eased back into the games. I can see MoJeff and Plum playing together because Plum is a shooter and scorer. If Mo has the ball it allows Plum and McBride to run off screens and get open shots and 3's. That would really open up things inside for Bone and Wilson. I like this Aces team a lot. They have some really great pieces.

 

[psconn]

Any doubt who LA's MVP is? Nneka out for 2... both losses. And the top of the standings shuffle up a bit. Looks like the Sun will be in a dogfight down the stretch just to stay in the playoff picture.

 

[shizam]

Any doubt who LA's MVP is? Nneka out for 2... both losses. And the top of the standings shuffle up a bit. Looks like the Sun will be in a dogfight down the stretch just to stay in the playoff picture.

Sparks are 1-2 without Nneka. They won 87-83 vs Wings June 26 but you’re point is a valid one.

Aces are 2 games out of a playoff spot. Sky 6-9 are one back with Wings and Dream #7 and #8 at 7-7. What a race this is going to be.

 

[Shorty Dee]

Congratulations Las Vegas Aces!! Yes, they showed up for this game, and beat Los Angeles Sparks. #NotafanofSparks

 

[Carnac]

2018 WNBA Regular Season League Standings - Women's National Basketball Association

Aces look fully in control. Wilson having a heck of a night. I think they can make the playoffs this year, especially with McBride playing well and Plum is starting to play better too. If she plays consistently and they get Jefferson back, it could be a tough battle for PG spot. They also have Allen who is a very solid backup PG (3.7 A/TO ratio). Huge upside for this team.

Humpf.........a convincing 16 point win over over one of the two best teams in the league. A 29/9 outburst from A'ja Wilson, already a franchise player. Granted, Nneka Ogwumike did not play, but I'm not sure she would have made that much of a difference in THIS game. No doubt head coach Bill Laimbeer likes what he's seeing lately. Four of the five starters for the Aces scored in double figures. Dearica Hamby had 13 pts off the bench. Wilson seems to have figured it out. Look for McBride to continue her hot hand as she now has the help she's been desperately looking for the last two years. Kelsey Plum has also been playing better of late.

A'ja Wison - On the path to becoming a legend?

This is a quality win for the Aces. Something they can build on. They're currently at 6-11. “We’ve had moments. We’ve been close,” Aces guard Kelsey Plum said. “To close it out against the best team in the league, I’m just really proud of everyone.” The Aces have moved past the NY Liberty for 10th place in the standings, and 2 games behind Atlanta for 8th place, and the final playoff spot. What a confidence and morale booster this win has to be for the Aces. Next up for the Aces is a repeat match up with the Sparks (11-5) in Los Angeles Sunday July 1. [Game stats here]


TIP IN - Ex-WNBA player helps Aces pursue interests off the court.

 

[eebmg]

There is so much upside to the Aces team. Very jealous. They are fun to watch and to me, it looks like Hamby and Plum have taken there game to a new level. Ji-Su park looks like a keeper in the mold of Lambeer, Wilson is already an All Star and McBride looks very strong lately although I still think she runs a bit hot and cold at times. Allen had some electrifying drives as well and was a favorite of mine on the Liberty having to fight her way onto a squad.

 

[DeeHusky]

A’Ja Wilson schooled Candace Parker. She has games like this every year where she doesn’t score much and showing a lack of effort. Does this have anything to do with why she didn’t make the Olympic team? Effort on defense?

 

[Dillon77]

There is so much upside to the Aces team. Very jealous. They are fun to watch and to me, it looks like Hamby and Plum have taken there game to a new level. Ji-Su park looks like a keeper in the mold of Lambeer, Wilson is already an All Star and McBride looks very strong lately although I still think she runs a bit hot and cold at times. Allen had some electrifying drives as well and was a favorite of mine on the Liberty having to fight her way onto a squad.

I think Laimbeer appreciates Allen's "stick-to-it-niveness" as well, which is one reason why I think he picked her up when the Liberty let her go with one of the last cuts of the preseason.

This isn't just the Domer speaking, but I think Katie Smith might rue that cut in that she was really the only true point guard on the roster. There are a slew of combo- guards and look for your shot first guards on that roster (after all, that was Katie's modus operandi) and they look less than focused at the end of games.

Not saying Lindsay would've been the answer, but she knows how to get the ball to the right people at the right time. I would think that would be a priority for the Liberty next year.

 

[bballnut90]

I think Laimbeer appreciates Allen's "stick-to-it-niveness" as well, which is one reason why I think he picked her up when the Liberty let her go with one of the last cuts of the preseason.

This isn't just the Domer speaking, but I think Katie Smith might rue that cut in that she was really the only true point guard on the roster. There are a slew of combo- guards and look for your shot first guards on that roster (after all, that was Katie's modus operandi) and they look less than focused at the end of games.

Not saying Lindsay would've been the answer, but she knows how to get the ball to the right people at the right time. I would think that would be a priority for the Liberty next year.

They have Boyd who is a similar mold to Allen. I think the Liberty's biggest problem is they don't have any consistent performers besides Charles, and Tina can be prone to poor shooting nights. They're one of the worst 3pt shooting teams in the league at 31%, and only Prince is shooting above 32%. Prince has had a couple of good games so I'd imagine she'll start to step up, but talent wise they really struggle without having a couple of star players. Look around the league and most teams have a great pair of players:

Minnesota: Moore/Fowles
Seattle: Loyd/Stewart
LA: Nneka/Parker/Gray
Dallas: Diggins/Cambage
Atlanta: Angel/Hayes
Phoenix: Griner/Taurasi
Washington: Toliver/EDD
Las Vegas: Wilson/McBride

Team with great balance:
Connecticut: Jones/Ogwumike/Thomas (x2)/Williams

On the cusp:
Chicago: Quigley/maybe Deshields (or Dolson)
New York: Charles/maybe Prince

Lacking:
Indiana: No one besides maybe Mitchell

If NY has any hopes of making the playoffs, they need to execute better down the stretch and get more consistent performances from perimeter players. They also need one of Vaughn, Stokes or Zahui B to step up and play better.

 

[Shades]

Looks like the

A’Ja Wilson schooled Candace Parker. She has games like this every year where she doesn’t score much and showing a lack of effort. Does this have anything to do with why she didn’t make the Olympic team? Effort on defense?

I’d say it’s mostly because it was a tail end of the road back-to-back. Pretty brutal for Parker. She’s never been great in back-to-back games. And defense is the part of the game that requires the most energy.

 

[Shades]

Here’s Wilson’s shot chart for the game. She wouldn’t be bothered by a prominent center being added to the team, as has been suggested.
If they make the playoffs, then they won’t have to worry about that. In order to make the playoffs, Chicago will have to start losing again, and another team would have to stumble.

 

[MSGRET]

I think MoJeff will be eased back into the games. I can see MoJeff and Plum playing together because Plum is a shooter and scorer. If Mo has the ball it allows Plum and McBride to run off screens and get open shots and 3's. That would really open up things inside for Bone and Wilson. I like this Aces team a lot. They have some really great pieces.

MoJeff is now doing daily drills and may be playing very soon. Laimbeer was on a local sports newscast saying that she is almost ready to return to the game.

 

[Shades]

MoJeff is now doing daily drills and may be playing very soon. Laimbeer was on a local sports newscast saying that she is almost ready to return to the game.

And when Jefferson comes back, who leaves the team? Most likely Allen.

 

[Shades]

 

[MSGRET]

And when Jefferson comes back, who leaves the team? Most likely Allen.

MoJeff is already on the team, no one will have to leave. The coach just hasn't put her in yet.

 

[Shades]

MoJeff is already on the team, no one will have to leave. The coach just hasn't put her in yet.

She’s not a part of the active roster. When she becomes a part of the active roster, somebody will have to go. There’s a limit of 12 on the active roster. Count ‘em up.

 

[Carnac]

And when Jefferson comes back, who leaves the team? Most likely Allen.

As Lee Corso says "not so fast my friend". Carolyn Swords and Jamie Nared are both viable candidates to be waived. With the emergence of 6'5" post JiSu Park, the 19 year old phenom from South Korea, Swords may just be deemed expendable, and the odd woman out when Mo returns. Nared has been less than impressive so far this season. Nared scored 4 points, 3 reb, 1 ast in 14 minutes. If I had my choice between Allen, Nared and Swords, I'm not so sure it would be Allen.

Swords was a "DNP - coaches decision" for this game. Because of Allen's presence, the Aces are most likely going to wait until Mo is as close to 100% as she can get. It's taken for granted that Mo will not be rushed back, no matter how long it takes.

 

[MSGRET]

She’s not a part of the active roster. When she becomes a part of the active roster, somebody will have to go. There’s a limit of 12 on the active roster. Count ‘em up.

Please look at the box score. She is part of the roster, there are only 12 spots on the team and she has been on it all season. Go to ESPN.com and look.

 

[Geew1992]

And when Jefferson comes back, who leaves the team? Most likely Allen.

I would think Nard.