May 2024 WNBA Thread, part II

[LwrcasefaN]

Stewie looks tired. She was even breathing heavily at the FT line. They took her out the next play and she sat for a while. Jonquel gotta get her head on right and stay in the game.

 

[TheFarmFan]

Impressive game and composure from the Sky. The announcers described Chicago as a team where everyone has a chip on their shoulder, and I think that's a perfect descriptor. Mabrey is a streaky shooter but she was ON tonight, and it's nice to see Carter seems to have a found a good landing spot in the W.

Not making excuses, but this was Chicago's third game versus the Liberty's fifth--and the Liberty seemed sluggish all night. Jones never got into her groove given all the foul trouble, multiple layups and FTs were missed by pretty much everyone, and the defense looked straight up bad. And it's obviously Brondello still doesn't trust the bench, particularly when things are close. Both Stewart and Sab played 35min. The only good news is Sabally may have had her best game as a pro: 8pts, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and a block in 19min (and the team was +13 with her on the court).

On a much more trivial note, it also creates weird effects for fantasy leagues. I swear it seems like some players play 4 games in a given week while others only play 1 or 2. I'm ready for my world's tiniest violin solo whenever y'all are ready.

 

[GoChips20]

This could be true but it’s also possible (and maybe even more likely) that she’s simply slowing down. She’s at the tail end of her prime but even if she’s not the peak version of herself she’s still going to be a top 5 (and not #5) player in the league.

If your theory is right, however, I also think she just has nothing left to prove. What she did in college will never again be replicated and she’s already achieved everything you can hope for in the W multiple times. I’m not doubting her drive and motivation but there’s nothing left for her to accomplish and I say this as someone who thought A’ja should have won MVP last year.

 

[baggerbob]

On the other hand, this is Sabrina Ionescu's comment on the Liberty-Sky match, post-game:

"I think we were just settling,” Ionescu said. “It wasn’t anything that they necessarily did, I think we all just came down and didn’t take our best shots. Offensively, we were rushed. We were taking the first available shot instead of our best shot.” (Via the New York Post)

Sabrina pretty much said the same thing I stated watching the game. Quick shots which led to fast breaks.
New York needs to be more patient running the offense.

 

[cancontent]

Bummer

 

[cancontent]

And guess who's back?

 

[TheFarmFan]

At the Sparks/Fever game in LA. Through 1, Brink looking great - even better than at Stanford - because she doesn't need to do everything in her own. But it's clear how much she alters the game at every stage.

 

[nwhoopfan]

At the Sparks/Fever game in LA. Through 1, Brink looking great - even better than at Stanford - because she doesn't need to do everything in her own. But it's clear how much she alters the game at every stage.

Sometimes I think I'm taking crazy pills when I'm on this forum. To me she was a game changer on defense when they played Vegas, and other posters here are like "nah." Hope she has a great career. Enjoy the game.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Fever finally gonna get a win.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Signs of life from Boston. Clark almost messed around and got a triple double.

 

[bballnut90]

Definitely the best floor game from Clark so far: 8 assists and just 2 TOs, active defense too. Her chemistry with Fagbenle is outstanding and Temi works her butt off on both ends. I wonder what’s going to happen with Nalyssa Smith since Temi has been outperforming her on both ends to start the year. Mitchell was some big made shots and Boston found her groove tonight.

Brink is going to be a star when she stops making dumb plays. She played brilliantly in stretches and then would make a lot of bad decisions consecutively. Hamby was great in the first for LA and wasn’t nearly as effective in the second. Nurse struggled shooting tonight, as did Lexie Brown. Brown in particular was cranking 3s from darned near half court at times. Rickea Jackson is an absolute stud, too. So smooth and just knows how to put the ball in the hoop. She needs more minutes.

 

[GamecockFam]

Definitely the best floor game from Clark so far: 8 assists and just 2 TOs, active defense too. Her chemistry with Fagbenle is outstanding and Temi works her butt off on both ends. I wonder what’s going to happen with Nalyssa Smith since Temi has been outperforming her on both ends to start the year. Mitchell was some big made shots and Boston found her groove tonight.

Brink is going to be a star when she stops making dumb plays. She played brilliantly in stretches and then would make a lot of bad decisions consecutively. Hamby was great in the first for LA and wasn’t nearly as effective in the second. Nurse struggled shooting tonight, as did Lexie Brown. Brown in particular was cranking 3s from darned near half court at times. Rickea Jackson is an absolute stud, too. So smooth and just knows how to put the ball in the hoop. She needs more minutes.

I do not ever remember Brown trying to make so many deep 3s in a game. I was wondering if the presence of Clark was giving her a case of the "anything you can do, I can do better". The issue is that she couldn't.

 

[Dillon77]

Sometimes I think I'm taking crazy pills when I'm on this forum. To me she was a game changer on defense when they played Vegas, and other posters here are like "nah." Hope she has a great career. Enjoy the game.

Agree that she had some very strong moments and then did some things that were "really." The three at the end of the game was clutch.
Speaking of clutch, Clark's step-back at the end of the shot clock was vintage....

 

[bbsamjj]

The past two west coast road games, the Fever (and Clark) have really cut down on turnovers. Versus Seattle and LA:

Clark: 15 assists versus 4 turnovers
Fever: 40 assists versus 21 turnovers

Brink and Jackson are going to be studs. Jackson is just a bucket: she's shooting 55% from the field and the 3-pt range thus far. That won't last, but damn.

 

[GamecockFam]

The past two west coast road games, the Fever (and Clark) have really cut down on turnovers. Versus Seattle and LA:

Clark: 15 assists versus 4 turnovers
Fever: 40 assists versus 21 turnovers

Brink and Jackson are going to be studs. Jackson is just a bucket: she's shooting 55% from the field and the 3-pt range thus far. That won't last, but damn.

LA needs Brink and Jackson to have good seasons or they'll have no chance of making the playoffs. Hamby seems like the only dependable, experienced player on that team. Nurse and Brown need to be more consistent from game to game.

 

[TheFarmFan]

LA needs Brink and Jackson to have good seasons or they'll have no chance of making the playoffs. Hamby seems like the only dependable, experienced player on that team. Nurse and Brown need to be more consistent from game to game.

+1. Was at the game, and I felt like in the first quarter Jackson was playing a little out of control (she racked up three fouls pretty quickly), but then calmed down and was really steady the rest of the way. Definitely a bucket. Cam got wilder as the game went on - I feel like she was getting frustrated as the Fever were getting back into the game and started trying to do too much.

Mostly, though, the Sparks guards just weren't cutting it. Nurse was the Nurse I remember from her time at UConn - solid on defense, but weirdly lacking in confidence on the offensive end. She had several open looks she'd pass up, or cuts to the basket where she turned around when she could have tried to score through contact. Brown had some flashes but was too often going for a three at the first open look (and missing nearly all of them). I like McDonald a lot but I don't see her as the two-way PG LA needs, and Clarendon is just not that creative or insightful of a distributor. LA would have won easily if their guards had had even average shooting nights.

And I'll say this: the CC show is a show. Place was packed, rowdy, and by far the best, loudest vibe I've ever seen for a women's game. I'll give her credit for that. But man, does she whine a lot. Gets tiresome after a while. But all credit to her, she's bringing in a ton of new fans to the game, and they seem to like what they're seeing.

 

[nwhoopfan]

NY-Minnesota is crazy. Started out as a good back and forth game. Then Lynx went on a huge run and went up 20+. Then NY came storming back and down 4 at the half.

 

[jdote33]

I stan Dorka. Such a solid player. I'm not sure if she'll get the minutes but she should be on an all defensive team. I am a believer in Minnesota. Really like their bigs. Carleton and McBride are good enough shooters. Courtney Williams is a solid enough guard. They may be a year away, and u kinda wish some of their players were 2 percent better to compete with the most elite teams. But they are really good.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Lynx whooped the Liberty.

 

[baggerbob]

I stan Dorka. Such a solid player. I'm not sure if she'll get the minutes but she should be on an all defensive team. I am a believer in Minnesota. Really like their bigs. Carleton and McBride are good enough shooters. Courtney Williams is a solid enough guard. They may be a year away, and u kinda wish some of their players were 2 percent better to compete with the most elite teams. But they are really good.

The liberty are already becoming like the Griner, Taurasi teams in Phoenix.
Talented but not Championship teams, a lot of parts that don't fit.
Sandy as a coach only won 1 Title at Phoenix.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Jonquel: 4/6/3/1. Stewie: 20/11/5/1/2. Sabrina: 13/3/1 and -27.

Phee: 15/12/4/2/2. Carleton: 14/2/3/1/2 filling in for Miller.

Minny won Q4 by 18-9.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Sandy as a coach only won 1 Title at Phoenix.

Yeah, I've never been impressed with her coaching.

Kinda relevant, she had Alanna Smith for her first 3 years in the league, pretty much languished on the bench. Once Smith got out of Phoenix, turns out she's a baller.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Interesting that after their first win Indiana shakes up the starting lineup. KLS back in, Wallace out, and Fagbenle in place of Nalyssa Smith.

 

[TheFarmFan]

Interesting that after their first win Indiana shakes up the starting lineup. KLS back in, Wallace out, and Fagbenle in place of Nalyssa Smith.

Fagbenle earned it the last few games. And she is by far Clark's best outlet. I think Wallace is out with an injury, so KLS slides into the starting 3 spot. I like KLS a lot, but she's definitely lost a step since college (/pregnancy?) and doesn't seem to be as crisp a shooter, either. Great reminder how remarkable new moms like Pheesa and Hamby have been.