Since we're all going to be seeing Caitlin Clark and the Fever for the foreseeable future, a couple of things have struck/won't leave me:
1) Just what were Lin Dunn/Christie Sides thinking in regards to the wing/third guard position? Last year, Sides brought up Wallace and Wheeler from Atlanta to launch solidify the Sides approach. Lexie Hull was here, too, playing defense and not shooting all that well.
- Dunn signs KLS to a guaranteed contract and then extends Hull. Yes, Wallace is still here. Last night was an example of how this is playing out: Wallace started and played 20+ while KLS and Hull went about 15 each (so two played a bit at the same time).
- Yes, they scored 15 points on a cumulative basis, but did one or the other differentiate themselves or add anything different? All three are jump shooters - not shot creators -- and fair rebounders. Just seems like the position really just held steady, not better, while draining resources.
- Wheeler has hops and speed and looks to be playing on a totally different team than virtually anyone else, save Mitchell.
2) Is Aaliyah Boston ill? Slightly injured? She seems off by a half-step and considering she's not a leaper, that means a bunch. Whlle Fagbenle is, in fact, playing above her pay grade, this isn't a good thing compared to Boston.
Clark is picking things up (she has to, but it's good to see), but Boston is starting to concern....
3) It takes awhile to mesh things, but if things don't get better with the current alignment, I'd consider playing Grace Berger, who has a firm sense of who she is and what she can do. Heck, if Celesete Taylor was drafted to play defense, given her a shot because no one else is at guard/wing.
4) Lastly, Smith had a double-double last night but she's another that feels like she's playing in her "own private Indiana" (to change a B-52 line). It's oddly entertaining, but I can see it being really distracting if you want a full-team approach.
hoopshype.com
