May 2024 WNBA Thread, part II

[GardenState]

Not sure I have this right, but taking last year’s WNBA won-lost records, extrapolating current won-lost records to the end of this season and aggregating every team’s two-year won-lost record, and considering that the NY Liberty has the right to swap its first-round pick in next year’s draft with the Phoenix Mercury’s first-round pick — does that all add up to the Liberty currently having the best odds to pick first in next year’s draft?

 

[Baller29]

If Angel can develop a half way decent perimeter shot consistently (the sky is the limit- pun intended)

 

[MilfordHusky]

Does Atlanta prefer Henderson over Dangerfield, or was it that Henderson was cheaper for them?

 

[nwhoopfan]

In support of your point of view anytime the local announcers are enthusiastically pumping up Ari McDonald you know you've got a roster that is questionable. The former kitties is as quick as lightning. She's quick as lightning. Anytime she's your best option in the back court I think you got to reflect on your roster with apologies to Barnes.

She is looking pretty darn good tonight.

 

[NycUcWbbFan]

Not sure I have this right, but taking last year’s WNBA won-lost records, extrapolating current won-lost records to the end of this season and aggregating every team’s two-year won-lost record, and considering that the NY Liberty has the right to swap its first-round pick in next year’s draft with the Phoenix Mercury’s first-round pick — does that all add up to the Liberty currently having the best odds to pick first in next year’s draft?

If Phoenix is one of the last four teams at the end the 2024 regular season, and if it has the lowest combined 2023 and 2024 win-loss record, then NY gets the highest odds of getting the first pick in the 2025 regular WNBA draft.

Currently (games through July 5), if Phoenix loses its next 3 games for a 10-13 record, there is a chance it becomes the 4th to the last team (over Atlanta (pick goes to Washington), Indiana and Chicago (pick goes to Indiana)). Its resulting 2-year record (19-44) would be the worst at that time.

Each team has 40 regular season games.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Sky get a nice road win at Seattle. Carter and Reese w/ big games.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Kiah Stokes is just awful. Pitiful. Terrible.

But Becky Hammon coached one of the worst games I've seen her coach in a while.

Re The Deacon: A 6'3 player who does NOTHING offensively should at least be able to rebound. Your girl cannot do anything right.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Just when the Aces finally start to get on track, they go and lose to the worst team in the league...for the second time this season.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Game went OT. LA led most of the extra session. They were up 2 late, got fouled, missed both FTs...and Vegas gave up an O board. Absolutely unforgivable.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Well, we can officially put "A'ja for MVP" to rest. The team (thanks, Becky!) has decided that's not going to happen this season. Shame because the rest of the candidates are MEH this year.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Also, it's hilarious to me that Kelsey Plum always wants the smoke when the team is winning but SHRINKS in the big moments. Biggest frontrunner I've seen in a while. Let's see what she has to say in the postgame presser...IF she shows up to it.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Wasted another huge game from Wilson 35 pts/12 reb/6 blocks. Plum had 21, Young w/ 18, 15 of which were in Q4 and OT.

Hamby nearly battled Wilson to a standstill, 28 pts/13 reb. 23 for McDonald (new career high I think I heard them say). Jackson had 14. Maybe the real star of the game though was Talbot, 13 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds, and several huge plays down the stretch. Seattle should've kept her when they had her. Nice player who can do a lot of different things. Thought she was better than KLS when they had both.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Chelsea Gray has been garbage the last two games. Imagine bricking on one end and giving up crucial buckets to Talbot (really?) on the other. Could not be me.

And finally, to Hamby: give it a rest. Take that weird energy somewhere else. Nobody's going to laud you for being on a team that's won a quarter of its games at the midway point. Enjoy your Super Bowl.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Yeah gray hasn’t been performing well offensively

You're being kind. She has been nothing short of awful the last two games. Her TOs and bricks lately have been nausea-inducing.

On a more pleasant note, it's been great watching a player like Angel Reese this season. She has the "want to" that will serve her well in this league.

 

[bballnut90]

Angel Reese is tearing up the league right now. Last 6 games she’s averaging 19.7 points, 15 rebounds on 48.7% shooting. Chicago is 4-2 during that span as well.

 

[Geew1992]

Does Atlanta prefer Henderson over Dangerfield, or was it that Henderson was cheaper for them?

I think Canada was healthy when they cut dangerfield. CD was signed by the sparks. So the dream had to find another guard

 

[Dillon77]

Does Atlanta prefer Henderson over Dangerfield, or was it that Henderson was cheaper for them?

Don't know that answer but Crystal is now on a 7-day stint with Los Angeles. Didn't play last night, but she's there.
Talking about those 7-day (bounce around) contracts, I see Kiana Williams -- although still with the Storm -- is now signed to one of those.

 

[Dillon77]

Sky get a nice road win at Seattle. Carter and Reese w/ big games.

And Seattle (now 13-7) had its four-game win streak - all by double-digit margins - snapped. At home in front of 10,000+.

I didn't watch the whole game, but Carter's ability to get to the paint via drives and pull-ups was relentless -- and really effective -- last night (she shot 15-24). Reese, besides the double-double, was 9-10 from the FT line, which will make her even more effective.
Mabrey's shooting slump continues, but she facilitated last night; garnering 7 assists and kept the ball moving to the right players.

 

[JellyBean]

Losing to the worst team in the league BY FAR has to rank up there as one of the biggest disappointments of the night.

I guess they underestimated the worst team.

 

[bbsamjj]

The Aces loss to LA is certainly "bad," but it was their second game in 2 nights, on the road, and guess what, it's the WNBA, every team is talented and pretty much every top team has a "bad" loss:

NY lost to Chicago AT HOME.
CT lost to Atlanta AT HOME.
MN lost at Dallas.
SEA just lost to Chicago AT HOME.

Unless something crazy happens, the MVP is Wilson's. Her stats are too good and I have a feeling Vegas will still finish in top 3 in league.

 

[azfan]

The Aces loss to LA is certainly "bad," but it was their second game in 2 nights, on the road, and guess what, it's the WNBA, every team is talented and pretty much every top team has a "bad" loss:

NY lost to Chicago AT HOME.
CT lost to Atlanta AT HOME.
MN lost at Dallas.
SEA just lost to Chicago AT HOME.

Unless something crazy happens, the MVP is Wilson's. Her stats are too good and I have a feeling Vegas will still finish in top 3 in league.

I think your analysis is on point both about scheduling - the impact of that second game as well as the MVP race

Even at home Seattle was playing consecutively and given the energy expended by these elite athletes I'm not sure that even the most sophisticated rest and recovery gets them to an even playing field with a team that's a little more rested.

As to the MVP race I agree with you. Wilson has been nothing short of phenomenal. We talk about Hamby's performance which was exceptional and I think one of the reasons it seems impressive is that it was against the Aces and Wilson.

In any event that LA game was a great one last night. What I took away was that the Aces continue to struggle defensively obviously. I think part of this is the unique skill set that the former kittie McDonald brings to the game. Her exceptional quickness was amplified by tired legs on the part of the Aces.

The challenges in the Aces roster from my point of view are fascinating as the coach tries to get the right pieces on the court at the right time. Stokes remains an elite defender, rebounder, and shot blocker. Gray went healthy was able to integrate a cohesive defensive effort on her team's part.

So those things aren't clicking on all cylinders right now. The trip to LA resulted in what was a real entertaining game and a nice victory for the Sparks.

Unlike last year we have a dog fight at the top of the league. The top five teams are putting on a show accentuated by the ups and downs.

 

[bballnut90]

The Aces loss to LA is certainly "bad," but it was their second game in 2 nights, on the road, and guess what, it's the WNBA, every team is talented and pretty much every top team has a "bad" loss:

NY lost to Chicago AT HOME.
CT lost to Atlanta AT HOME.
MN lost at Dallas.
SEA just lost to Chicago AT HOME.

Unless something crazy happens, the MVP is Wilson's. Her stats are too good and I have a feeling Vegas will still finish in top 3 in league.

I’d be terrified of facing A’ja in the playoffs if they deny her MVP again. She’s head and shoulders better than anyone else in the league right now

 

[WBBTakeover]

In any event that LA game was a great one last night. What I took away was that the Aces continue to struggle defensively obviously. I think part of this is the unique skill set that the former kittie McDonald brings to the game. Her exceptional quickness was amplified by tired legs on the part of the Aces.

Looking at it objectively, it was a great game. But great teams do not routinely lose to teams at the bottom of the standings. This is the Aces' second loss to LA this year and the third in two seasons. It's an issue that needs to be addressed by Becky, but she doesn't know what "accountability" means.

Also, Chicago >>> LA (@bbsamjj). The Sparks are in an awful tier of their own.

As for Aari, she had this to say about her match-up with Kelsey Plum:

“[Plum] is a great player,” McDonald said. “I played with her my freshman year at UW, but I mean, Kels is an offensive player. She doesn't want to play on the defensive end. And she picks and chooses, but I mean, I knew that coming into the game, so I had to take advantage of that. Even if I wasn't scoring, it was getting my teammates open with it.“

Role players talking that talk

I would be MORTIFIED to hear that from an opponent, especially one from a losing team who still isn't established in this league (and yes, I'm still upset that this version of Aari didn't show up with the Dream--we got an inferior model). I mean, we saw this last year against the Liberty in the regular season and Commissioner's Cup, but does Becky really want this to be the narrative of one of her "superstars"?

 

[WBBTakeover]

I’d be terrified of facing A’ja in the playoffs if they deny her MVP again. She’s head and shoulders better than anyone else in the league right now

The voters have shown that they can and will do it, so we all just have to be prepared when they do it [again].

 

[JellyBean]

The Aces are a mystery. Just when you see the defending champs looking like the defending champs, they go in a different direction. Hopefully they get things figured out.