One game into the season:
1. Minnesota won this game despite being seriously short handed and is, potentially, a better team than any of their previous two championship teams; Provided Brunson, Wright, and Peters come back to a contributable level. That is because
2. Damiris Dantas, a 6-4 forward from Brazil, is a very nice addition. I spent the better part of the first half deriding her lack of foot speed and offensive skills, only to observe an incredible second half. Ended with 12 rebounds and 5 assists. I can recall a few of her rebounds, but cannot recall a single one of her assists. Stefanie Dolson, on the other hand, had just one assist, a beautiful touch pass underneath that we saw clearly, and it shocks me that that was her lone assist. Just goes to show...
3. Maya Moore was hot early and remained so throughout the game; An incredible scorer, an incredible player.
4. As the OP mentioned, sitting courtside provides a nice perspective of the intensity of the game, the incredible speed and skill level of the players, and just how difficult it is to score baskets.
5. Stefanie Dolson was overmatched underneath, but found success on the perimeter with three straight shots in the second quarter that got the crowd back into the game as the Mystics kept chipping away at Minnesota's lead. Dolson will be fine.
6. Bria Hartley had no success on the perimeter but looked very comfortable on the floor. It would not be too big a surprise to see her inserted into the starting lineup by midseason because
7. Kara Lawson seems to slow the offense down and the Mystics were much more effective when they were able to push the ball
8. Ivory Latta can flat out play. She was 7-9 from beyond the arc, all 9 of her threes were open looks from spots on the floor where she is automatic. Her ability to get open from comfortable spots on the floor despite Coach Reeve's constant harping to deny them to her was quite impressive.
9. As mentioned by the OP, Tierra Ruffin-Pratt was outstanding; Nothing resembling the player we saw at North Carolina for four years. I had no idea she had that kind of perimeter game. We had a very nice view of a few of her shots in the second half and they looked like money as soon as they left her hand.
10. The crowd was nowhere close to the announced paid attendance but they made their presence felt.
11. Asia Taylor looked very good in spot duty for Minnesota. Plays bigger than 6-1.
12. Washington showed me a lot coming back from a 17 point deficit to take a brief one point lead early in the fourth quarter.
13. At which point Minnesota made a point of running their offense through their superstars; They delivered.
14. Minnesota is, now, officially Maya's team. The transition may have occurred a year ago, but it is obvious now. When we saw her here three years ago in her rookie season, she often deferred to the veterans; No longer the case. As the OP mentioned, Minnesota is a different team offensively when Maya is not on the floor.
