WNBA 2023 Season, Part 2

[nwhoopfan]

Plum broke out of her mini scoring slump, joining Wilson w/ a 30 point game. She's gonna finish just a little short of hitting 100 3's in back to back seasons. Might have the best 2 year total though?

 

[Blueballer]

Their bench is so bad though, you really can't play them extended minutes. They are just awful. Who wants the embarrassment of losing to the worst team in the league, on your own home floor.

Anyway like I said, everybody other than Connecticut played their starters regular minutes today, without having much to play for.

Oh baloney. The Sun didn't care if they lost. They wanted to rest their best 2 players in the 2nd half. It's a blowout and the Aces are still playing Wilson jacking up threes with 90 seconds left. Bush L. stuff.

 

[Geew1992]

Lately Griner is absolutely allergic to rebounding. Last 5 games 3, 2, 2, 10 and 3. I wouldn't be surprised if that put her last among their starters in that stretch.

Ehhh.:: they’re tanking so this isn’t a surprise

 

[nwhoopfan]

Oh baloney. The Sun didn't care if they lost. They wanted to rest their best 2 players in the 2nd half. It's a blowout and the Aces are still playing Wilson jacking up threes with 90 seconds left. Bush L. stuff.

I'm looking at minutes played by starters in a bunch of other games today, several of them blowouts, and a WHOLE bunch of players eclipsed Wilson's 29 minutes, by a lot. Are you complaining about any of the other games?

 

[nwhoopfan]

With nothing to play for but pride, LA had a late rally to edge Seattle. Loyd had a huge 1st quarter but really slowed down after that. Nneka was back for the Sparks today.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Ehhh.:: they’re tanking so this isn’t a surprise

I would think she would grab more boards than that, by accident if nothing else. She's been scoring decent in these last few games.

 

[GCKSFN4L]

Stupid keeping Wilson (and others) in this game late. Just hunting for points that's all. They don't even need this game anymore, the Liberty already lost. Crazy to not put the bench in.

Not at all. The bench literally was blowing the lead. You still want to enter the playoffs on a good note. Most of the starters outside of Gray played about 4 minutes in the 4th.


Vegas has a 24 point lead to enter the 4th, once they played their bench Phoenix was approaching only about 10 points down then Vegas responded with their starters to keep the lead secured. Phoenix even with the starters back for a portion won the 4th quarter 26-17.

Considering how unproductive Vegas bench as whole is, the starters really don't play much more and in some cases less than other starters on the other top teams with more productive benches.

 

[bbsamjj]

Final standings (and playoff seeds):

1. LV vs 8. Chicago
2. NY vs 7. DC
3. CT vs 6. MN
4. Dallas vs 5. Atlanta

MN, DC, Atlanta all finished with same record, so seeding was done by tiebreakers. Chicago only ended up finishing a game behind at the #8 seed.

Shoutout to Indiana, who since August has gone 7-8. The middle of the season was rough--they went about a month where they lost 12/13 games. But glad to see them end on a more positive note (and TBH, I think their best bet for longterm success was to stay out of the playoffs to hopefully get another core piece in next year's draft).

 

[MilfordHusky]

Normally that would certainly be true. But this is such a seemingly close race, between 3 very deserving players.

Thomas played limited minutes, and Stewie had only 9 points, but Wilson put up 36. Did that sway any voters?

 

[nwhoopfan]

Thomas played limited minutes, and Stewie had only 9 points, but Wilson put up 36. Did that sway any voters?

It is just one game, I don't know how much impact it will have. But it was the last impression. You can easily make a good case for any of the 3 winning it.

 

[nwhoopfan]

So, New York gets the dreaded match up with the "look out when they get healthy" Mystics.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Somehow I missed this. Courtney Williams had a monster stat line today (and Chicago ran away in OT)--23 pts/16 reb/13 assists. Seems like the number of triple doubles recorded this season just about equals the number from the previous history of the league combined. Of course most of those were from AT.

 

[Blueballer]

I'm looking at minutes played by starters in a bunch of other games today, several of them blowouts, and a WHOLE bunch of players eclipsed Wilson's 29 minutes, by a lot. Are you complaining about any of the other games?

None of the other teams are favored to go all the way. None of the other teams have one of the 2 best players in the WNBA. Dumb to risk her by hunting points. But that's what they do.

 

[Blueballer]

Not at all. The bench literally was blowing the lead. You still want to enter the playoffs on a good note. Most of the starters outside of Gray played about 4 minutes in the 4th.


Vegas has a 24 point lead to enter the 4th, once they played their bench Phoenix was approaching only about 10 points down then Vegas responded with their starters to keep the lead secured. Phoenix even with the starters back for a portion won the 4th quarter 26-17.

Considering how unproductive Vegas bench as whole is, the starters really don't play much more and in some cases less than other starters on the other top teams with more productive benches.

First of all the game didn't mean anything (See CT). So she needed to be in the game jacking up threes with 90 seconds left? The game sure was over by then. And again she is your best player. Why take a chance on a rolled ankle with the playoffs just a few days away.

 

[nickp91]

Aliyah Boston should absolutely be unanimous Rookie of the Year

 

[nwhoopfan]

Aliyah Boston should absolutely be unanimous Rookie of the Year

Is there any question? About as run away as can be. Diamond Miller is probably next best, after that...?

 

[MilfordHusky]

Is there any question? About as run away as can be. Diamond Miller is probably next best, after that...?

Probably Dorka at #3. Then maybe Horston.

Boston was very good, but most of the rest of the class had limited impact.

 

[GoChips20]

Boston had a great first year and showed she can score in the league with relative ease. I’d be surprised if she’s not an MVP candidate within the next three seasons.

 

[bbsamjj]

Probably Dorka at #3. Then maybe Horston.

Boston was very good, but most of the rest of the class had limited impact.

Boston and Miller proved why they were the top two picks, but i think a number of rookies (including Berger, Hayley Jones, Horston, Siegrist) could be very solid WNBA players.

 

[nwhoopfan]

but i think a number of rookies (including Berger, Hayley Jones, Horston, Siegrist) could be very solid WNBA players.

Add Ivana Dojkic to the list, if she returns to the W.

 

[azfan]

Their bench is so bad though, you really can't play them extended minutes. They are just awful. Who wants the embarrassment of losing to the worst team in the league, on your own home floor.

Anyway like I said, everybody other than Connecticut played their starters regular minutes today, without having much to play for.

Five random BYers could easily beat the Merc, they're the embarrassment. The last two weeks of the season there was zero effort more importantly incompetent management was again revealed by what was a deficient roster.

In contrast the Mysyics who suffered significant injuries throughout the season had a roster that was thoughtfully composed and well coached. There wasn't a game the Mystics didn't put forth WNBA effort

Phoenix faces is a generational rebuilding problem and can easily maintain their status as the laughingstock at the league for the rest of the decade.

I always smile about those who complain about Indiana. I can't recall a game this season that the Fever didn't put forth effort and while they have roster issues to address the organization certainly has made the most of their opportunities. There is hope in Indiana in contrast to hopelessness in Phoenix.

DT on the roster, BG finding it difficult to reach within for effort, Turner with a Stokes game, and an organization that has demonstrated no ability in development and certainly avoids the draft like the team avoids defense.

The Mercury were dead last in offense in the league and with their allergy to defense makes for a lock on the laughingstock trophy for the foreseeable future.

 

[azfan]

Ehhh.:: they’re tanking so this isn’t a surprise

No need to tank The Mercury have clearly been the worst team in the league since training camp.

I wouldn't credit the Mercury organization with intentionality.

Rather incompetence, in attention and living in the past have resulted in the shambles. I'm confident there will not be a Phoenix rising either as the off-season will watch the organization blunder about to find a coach and probably delay that for several months, dance around the DT issue, completely miss in the draft, and start next year with essentially a roster filled with cheap misfits to allow for the salary cap strain from DT.

 

[JellyBean]

Last day of the regular season:

Indiana thumped Minnesota.

Washington beat NY by 2. Stewie with a clunker today.

Connecticut and Chicago are in OT. Looks like Thomas has played limited minutes (Bonner as well), didn't do much.

Dallas beat Atlanta handily.

I only mentioned Stewie and Thomas specifically because it was their last chance to impress voters for the MVP race.

Looks like pretty much everybody other than Connecticut played their starters the usual minutes today. Thought there might be more resting of players, but I guess not.

2 more games just getting underway.

Totally disappointed in Minnesota's effort in that matchup against Indiana. There were a few moments in that final quarter that it looked my beloved Lynx, up one or two, finally put it together but they would turn the ball over, like 5-6 times in a row. Not a good way to enter the playoffs but who knows, the Lynx just might flip the script and go on a nice winning streak. Anything can happen in the playoffs. But in a game the Lynx really needed to win, they came out flat. Lacked that intensity.

 

[JellyBean]

So, New York gets the dreaded match up with the "look out when they get healthy" Mystics.

That is going to be a fun and exciting series.

 

[Dillon77]

Besides figuring out on Sunday what the playoffs match-ups were, it was the deadline for teams to sign impending free agents of their own to contract extensions.

Seems like Kahleah Copper, who didn't play against the Sun, might've been negotiating during the game. She, Betnijah Laney, Jewell Loyd, K=Mac, Kayla Thonton all signed extensions to stay with their current teams. And most of the ones I've read about are for two years. According to an article (mostly) written by Sabreena Merchant of The Athletic, "...most players in the league are choosing to let their contracts run out in 2025. That’s the year that the WNBA is up for a new media rights deal and potentially a new CBA that could significantly raise the value of salaries."

So, if that's the case, it could add even more reasons for players like Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Kamilla Cardoso, Maddy Westbeld, etc. to use their covid extensions next year in the hope the rookie salaries will also rise.