WNBA 2023 Season, Part 2

[baggerbob]

Portland getting another shot at having a team? I really like the Portland Fire back in the day. They only had a three year run but they had potential.

The good thing about both franchises is Billionaire Owners, with money to spend on a team.
Minnesota or Dallas will probably shift to the east, to balance divisions.

 

[cancontent]

I

Thanks...I read it. I'm not saying the stars he mentioned or COVID players will go to expansion teams per se. All teams will lose a player (or two) in expansion drafts. The incoming players will be seeded around the league. I'm taking a look at the entirety. There will be 24 jobs that didn't exist for all hoopsters to take a shot at.....which is a good thing.

No, but I thought piggybacking on your post would help expand the conversation. There's been a fair bit of chatter on social media speculating already.

 

[cancontent]

MLSE backs away from WNBA expansion bidding, leaving hopes of a Toronto franchise in doubt, sources say

The Star has learned that MLSE’s board has decided against bidding to add to its collection of franchises with the first WNBA team outside of the U.S.

www.thestar.com

Welp, the infighting within the Rogers family is shooting the momentum gained this summer in the foot. Sigh. One of the most powerful families in media will be the reason sports in Toronto will suck for decades I fear

 

[Dillon77]

No, but I thought piggybacking on your post would help expand the conversation. There's been a fair bit of chatter on social media speculating already.

Got it....variations on a theme can be an interesting way. Richard Cohen of Her Hoops Stats did a breakdown on -- if Golden State -- entered in 2024, how teams would protect certain players. Long, thorough read, but now that's in 2025...hmmm.

I was kind of excited about Toronto getting a franchise but looks like Toronto ownership/mgmt. was reluctant to have their top arena not be available for big events. That was partially Dolan's reasoning for kicking the Liberty out of MSG, if I recall correctly (there were zounds of other ones).

 

[cancontent]

Got it....variations on a theme can be an interesting way. Richard Cohen of Her Hoops Stats did a breakdown on -- if Golden State -- entered in 2024, how teams would protect certain players. Long, thorough read, but now that's in 2025...hmmm.

I was kind of excited about Toronto getting a franchise but looks like Toronto ownership/mgmt. was reluctant to have their top arena not be available for big events. That was partially Dolan's reasoning for kicking the Liberty out of MSG, if I recall correctly (there were zounds of other ones).

Correction, it's one person, Edward Rogers. This has been brewing for a while once Ted Rogers,who built the empire, passed away. Put it this way, Succession is a happy fairytale in comparison.

Regardless, two more WNBA teams on the horizon is great for the sport. Still will be a fan supporting any way I can.

 

[nickp91]

MLSE backs away from WNBA expansion bidding, leaving hopes of a Toronto franchise in doubt, sources say

The Star has learned that MLSE’s board has decided against bidding to add to its collection of franchises with the first WNBA team outside of the U.S.

www.thestar.com

Welp, the infighting within the Rogers family is shooting the momentum gained this summer in the foot. Sigh. One of the most powerful families in media will be the reason sports in Toronto will suck for decades I fear

Rogers owns the Blue Jays I think they’re content having a captive summer market for that investment vehicle

 

[cancontent]

Rogers owns the Blue Jays I think they’re content having a captive summer market for that investment vehicle

Blue Jays, Maple Leafs, Raptors, Toronto Argonauts & Toronto FC. Captive year is a better description.

 

[Dillon77]

Richard Cohen of Her Hoops Stats Breaks Down the WNBA Finals

He cites Laney, Young as X-Factors, with a particular focus on the Young-Ionescu matchup.

His take: Aces in 5.

WNBA Finals Preview

The Aces and Liberty battle for the WNBA title.

herhoopstats.substack.com

 

[Bigboote]

I’m not sure I’ve seen a playoff game this year in which either team did a decent job guarding the 3-point line in the first quarter.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I’m not sure I’ve seen a playoff game this year in which either team did a decent job guarding the 3-point line in the first quarter.

How do you guard Johannes, when she takes those shots at the craziest angles?

 

[nwhoopfan]

Wow, was not expecting this. Who called a blowout win for the Aces in Game 1?

The Young/Gray/Plum trio MASSIVELY outplayed Ionescu/Laney/Sloot. Courtney did move to #2 on the all time playoff assists list. She got abused on defense though, whoever she was guarding was scoring on her.

 

[JellyBean]

Wow, was not expecting this. Who called a blowout win for the Aces in Game 1?

The Young/Gray/Plum trio MASSIVELY outplayed Ionescu/Laney/Sloot. Courtney did move to #2 on the all time playoff assists list. She got abused on defense though, whoever she was guarding was scoring on her.

Definitely was not expecting a blowout. I was expecting a close back and forth type of game, like it was in the first half. We will see what adjustments New York makes for game 2.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Wow, was not expecting this. Who called a blowout win for the Aces in Game 1?

The Young/Gray/Plum trio MASSIVELY outplayed Ionescu/Laney/Sloot. Courtney did move to #2 on the all time playoff assists list. She got abused on defense though, whoever she was guarding was scoring on her.

In one of the huddles, Becky was seen telling her player that she was stronger than the person guarding her. I think it may have been Young v. Sloot. Just as Dallas struggled guarding the Vegas backcourt, New York struggled today.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

Wow, was not expecting this. Who called a blowout win for the Aces in Game 1?

The Young/Gray/Plum trio MASSIVELY outplayed Ionescu/Laney/Sloot. Courtney did move to #2 on the all time playoff assists list. She got abused on defense though, whoever she was guarding was scoring on her.

Hasn’t every game these two teams played been a blow out?

 

[hoopsnloops32]

Liberty had to win this game if they anted a chance to win. Aces in three, three blow outs in each game. Every game between these teams has been a blow out so no reason to think they’ll be close games.

 

[bballnut90]

Probably the worst playoff game I’ve seen from Vandersloot. She’ll rebound and play better on Wed. Not the best effort from Stewart either and Ionescu no-showed. Vegas guards just dominated and were all playing their best. Plum got by her opposition at ease and had probably 5-6 layups, Young was unstoppable and Gray was the best player on the floor tonight. Wilson was excellent too on both ends. Just a great second half from the Aces.

I predict Liberty take game 2. This was Vegas at their peak (55% FG) and NY at arguably their worst. It’ll be hard for Vegas’s 4 stars to replicate this type of effort and I expect NY to come out guns blazing.

Also worth noting, this was Stewart’s first finals/championship game loss. She was 4-0 in college and 6-0 in finals games leading up to today.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

Probably the worst playoff game I’ve seen from Vandersloot. She’ll rebound and play better on Wed. Not the best effort from Stewart either and Ionescu no-showed. Vegas guards just dominated and were all playing their best. Plum got by her opposition at ease and had probably 5-6 layups, Young was unstoppable and Gray was the best player on the floor tonight. Wilson was excellent too on both ends. Just a great second half from the Aces.

I predict Liberty take game 2. This was Vegas at their peak (55% FG) and NY at arguably their worst. It’ll be hard for Vegas’s 4 stars to replicate this type of effort and I expect NY to come out guns blazing.

Also worth noting, this was Stewart’s first finals/championship game loss. She was 4-0 in college and 6-0 in finals games leading up to today.

I thought Stewie played one of her better games of these playoffs, just got no help in the second half.

The Liberty haven’t played particularly well since the end of August. Ever since Sabrina went out for those two games they haven’t looked right. Don’t expect them to turn it around in 3 days what they haven’t been able to fix in a month and a half

 

[GoChips20]

Certainly possible (perhaps even likely) the Liberty bounce back in game 2, but tonight showed that the Aces have the superior backcourt defensively. Just bigger, stronger, and quicker. Laney can cover Gray as well as anyone in the league but guarding Gray effectively means keeping her under 12-15 points rather than shutting her down most nights. Putting Laney on Gray also leaves Plum and Young in advantageous mismatches. It’s unlikely both capitalize as efficiently as they did tonight, but if the Aces are getting ~40 combined from them (52 tonight), they’re very difficult to beat. Add to that that Wilson seems to have figured out how to get hers against NY’s MVP duo and the advantages the Liberty had in the regular season seem to have shrunk. I’ll still pick NY to win this series but I think tonight bolstered the probability that this one goes the distance rather than wrapping up in 3 or 4 games.

 

[GoChips20]

Hadn’t really noticed it before this season but also wanted to add that Gray is really underrated as a defender. 2 steals+blocks a game and reads the floor just as well on that end as she does when passing or scoring. Vandersloot and Cloud are outstanding but at this point it’s pretty clear to me that Gray is the best point guard in the league.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

Certainly possible (perhaps even likely) the Liberty bounce back in game 2, but tonight showed that the Aces have the superior backcourt defensively. Just bigger, stronger, and quicker. Laney can cover Gray as well as anyone in the league but guarding Gray effectively means keeping her under 12-15 points rather than shutting her down most nights. Putting Laney on Gray also leaves Plum and Young in advantageous mismatches. It’s unlikely both capitalize as efficiently as they did tonight, but if the Aces are getting ~40 combined from them (52 tonight), they’re very difficult to beat. Add to that that Wilson seems to have figured out how to get hers against NY’s MVP duo and the advantages the Liberty had in the regular season seem to have shrunk. I’ll still pick NY to win this series but I think tonight bolstered the probability that this one goes the distance rather than wrapping up in 3 or 4 games.

Aces in 3. Sabrina has been out of sorts since August and Sloot hasn’t played well in weeks. This is how the Liberty have played the last month, I don’t see it changing.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Aces in 3. Sabrina has been out of sorts since August and Sloot hasn’t played well in weeks. This is how the Liberty have played the last month, I don’t see it changing.

Liberty looked really good at times in the series against the Sun. Connecticut also won Game 1 of that series fairly convincingly. This is a long way from over.

 

[Blueballer]

Aces in 3. Sabrina has been out of sorts since August and Sloot hasn’t played well in weeks. This is how the Liberty have played the last month, I don’t see it changing.

You're putting too much emphasis on this one game. In the last month of the WNBA regular season the Liberty lost 2 games and the Aces lost 3. The Liberty lost the first game to the Sun and then swept them. But I do agree that Sabrina HAS to score more than 7 points for them to have a chance. Young is streaky and will not hit 26 points all the time.

 

[bballnut90]

I think the series goes 5. Wouldn’t surprise me if it’s 4 relatively blowout wins (each team wins 1 at home and on the road) and the 5th game is an intense battle. I don’t see any way NY gets swept. Vegas has been pretty hot and cold the 2nd half of the season and I think the pattern continues.

 

[cancontent]

I think the series goes 5. Wouldn’t surprise me if it’s 4 relatively blowout wins (each team wins 1 at home and on the road) and the 5th game is an intense battle. I don’t see any way NY gets swept. Vegas has been pretty hot and cold the 2nd half of the season and I think the pattern continues.

Have to watch the game as it's Thanksgiving weekend here but the box score caught my eye. Other than Johannes and Clark, neither team went to their bench much. Thought NY Dolson would be used for additional post depth. Seeing her get 2 minutes was surprising.

 

[visitingcock]

I think the series goes 5. Wouldn’t surprise me if it’s 4 relatively blowout wins (each team wins 1 at home and on the road) and the 5th game is an intense battle. I don’t see any way NY gets swept. Vegas has been pretty hot and cold the 2nd half of the season and I think the pattern continues.

Regular season:
Las Vegas (34-6) and New York (32-8) met four times in the regular season, with both teams winning their two home contests. They also met in the Commissioner’s Cup, where the Liberty cruised past the Aces.