WNBA 2023 Season, Part 2 | Page 27 | The Boneyard

WNBA 2023 Season, Part 2

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What a war this is. Whoever survives this is going to be exhausted. While Vegas will probably skate past Dallas in 3 games.
 
The MVP candidates are pretty much cancelling each other out. Horrible shooting for both (combined 5-26!), but lots of stat sheet stuffing in other categories.
 
Alyssa Thomas is one of the best defenders in the world and is giving Stewie fits. But even so, you got to think the law of averages would mean Stewie is going to start to hit some shots. Through 4 playoff games she's shooting 27.8%FG, and 9.5% 3-pt FG (versus 46.5%FG and 35.5% 3pt FG in regular season).
 
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Do u all think that super teams will hurt the WNBA? Wondering if the same teams will be in the finals year in and year out? Only way the league grows is seeing other teams win it.. I feel like top free agents will go to the team that continues to win titles. Not sure how Vegas and Liberty were able to afford all these super star players on one roster? I feel like the super teams will ruin the league. People don’t want to see the same teams winning it or the same teams in the finals year after year.. only way that doesn’t happen is it the league expands, gets more cities and more teams with more players. I have a feeling we will see NY and Vegas dominating the league for years to come which will turn fans away!! It’s not like the WNBA is racking up the viewership and the $$ the NBA gets. Grow the game or the league will suffer. Just my opinion.
 
SportsFan92 said:
Do u all think that super teams will hurt the WNBA? Wondering if the same teams will be in the finals year in and year out? Only way the league grows is seeing other teams win it.. I feel like top free agents will go to the team that continues to win titles. Not sure how Vegas and Liberty were able to afford all these super star players on one roster? I feel like the super teams will ruin the league. People don’t want to see the same teams winning it or the same teams in the finals year after year.. only way that doesn’t happen is it the league expands, gets more cities and more teams with more players. I have a feeling we will see NY and Vegas dominating the league for years to come which will turn fans away!! It’s not like the WNBA is racking up the viewership and the $$ the NBA gets. Grow the game or the league will suffer. Just my opinion.
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The WNBA had a super team when it started. The Houston Comets. They domionated for the first few years with the 2 bast players (Or 2 of the best). The media seemed to love that. Not sure the fans did though. I don't think the WNBA will ever make big money regardless of what the competition is like.
 
Vegas just refuses to put this game away. Every time they get a comfortable lead they give up a 9-0 run in like a minute or something.
 
Wilson w/ her third straight 30 point game in the playoffs. Set an all time playoff record for most points scored in a 3 game stretch.
 
No quit in Dallas. They've got talent, the main thing they are missing is much in the way of playoff experience (other than Howard and maybe Sims; Natasha had a nice game by the way).


Gray got in that mode for a while where she is just completely unstoppable.
 
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Nothing wrong with
MilfordHusky said:
A player could say she was disappointed and congratulate the winner on a great season.

She's hurt over an individual award. It's not as if her team lost.
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Nothing wrong with having personal goals. I'm sure Stewie would feel the same way. And A'ja has been but team first oriented. Her fellow players and coaches rave on how shes such an easy teammate due to her selflessness.
If anyone takes issue with that statement, perhaps they have a bias pertaining something else like her team or college affiliation or something non basketball related.
 
TerpWomenFan said:
Looks like the Bay area will be the 13th team in 2025. Now they need a 14th team.

www.espn.com

Warriors near deal to bring WNBA expansion team to Bay Area, sources say

The Warriors are close to bringing a WNBA expansion franchise to the Bay Area, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
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Interesting. With that reasoning, I'm surprised they don't have a team in the South/North Carolina or Tennessee areas. I wonder if they could pull off this same concept in Memphis or Charlotte.
 
They used to have a team in Charlotte (with Dawn Staley as the starring PG!) If they go back to NC, Raleigh might make more sense to me since that is where all the top WCBB programs (UNC, Duke, NC St) are near.
 
And, now, for @JellyBean , a post-season review/off-season preview by Richard Cohen of Her Hoops Stats for the Minnesota Lynx. Here's a cut and paste of a few factoids and I've included a link to the entire newsletter. BTW, there are also links to all the teams no longer in the playoffs.

​
​
2023 record: 19-21, eliminated 2-1 in first round by Connecticut
2024 draft picks: The Lynx have all of their own 2024 picks, including a first-rounder that will be No. 7 overall.
Free agents: Aerial Powers (UFA), Natalie Achonwa (UFA), Bridget Carleton (UFA), Rachel Banham (UFA), Lindsay Allen (UFA), Nikolina Milić (Reserved)
Under contract: Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, Tiffany Mitchell, Jessica Shepard, Diamond Miller, Dorka Juhász

Dillon druthers: Does Coach Reeve (finally) pull the trigger for longer-term solution at point guard?
Cohen notes that Reeve has been reticent to go in that direction, for whatever reason. Will she bring back Lindsay Allen?

Will she try to make a splash elsewhere or use the available cash (largely gained from the expiring contracts of Powers and Achonwa) to bring back her trusty cohorts, like Rachel Banham and Bridget Carleton? Or add someone else to the mix?

herhoopstats.substack.com

2023-24 WNBA Offseason Guides: Minnesota Lynx

Our 2023-24 WNBA offseason guides continue with the one team that pushed a higher seed to a deciding game in the first round of the playoffs, the Minnesota Lynx
herhoopstats.substack.com herhoopstats.substack.com
 
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nwhoopfan said:
No quit in Dallas. They've got talent, the main thing they are missing is much in the way of playoff experience (other than Howard and maybe Sims; Natasha had a nice game by the way).


Gray got in that mode for a while where she is just completely unstoppable.
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Agree on all counts. Coach Trammell who seems to have found the right touch and earned the players' respect: The Wings go hard.

But my take on this game is that every time the Wings pushed back, Wilson and/or Gray would counterpunch. It's hard when you've got to keep climbing that hill....
 
SportsFan92 said:
Do u all think that super teams will hurt the WNBA? Wondering if the same teams will be in the finals year in and year out? Only way the league grows is seeing other teams win it.. I feel like top free agents will go to the team that continues to win titles. Not sure how Vegas and Liberty were able to afford all these super star players on one roster? I feel like the super teams will ruin the league. People don’t want to see the same teams winning it or the same teams in the finals year after year.. only way that doesn’t happen is it the league expands, gets more cities and more teams with more players. I have a feeling we will see NY and Vegas dominating the league for years to come which will turn fans away!! It’s not like the WNBA is racking up the viewership and the $$ the NBA gets. Grow the game or the league will suffer. Just my opinion.
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Did it hurt the league when Minnesota was winning the Championship every other year? The Lynx were pretty close to a super team.

Is it hurting the league when Connecticut is in the semis or finals pretty much every year? Probably wouldn't describe them as a super team, but they always seem to be a contender.

To answer the question, we'll have to wait and see. I have serious doubts these teams are going to be able to keep their nucleus together for an extended period of time, so I can't really see it being only New York and Las Vegas battling for titles for the next 5+ years.
 
From France said:
A Canadian team, Toronto, would be a great place to think
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A number of folks who contribute to this thread agree with you.
I read somewhere that the Commissioner also visited and talked to Denver investors. Nugget interest/involvement?
 
My bias for a team in Toronto or Canada is well known on this board. Toronto proved there is a demand for women's basketball and definitely has the infrastructure to handle it (arenas, practice facilities in etc.). The challenge will be the exchange rate and taxes, although the Raptors have shown they can attract talent even with those detractors.

Oakland and Denver are great options for WNBA teams too. Denver has shown to be great supporters of basketball in general. Oakland with Golden State there as well just seems like a no brainer.
 
nwhoopfan said:
Did it hurt the league when Minnesota was winning the Championship every other year? The Lynx were pretty close to a super team.

Is it hurting the league when Connecticut is in the semis or finals pretty much every year? Probably wouldn't describe them as a super team, but they always seem to be a contender.

To answer the question, we'll have to wait and see. I have serious doubts these teams are going to be able to keep their nucleus together for an extended period of time, so I can't really see it being only New York and Las Vegas battling for titles for the next 5+ years.
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I think that the Minnesota starting 5 for the second half of their run will all make the Hall of Fame. Counting Parker, the same could be true for Las Vegas. Having four #1 overall picks really helps. Until someone of their core 4 gets old or leaves, they are the team to beat.
 
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nwhoopfan said:
Did it hurt the league when Minnesota was winning the Championship every other year? The Lynx were pretty close to a super team.

Is it hurting the league when Connecticut is in the semis or finals pretty much every year? Probably wouldn't describe them as a super team, but they always seem to be a contender.

To answer the question, we'll have to wait and see. I have serious doubts these teams are going to be able to keep their nucleus together for an extended period of time, so I can't really see it being only New York and Las Vegas battling for titles for the next 5+ years.
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I think the fact there are two super teams in the league will add interest and more views. It'll help amp up a rivalry and get the media talking. Super teams are only a problem if there is a giant gap between the #1 team and the rest of the league. It's fun for a season but people get bored when there is no tension or storylines. I don't think that is the case with the current WNBA. There are good enough teams in the league to knock off NY and LV, though unlikely. The gap is close enough for the David/Goliath storylines to seem within reach.

I feel like we hear this kind of story all the time through different mediums. I remember the same question came up in regards to Ken Jennings run on Jeopardy and it had the opposite effect. If anything, it drove excitement. The same thing can be stated with the Golden State run and Alabama title runs in college football. The hype comes from the dreams of downing the giant.
 
bbsamjj said:
Alyssa Thomas is one of the best defenders in the world and is giving Stewie fits. But even so, you got to think the law of averages would mean Stewie is going to start to hit some shots. Through 4 playoff games she's shooting 27.8%FG, and 9.5% 3-pt FG (versus 46.5%FG and 35.5% 3pt FG in regular season).
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AT understands angles and spacing. She could & should teach a defensive clinic.
 
Blueballer said:
The WNBA had a super team when it started. The Houston Comets. They domionated for the first few years with the 2 bast players (Or 2 of the best). The media seemed to love that. Not sure the fans did though. I don't think the WNBA will ever make big money regardless of what the competition is like.
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Looking back on that Houston Comets era, they had a stacked roster and now we would consider them a "super team" but if you watched their games, especially their first year, nobody really thought of them as a "super team". Year 2, definitely. Year 3, definitely. Year 4, maybe. Swoopes wasn't really "Swoopes" in that first year. Year 2, definitely. Tina Thompson, in that first year, she was like Swoopes in that progression. Cooper. My word! She was that LADY!! I think playing overseas helped her develop that attack mindset. That "I am on going for it all & I don't have nothing to lose" mindset.
 
Waquoit said:
Thomas deserved it. She's not part of a super team and put up numbers that compete with the other two. It's amazing that Connecticut won all the games they did considering the losses they suffered in the off-season.
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I think Connecticut is the definition of when a team buys in and understands each other and plays for each other. Coach White, like Coach Kerr on the men's side of professional basketball, when he took over the Warriors, understood the team chemistry and understands how to read the room. Coach White could have come in with an attitude of "This is my team, and I am going to change things up" But, again I ain't in the locker room, I think Coach White just understood what she had and saw the pieces and figured why mess up a good thing. This team is ready to continue its progression.
 
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