WNBA 2023 Season, Part 2

[Dillon77]

Yup. This is a huge hit to Vegas. Can George and Coates step up in Stokes' absence? Oooh boy, tomorrow night is going to be interesting.

Well, you know Alysha Clark will slot into the guard position. If any of Clark, Young or Plum gets into foul trouble and/or exhaustion, Kierstan Bell or Sydney Colson will come in for a few minutes. Period.

If Alaina Coates can rebound and play some defense, good enough. I've watched Cayla George in the Aussie league and with the Australian National Team Opals to know she'd be getting some time if Sandy Brondello was running the team: George can score and pass in addition to being a defensive cog. Now, will Hammon want her to get into some sort of rhythm offensively or just be another 6 fouls?

Will be mighty interesting. Stay tuned.

 

[nwhoopfan]

And now the Aces lack of quality depth is really gonna bite them. Bell, George and/or Coates actually playing meaningful minutes is going to be a disaster.

 

[bbsamjj]

This will be challenging for NY too from a mental perspective; they need to come out of the gate just as locked in as they were on Sunday, no matter who is in the Ace's starting lineup. Wilson/Young/Plum are enough to sink most teams on their own.

 

[wingsfan055]

Gray is on a scooter. I think she's done for the rest of the series. LV doing some gamesmanship not declaring it now, but it seems obvious. Wow. Collier news is a big surprise.

 

[nwhoopfan]

This will be challenging for NY too from a mental perspective; they need to come out of the gate just as locked in as they were on Sunday, no matter who is in the Ace's starting lineup. Wilson/Young/Plum are enough to sink most teams on their own.

Oh the poor Liberty. I hope they can overcome this difficult hurdle. Give me a break. Aces are going to have to give significant minutes to one or more of Bell, George, Coates or Colson. None have looked much like WNBA players this season.

 

[cancontent]

Oh the poor Liberty. I hope they can overcome this difficult hurdle. Give me a break. Aces are going to have to give significant minutes to one or more of Bell, George, Coates or Colson. None have looked much like WNBA players this season.

Hey, after seeing some of these upsets in the NFL this past week, it's fair to wonder if the Liberty lose focus. I doubt they will, but it's a fair question to ask.

 

[oldhusky]

Oh the poor Liberty. I hope they can overcome this difficult hurdle. Give me a break. Aces are going to have to give significant minutes to one or more of Bell, George, Coates or Colson. None have looked much like WNBA players this season.

Those players are closer to waiver wire than a spot in a decent rotation. Short of the 3 remaining stars playing out of their mind, little used subs having the game of their life, and a complete breakdown by the Liberty, this game and series are pretty much over IMO.

If Stokes can play in game 5 at home at home, maybe an big longshot, but the great finale everyone expected at the beginning of the season just isn't going to happen. Remember the Aces had significant issues before Gray and Stokes. The team was built spending money on an anticipated great 8 player rotation.

A star at every starting position (with Candace Parker instead of Stokes) and three high quality subs, one big in Stokes, a mid-sized player in Clark, and a sparkplug guard in Williams. But of course the rest of the roster (only 11) had to be filled with near minimum players.

Without Williams they were arguably as good as any WNBA team has been early in the season with mostly a great 7 player rotation. With Parker out they had a big drop-off, starting Stokes instead and with only one reliable sub in Clark. It was amazing they stayed around the top having to play Clark frequently at the 4. That team could be competitive with the Liberty although far below their early season level, but there was no margin for error at that point.

Any injury to the remaining 6 would be devastating. There is no viable game-plan to compensate for Gray or Stokes, much less both of them. The Liberty will be champs, or it will be an upset of monumental proportions at this stage. The dream match-up just didn't happen, it might have been great.

 

[GamecockFam]

I wonder if Coates and Wilson can reignite their college chemistry. They were a pretty good duo at South Carolina.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Hey, after seeing some of these upsets in the NFL this past week, it's fair to wonder if the Liberty lose focus. I doubt they will, but it's a fair question to ask.

Yeah, the Liberty have to avoid being overconfident and have to stay locked in mentally. However it pales compared to the mental/emotional task the Aces are facing.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

The Liberty have to get locked in before the STAY locked in. They looked good for a grand total of two minutes last game so we'll see how they turn out.

 

[baggerbob]

Interesting to see. Becky was making $1m last year I believe so he’s likely topping that. Hopefully other coaches like Reeve use it as leverage to negotiate contracts.

Point taken on the "net win," but my skepticism lies not so much with the "white man" concept, but the NBA assistant coach that has never coached in the WNBA immediately getting the largest salary; and, Owner Matt Ishiba assuming this guy will be a smashing success with no growth curve needed. (Oh yeah,then the fact that he's a white guy just might draw even more attention to how things play out... )

Apparently, Nate Ebbetts is a first-rate NBA assistant coach. Kudos. Does that make him right for a head-coaching job in a WNBA franchise that is betwixt and between, to say the least? We'll see...and, as stated in a previous post, I can't wait to hear the press conference on this one.

Point taken on the "net win," but my skepticism lies not so much with the "white man" concept, but the NBA assistant coach that has never coached in the WNBA immediately getting the largest salary; and, Owner Matt Ishiba assuming this guy will be a smashing success with no growth curve needed. (Oh yeah,then the fact that he's a white guy just might draw even more attention to how things play out... )

Apparently, Nate Ebbetts is a first-rate NBA assistant coach. Kudos. Does that make him right for a head-coaching job in a WNBA franchise that is betwixt and between, to say the least? We'll see...and, as stated in a previous post, I can't wait to hear the press conference on this one.

Not a good look for a bad franchise, have 2 max contracts in Dee, and Griner, and not a lot of talent on the team.
So a guy with no previous head coaching experience is going to relate to 2 superstars, and the rest of the team.
Good luck with that.

 

[nwhoopfan]

The Liberty have to get locked in before the STAY locked in. They looked good for a grand total of two minutes last game so we'll see how they turn out.

You are way over the top with your hyperbole. Try to give the Liberty a little bit of credit. I'm sure every fan of the Sun in the entire world can clearly see NY has been playing better in the playoffs than you seem to think they have. And the Liberty started the game on fire in Game 3, you must not have been watching. They played well for a whole lot more than 2 minutes last game. Are you trolling or are you actually being serious? At least you've been consistent trying to pretend that NY has been playing horribly the whole way thru the playoffs, that's about to end in a Championship for them because their opponent in the Finals is playing with half of a team.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

You are way over the top with your hyperbole. Try to give the Liberty a little bit of credit. I'm sure every fan of the Sun in the entire world can clearly see NY has been playing better in the playoffs than you seem to think they have. And the Liberty started the game on fire in Game 3, you must not have been watching. They played well for a whole lot more than 2 minutes last game. Are you trolling or are you actually being serious? At least you've been consistent trying to pretend that NY has been playing horribly the whole way thru the playoffs, that's about to end in a Championship for them because their opponent in the Finals is playing with half of a team.

I mean I’m a Liberty fan, I just think they look terrible. I haven’t enjoyed watching them play since end of August. Their heads and hearts haven’t been in it.

 

[GoChips20]

I wonder if Coates and Wilson can reignite their college chemistry. They were a pretty good duo at South Carolina.

I think Becky’s going to have to hope that’s the case. I don’t think George can hold up defensively. If Coates can even slow down Jones, that’s a positive for the Aces. I was a little surprised Coates didn’t get more minutes as the season went on, though.

 

[triaddukefan]

I see people on here and elsewhere saying that Gray tore her Achilles... Could it possibly be a lisfranc injury? That's probably just as bad, perhaps worse.

I wonder if Coates and Wilson can reignite their college chemistry. They were a pretty good duo at South Carolina.

They ain't playing Florida or Clemson

 

[cancontent]

The Liberty have to get locked in before the STAY locked in. They looked good for a grand total of two minutes last game so we'll see how they turn out.

Two minutes??? Were you watching the same game as the rest of us?

 

[bbsamjj]

You are way over the top with your hyperbole. Try to give the Liberty a little bit of credit. I'm sure every fan of the Sun in the entire world can clearly see NY has been playing better in the playoffs than you seem to think they have. And the Liberty started the game on fire in Game 3, you must not have been watching. They played well for a whole lot more than 2 minutes last game. Are you trolling or are you actually being serious? At least you've been consistent trying to pretend that NY has been playing horribly the whole way thru the playoffs, that's about to end in a Championship for them because their opponent in the Finals is playing with half of a team.

The Liberty had by far the toughest first round matchup in an 85% healthy Mystics [the Cloud/Atkins/Sykes lineup is awful for the Liberty in the backcourt]; and the Sun are NEVER an easy out. Obviously NY was horrible in Games 1 and 2 of the finals (Though the Aces were also playing at a nearly unbeatable level), but I'd argue NY had its best defensive game of the entire postseason in game 3. True the Liberty haven't looked like world beaters, but it's the playoffs--it's not supposed to be easy.

 

[wingsfan055]

LV still favored to win the series, if I'm looking at the betting odds correctly. Liberty favored to win game 4. LV just needs 1 game while Liberty needs 2. LV still has enough fire power to win. No excuses.

 

[cancontent]

This made me chuckle.

 

[JellyBean]

This made me chuckle.

Straight from the book of Coach Pop. Sounds like something he would say.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Weird first half. Vegas can't stop turning the ball over. George has taken 8...yes 8 shots. Missed almost all of them. Plum picked a bad night to be off on her shooting. But Stewie is back to can't hit water falling out of a boat mode. Sloot and Laney are carrying the load for the Lib. Wilson is showing up, nobody else playing particularly well for LV.

Both teams shooting poorly but NY 6-14 from 3 compared to 2-12, and they have more FTA and FTM. They should be up by more than 9.

They just replayed JJ with one of the most obvious fouls you will EVER see, absolutely clobbered Plum on the follow thru of what started out as a clean block. Hit her arm, the back of her head, and pretty much her whole body. No call. God I hate refs.

edit--if NY loses this game Brondello should be fired immediately, there's just no way that should even be a possibility with as much of an advantage as they have tonight

 

[Hayven]

I hate the Aces but at this point they deserve to win this. Stewie is settling for outside shots and missing everything. This game shouldn’t be close, yet here we are

 

[Dillon77]

And midway through the third, the Aces are now down by 6, Cayla George is up to 10 three pointers taken, but has now hit two in the third.
Imagine what would happen if Plum could get going. Make that 4, now.

BTW, this isn't all on Brondello: Stewie is 2-10.

 

[Dillon77]

Weird first half. Vegas can't stop turning the ball over. George has taken 8...yes 8 shots. Missed almost all of them. Plum picked a bad night to be off on her shooting. But Stewie is back to can't hit water falling out of a boat mode. Sloot and Laney are carrying the load for the Lib. Wilson is showing up, nobody else playing particularly well for LV.

Both teams shooting poorly but NY 6-14 from 3 compared to 2-12, and they have more FTA and FTM. They should be up by more than 9.

They just replayed JJ with one of the most obvious fouls you will EVER see, absolutely clobbered Plum on the follow thru of what started out as a clean block. Hit her arm, the back of her head, and pretty much her whole body. No call. God I hate refs.

edit--if NY loses this game Brondello should be fired immediately, there's just no way that should even be a possibility with as much of an advantage as they have tonight

NYC is now shooting like they've watched Cayla George from the first half: off. Really off.

 

[Dillon77]

Colson with a behind the back bounce pass to Clark, who gets fouled and hits both to put Aces up by 2. End of third.

What's amazing is that Plum and Young are still under 10 points and Vegas has just come back to take this lead.

What a wacky world.....