WNBA -- 2023 Season

[JellyBean]

Lib getting some revenge on the Dream for that loss a couple weeks ago. Finishing off a blowout. JJ having her best game so far in NY, Laney with one of her better outputs of the season. Sloot stat sheet stuffing w/ 16 pts/11 assists/7 steals. Johannes lighting it up from 3 off the bench. All of that means they easily shook off so so games from Stewie and Ionescu.

The Liberty has such a nice balanced attack. When Stewie and Sabrina can have subpar games and the Liberty still blowout a team, it speaks volumes about the depth of the Liberty.

 

[baggerbob]

The Liberty has such a nice balanced attack. When Stewie and Sabrina can have subpar games and the Liberty still blowout a team, it speaks volumes about the depth of the Liberty.

On defense they get their hands on balls and everyone goes the other way.
Defensive rebounds they push the ball up the floor.

 

[UConnCat]

ugh. What everyone feared

 

[UConnCat]

 

[Waquoit]

Courtney’s what?

Redord. It's what you need to do if your dord wears out.

 

[Dillon77]

ugh. What everyone feared

Dang. For Brionna, her family and friends, as well as the Sun. Hope the rehab is as smooth as possible. Be well!

 

[azfan]

Can Minnesota beat anyone other than LA this year?

The Mercury

 

[azfan]

Sky have DEFINITELY lost their mojo. When Copper and Mabrey both can't hit a shot to save their life, it's not gonna be their night (combined 4-24 I think).

Chicago looked like the Mercury with a lousy defeatist attitude. Dana Evans is a piece of work. Came in the second half touched the ball and jacked up a shot twice before Wade yanked her. It was clear that Smith was the only Sky who wanted to be on the floor.

 

[azfan]

Just an unfair matchup today. Mercury with DT/BG out have just 3 former 1st round picks on the roster (Jefferson #2 in 2016, Onyenwere #6 in 2021, Turner #11 in 2019). I'm not sure they'll win any games without their 2 stars.

Aces comparatively start 4 former #1 draft picks, including 3 who are in the prime of their career right now. The lone starter who wasn't a #1 pick is Chelsea Gray and she has arguably been the best player from her draft class.

Even with DT (who can't compete defensively anymore) and BG - the only fair matchup the Mercury will have is not in the W but against my granddaughter's Middle School team.

 

[JellyBean]

ugh. What everyone feared

Gald that surgery went well but sad that Jones is out for the year. Just a pretty solid player and person.

 

[ochoopsfan]

Jones also plays on one of the top teams in Europe, Praha(Pravda). Big loss for them, considering Praha were able to sign one of the best pg in Europe, Cazorla of Avenida.

 

[Iluvacc2]

Gald that surgery went well but sad that Jones is out for the year. Just a pretty solid player and person.

Wishing her a speedy recovery. Hopefully she will be back in time to make a run at Team U.S.A. next year.

 

[Iluvacc2]

Maybe we’ll see her again in a Merc uniform this summer? The fact that she’s practicing with Bridget Pettis should be a good sign. No?

 

[Iluvacc2]

The beauty of having such a deep bench is that other players can carry a team from time to time. I also thought Thornton was solid.
Hope Steff D. is ok after turning her ankle in the 4th quarter.

Speaking of Thornton, she used to ready the ship for Dallas last year when things got a bit shaky. Didn't see the end of this one because I thought the Sparks would just try again on Sunday against the Wings. Now the shoe is on the other foot. Or, the "Mark-Tubans," to quote the State Farm commercial

The Liberty took em to the woodshed last night this was the first time it looked like Jonquel was in sync with Stewie.

I heard some of the Dream fans were not too pleased with Sabrina

 

[ochoopsfan]

The Liberty took em to the woodshed last night this was the first time it looked like Jonquel was in sync with Stewie.

I heard some of the Dream fans were not too pleased with Sabrina

 

[Bigboote]

ugh. What everyone feared

Geez, I hate to hear that. I've loved her since her days at UMD. She's just so damn steady. She never draws attention to herself, then toward the end of the game, you suddenly realize she's got a double-double and has only missed two shots.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Lib getting some revenge on the Dream for that loss a couple weeks ago. Finishing off a blowout. JJ having her best game so far in NY, Laney with one of her better outputs of the season. Sloot stat sheet stuffing w/ 16 pts/11 assists/7 steals. Johannes lighting it up from 3 off the bench. All of that means they easily shook off so so games from Stewie and Ionescu.

When Stewie scores 13 and is the team's 5th leading scorer, the Liberty likely win.

 

[MilfordHusky]

ugh. What everyone feared

Ugh! On the brighter side, Stewie and Kelsey Plum had the same injury/surgery and came back better than ever. Best wished to Brionna!

 

[nwhoopfan]

Looks like Plum is having another hot shooting night, this time against Indiana. I don't think they are as hapless defensively as some of her other recent victims, correct? Wilson and Boston having good battle it appears.

When Seattle is blowing you out, you know you have problems (Phoenix). edit--and Griner & Taurasi are both back, so they can't use that excuse

 

[nwhoopfan]

So for Indiana, you get a combined 44 pts and 20 rebounds from Smith and Boston, Hull scores 15, 13 off the bench for Wallace...and you still lose by 13. I guess that's what happens when you play Vegas. Mitchell came out significantly on the short end of the battle of the Kelseys.

 

[MilfordHusky]

So for Indiana, you get a combined 44 pts and 20 rebounds from Smith and Boston, Hull scores 15, 13 off the bench for Wallace...and you still lose by 13. I guess that's what happens when you play Vegas. Mitchell came out significantly on the short end of the battle of the Kelseys.

Vegas gets 90+ almost every game. They are tough.

 

[SECbbfan24]

So for Indiana, you get a combined 44 pts and 20 rebounds from Smith and Boston, Hull scores 15, 13 off the bench for Wallace...and you still lose by 13. I guess that's what happens when you play Vegas. Mitchell came out significantly on the short end of the battle of the Kelseys.

Defensively they just couldn't stop them which I guess can be said about everyone else as well but Indiana has a lot of youth who that is starting to grow a lot.

My only critique is guard play gets kinda spotty at times but team collectively is way better than last season.

 

[MilfordHusky]

ESPN.com says the MVP race is basically tied between A'ja and Stewie. I may be biased, but I don't see it.

Stewie leads in the following:

PPG 22.9 to 18.6

RPG 10.8 to 9.3

APG 4.2 to 2.0

3-point shooting 39.7% to 0.0%

FT shooting 83.3% to 75.0%

A'ja leads in these:

BPG 2.2 to 1.9

FG shooting 53.5% to 49.4%

Stewie leads by a wide margin in 5 categories; A'ja leads by a narrow margin in 2.

Wilson is really, really good, but I like Stewie's play this year better.

 

[Blueballer]

ESPN.com says the MVP race is basically tied between A'ja and Stewie. I may be biased, but I don't see it.

Stewie leads in the following:

PPG 22.9 to 18.6

RPG 10.8 to 9.3

APG 4.2 to 2.0

3-point shooting 39.7% to 0.0%

FT shooting 83.3% to 75.0%

A'ja leads in these:

BPG 2.2 to 1.9

FG shooting 53.5% to 49.4%

Stewie leads by a wide margin in 5 categories; A'ja leads by a narrow margin in 2.

Wilson is really, really good, but I like Stewie's play this year better.

And I'll add that IMO Aja gets incredible deference from the refs. She shoots a ton of free throws every game and gets a LOT of her points that way. In many of the games I watch I just don't see her getting fouled as much as the refs think she is. And I would add to that Stewie gets fouled a lot and it's not called. In fact from what I see Aja seems to get to line more than any player I have ever seen in the WNBA.

 

[awhom111]

Which Croatian guard was Jewell Loyd describing here?

Scouting trip to Europe may have netted Storm point guard of future in Ivana Dojkic

Ivana Dojkic, the third Croatian to play in the WNBA, turned an invite to Storm training camp into the starting point-guard job just seven games into her rookie season.

www.seattletimes.com

The best thing she does is push the ball ahead. She understands flow and knows who to get the ball to. The thing she needs to work on is probably fouling. When you play overseas you can get away with a little bit more than what they call here. She’s adjusting to that and how they call the game. She shoots the ball. She moves the ball. She’s not scared at all, and that’s a battle with any new player coming in. But her confidence is high and she’s not afraid of anything