WNBA -- 2023 Season

[azfan]

Their road schedule has been on the lighter side thus far. They split with Connecticut but still have a tough road schedule ahead:
-2 games at Minny
-2 games at NY
-1 game at Washington

At worse 4-1 in these games. Liberty unimpressive at home against a hapless Seattle team. I'm not sure that Minnesota poses a whole lot of threat on the road. I suspect that with E back the Mystics might give the Aces a game.

 

[azfan]

Recorded the game today, just watched it. Almost feels like a loss for NY. I was not impressed at all. Consider Loyd had a miserable game, then sat out most of the 4th quarter with an injury. Seattle has been living and dying by the 3, and couldn't hit them at all today. For all that, the Storm had 2 chances to tie or take the lead in the final minute. There's no way this game should've been remotely close. Seattle was scrappy and grabbed a bunch of O boards, I'll give them credit for that. But NY, just not a good game at all.

Whitcomb got off to a slow start this season, but she's really been coming on strong recently. She almost won the game for them just about by herself in the 4th quarter.

Yep! Stewie seem to have to always have a monster game for the Liberty to win. Not sure that's a formula for success in the playoffs. I think they're vulnerable particularly against a strong defensive team.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Yep! Stewie seem to have to always have a monster game for the Liberty to win. Not sure that's a formula for success in the playoffs. I think they're vulnerable particularly against a strong defensive team.

And Ionescu hit 6 3's, so it's not like Stewie was the only player doing anything.

Is JJ the biggest free agent disappointment so far? I thought she was starting to turn the corner for them, but then she took 2 steps backwards.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Well darn it! If the Wings can beat the Aces, I think Minnesota can do the same! Let's go, Lynx!! Sitting at .500 and moving up in the standings. Not sure what the plan is now. The way they were playing at the start of the year, made we wonder. Now, they are just playing and clicking the right buttons.

Aces have gotten 2...count em 2...points off the bench the last 2 games combined. That does not cut it, no matter how good your starters are. Clark had to start one of those games, and she did score some that game. How long can Williams milk this sore back thing? The season is half over. She needs to get on the court and help provide a bit more scoring punch from the reserves.

 

[azfan]

 

[Notyetready]

Well darn it! If the Wings can beat the Aces, I think Minnesota can do the same! Let's go, Lynx!! Sitting at .500 and moving up in the standings. Not sure what the plan is now. The way they were playing at the start of the year, made we wonder. Now, they are just playing and clicking the right buttons.

While the 0-6 start was difficult to bear as fans, three of the losses were by 6 or fewer points, meaning they were not getting crushed every game. Three personnel changes turned it around. Reeve inserted Lindsey Allen at point guard, which sliced the number or turnovers and increased the assists; inserted Dorka Juhasz at Center, which has bouyed rim protection; and Diamond Miller returned to the line-up.

Time has allowed the team to click on offense and they looked much better on their defensive switches in recent games. Dorka is, for a rookie guarding the best centers in the world, gathering steam-- doing things better than she has ever done before. The cieling for this team keeps getting higher. Key will be how players returning from injury are re-integrated into the offense and defense. If the Lynx can play better than 500 for the rest of the season, they could be in 5th place at the end, or, shudder to think it, even 4th.

 

[bballnut90]

Mercury need to finish at least 9 games behind Indiana to have best odds and a guaranteed top 3 pick (and Indiana has to miss the playoffs). Right now they’re only 1.5 games behind Indiana and Indiana is 3 games out of a playoff spot. If Indiana gets another top pick, I think it’s a solid destination for CC or PB due to Boston/Smith being there along with Mitchell who is consistently underrated. That’s a great core to build around and I think Indy is competing for titles in a couple of years.

Phoenix is an interesting destination and franchise for a top 3 pick. Right now they’re a dumpster fire but I see the appeal of playing with DT for a year or 2 if I’m Clark or Bueckers, and DT is likely done after 2024 which will free up a lot of money for a solid free agent signing (ideally a good post) to pair with their franchise guard. I also can’t see SDS coming back to Phoenix in 2024, so a guard spot would be open immediately. They need to hire a decent coach and get better support players but I don’t see it as a gloom and doom destination for either player since they’ll likely take the reigns from day 1 and have the franchise built around them. Getting a decent coach who can manage big personalities is priority number 1 though.

In regards to Brink, offensively I think she’d pair well with BG, as both have inside out capability. Defensively though she is used to filling the same interior defender role that BG takes, so Brink would be guarding more on the perimeter which would be a new challenge, though I think she has the athleticism to do it. Edwards would pair well with BG too but Brink is the far superior prospect if she declares.

 

[Carnac]

THIS is how you (Dallas Wings head coach Latricia Trammell) "STRUT YO STUFF" after knocking off the Las Vegas Aces80-78 at home Friday, handing them only their second loss of the season. You go girl. I like her. She's a player's coach, and loved by her players. A nice win at home for the Wings.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Defensively though she is used to filling the same interior defender role that BG takes, so Brink would be guarding more on the perimeter which would be a new challenge, though I think she has the athleticism to do it.

How would it be any different than BG and Turner, which worked just fine for several years?

 

[bballnut90]

How would it be any different than BG and Turner, which worked just fine for several years?

That's a good point. I think Brink would fit in fine defensively.

 

[Geew1992]

How Bonner hasn’t gotten t’d up yet is crazy

 

[Dillon77]

Interesting 4th quarter between Fever and Wings. Fever come back from 10 (or more) down to take the lead, then Arike goes off -- scoring and/or assisting on most of the rest of the Wings points. Big T misses two FT's at the end that would've given a three point lead, but Wheeler dribbles into coverge and crucial seconds are used before she finds Boston who tosses over to Lexie Hull for an off-target three at the buzzer.

Comments that Fever just can't seem to finish seem accurate here. While Wheeler's stat line usually is pretty good, it's all about when that efficiency is used. And I'm not seeing it (like many of us).

 

[azfan]

Phoenix is an interesting destination and franchise for a top 3 pick. Right now they’re a dumpster fire but I see the appeal of playing with DT for a year or 2 if I’m Clark or Bueckers, and DT is likely done after 2024 which will free up a lot of money for a solid free agent signing (ideally a good post) to pair with their franchise guard. I also can’t see SDS coming back to Phoenix in 2024, so a guard spot would be open immediately. They need to hire a decent coach and get better support players but I don’t see it as a gloom and doom destination for either player since they’ll likely take the reigns from day 1 and have the franchise built around them. Getting a decent coach who can manage big personalities is priority number 1 though.

In regards to Brink, offensively I think she’d pair well with BG, as both have inside out capability. Defensively though she is used to filling the same interior defender role that BG takes, so Brink would be guarding more on the perimeter which would be a new challenge, though I think she has the athleticism to do it. Edwards would pair well with BG too but Brink is the far superior prospect if she declares.

SDS is gone. She'll never again play with DT or in Phoenix. DT has been done for a year and a half but that may not prevent her from playing again next year.

I buy the argument presented that of the top three possible picks Paige might be the only one willing to endure the Mercury. I'm convinced that CC will return to Iowa if Phoenix is in a position to select her

As to coaching I'm wondering about the Nikki Blue -Charli Turner Thorne setup. Given the overwhelming incompetence of the current Mercury front office it's hard to guess what may happen.

One would wonder if Nikki Blue is a placeholder for CT depending upon what happens over the remainder of the season.

As I think about it there's no mystery about what's going to happen over the remainder of the season for the Mercury. The only mystery in my mind is why CTT allowed herself to be sucked into that cesspool.

Upon reflection next year there will be no CC, probably no Lilith and no CTT I do fear however there will be a DT. This is so unfortunate because she is the goat and my all-time favorite player. Every time she's on the court I think of Willie Mays with the Mets.

 

[Dillon77]

How Bonner hasn’t gotten t’d up yet is crazy

always goes a long way, right? She's always got a grin on her face while she's, err, having conversations with the refs.

 

[azfan]

Midway through the third quarter as the Mercury and short handed Sparks fight to lose the game. While the Mercury hold a 7-point lead there's only one player on the team with a negative +/-.....DT is -9. Now that will change as she is reentering the game with the Mercury leading. It's like a train wreck I can't help looking at. I wonder how many turnovers are left in the tank.

 

[GoChips20]

Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young took some time to settle in the W and had their shares of doubters, but both have blossomed under Hammon. KP flashed back to her college days and went off for 40 (has anyone ever done that on just 18 shots?!) As good as Wilson and Parker are, Aces have three of the five best guards in the league and that’s why they’re going to be favored in every game they play.

 

[TheFarmFan]

Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young took some time to settle in the W and had their shares of doubters, but both have blossomed under Hammon. KP flashed back to her college days and went off for 40 (has anyone ever done that on just 18 shots?!) As good as Wilson and Parker are, Aces have three of the five best guards in the league and that’s why they’re going to be favored in every game they play.

Yeah the crazy thing about the Aces is you need like 3 WNBA all-stars to all have off nights at the same time to stand a chance. And then they still have 2 more...

 

[nwhoopfan]

Man, I kinda thought Laimbeer was mishandling Plum early in her career. In hindsight...yeah never mind. She has improved, but I don't think he put her in a position to succeed.

I've been waiting for a game like this for her. She's had plenty of big halves, or even quarters, but stringing together 4 quarters like that. I knew she was capable of putting up a big scoring game.

 

[Dillon77]

Yeah the crazy thing about the Aces is you need like 3 WNBA all-stars to all have off nights at the same time to stand a chance. And then they still have 2 more...

When the Wings beat them (by two points), I thought the way to battle the Aces was throw an imposing front line at them to tie up the forwards -- get them in foul trouble? -- and then have a scorer (Arike) go off. But you bring up the counter: Las Vegas can -- and should -- go off on any team. And Hammon draws up sets that work for all her players. Tough scenario. Gray is in peak form and Plum/Young are only getting better. Bad news for league; great news for the U.S.A. Olympic team.

 

[cancontent]

When the Wings beat them (by two points), I thought the way to battle the Aces was throw an imposing front line at them to tie up the forwards -- get them in foul trouble? -- and then have a scorer (Arike) go off. But you bring up the counter: Las Vegas can -- and should -- go off on any team. And Hammon draws up sets that work for all her players. Tough scenario. Gray is in peak form and Plum/Young are only getting better. Bad news for league; great news for the U.S.A. Olympic team.

And bad news for the rest of the Olympic squads that could face these guards.

 

[visitingcock]

As a newly minted Fever fan, this is very frustrating watching their failure to close out tight games.

At this point, they are still playing for a lotto spot.

 

[visitingcock]

WNBA All-Star Draft: It’s Aces/South Carolina vs. Liberty/Storm/UConn

 

[Gus Mahler]

Well darn it! If the Wings can beat the Aces, I think Minnesota can do the same! Let's go, Lynx!! Sitting at .500 and moving up in the standings. Not sure what the plan is now. The way they were playing at the start of the year, made we wonder. Now, they are just playing and clicking the right buttons.

Dorka the Difference Maker!!

 

[Dillon77]

Dorka the Difference Maker!!

Dorka's been absolutely solid and improving.
Diamond Miller's return has given them offensive options.
Lindsay Allen taking over the point has cut down on turnovers and made the half-court game smoother.

 

[azfan]

Mercury hiring Warriors exec U'Ren as GM

The Phoenix Mercury are hiring Warriors executive Nick U'Ren as general manager, the team announced on Monday.

www.espn.com

Finally a sign of intelligence from the new Mercury owner.