WNBA -- 2023 Season

[cancontent]

This Indiana - Liberty game in OT is intense! Tied at 85 with 2 minutes left. Berger and Boston with some clutch 3s!

 

[SCspur]

This Indiana - Liberty game in OT is intense! Tied at 85 with 2 minutes left. Berger and Boston with some clutch 3s!

That’s who they need to run their offense through! Grace at point and Aliyah getting a touch in the post. I’m not a fan of Wheeler at all, for a vet PG she’s terrible at game management and doesn’t know how to throw the ball into the post. I was skeptical of Vivians on Stewie but she held her own and made her work for just about everything. I also think Cannon should get way more minutes even when Smith comes back. Her vet presence is something that should be valued not stuck in the bench.

 

[nwhoopfan]

So...Minnesota's win streak was a total illusion, right? They have gotten absolutely destroyed 2 games in a row now. I can' understand them getting thumped by Vegas, but losing to Dallas by 40? Yeah, they were being pretenders for a little while.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Ionescu is having the most schizophrenic season ever. She's either awesome, or bad. Today was the good version. 7-14 behind the arc, 34 points.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Thanks. I thought she had for some reason.

She got 6th player one season.

 

[GamecockFam]

Ionescu is having the most schizophrenic season ever. She's either awesome, or bad. Today was the good version. 7-14 behind the arc, 34 points.

She is an interesting case study because she couldn't buy a layup but was a sniper from 15 feet and out.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Aces had already clinched 1 slot in the Commissioner's Cup, and today the Liberty locked up the other.

 

[JellyBean]

So...Minnesota's win streak was a total illusion, right? They have gotten absolutely destroyed 2 games in a row now. I can' understand them getting thumped by Vegas, but losing to Dallas by 40? Yeah, they were being pretenders for a little while.

I would not say that our win streak was an illusion. I would chalk it up to beating the teams that we were supposed to beat and then losing to the team(s) that we figured that we would lose too. In the Aces game, a win would have been a shocker. Us losing to the Aces, it was expected. This loss today against Dallas, the loss was expected. By that wide of a margin? Not expected. Holy smokes!

 

[JellyBean]

Ionescu is having the most schizophrenic season ever. She's either awesome, or bad. Today was the good version. 7-14 behind the arc, 34 points.

I think this is Sabrina's normal like season. Last season, Sabrina would have these types of moments. For a few games, she would be, like you said, either awesome or bad. This is Sabrina. Glad that she had one of those games where she got rolling and was in that zone.

 

[visitingcock]

And Fever fail down the stretch again

 

[Bigboote]

Most (all?) of the teams have a noon or 1 PM game aimed at kids in summer camp. I love the atmosphere of those games.

 

[Blueballer]

And Fever fail down the stretch again

I thought they did quite well today. Came from 20 points down to force OT against one of the better teams. Exciting game.

 

[visitingcock]

I thought they did quite well today. Came from 20 points down to force OT against one of the better teams. Exciting game.

They’ve done “ quite well” a number of times this year . . . But not well enough at the FINAL buzzer.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Heading into All Star break, Aces top 4 scorers are all shooting 50% or better from the floor, and 3 of them are guards. That's pretty ridiculous.

 

[bbsamjj]

I think this is Sabrina's normal like season. Last season, Sabrina would have these types of moments. For a few games, she would be, like you said, either awesome or bad. This is Sabrina. Glad that she had one of those games where she got rolling and was in that zone.

What's actually schizophrenic about Sabrina this year is her 2pt FGs versus her 3pt FGs. She's shooting just 32.5% from 2-pt range, but 44.6% from 3pt range. She's second in the league in 3-pointers made and has played at least 2 games less than everyone around her in those standings.

So you're an opposing team, you'd think--okay we guard her closely and take the risk she can drive past us, cause her 2-pt shots are bad. Problem is--1. you do that, you make it easier for Sabrina to find the 4 other options on the floor [and she is still an excellent passer] and 2. Sabrina's range is VERY deep, so you're now guarding really far out on the court.

also FWIW, even when Sabrina has a "bad" game scoring wise, she is usually feeling up the stat sheet with rebounds and assists.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

I've not kept up with the WNBA much this season. Life has kept me pretty busy but I've read over some stats and box scores.

I really don't think I've seen this many injuries from key players. All teams have at least someone who would be a starter/contributor out. Is playing almost year round taking a toll on some of these players? Just wondering what's going on.

 

[MilfordHusky]

So...Minnesota's win streak was a total illusion, right? They have gotten absolutely destroyed 2 games in a row now. I can' understand them getting thumped by Vegas, but losing to Dallas by 40? Yeah, they were being pretenders for a little while.

Minnesota won fairly close games against teams that were weak and/or good matchups for them. They are still a slow team that can be scoring challenged. I don't think they can compete with the top 4. They aren't a real contender, but they look like a real playoff team (top 6-8).

When Dallas is on, they can be really good. Arike can shoot her team into or out of games. But if she shoots a high percentage and Dangerfield gets the ball moving to her, Howard, Sabally, and McCowan/Brown, Dallas can be the best offensive team other than Las Vegas.

 

[azfan]

When Dallas is on, they can be really good. Arike can shoot her team into or out of games. But if she shoots a high percentage and Dangerfield gets the ball moving to her, Howard, Sabally, and McCowan/Brown, Dallas can be the best offensive team other than Las Vegas.

When they are off....not so much

Dallas is 5th in the league in scoring trailing the Aces, Liberty, Dream and Sun, all of whom are superior to Dallas offensively certainly more consistent.

Defensively....6th in the W, nudging ahead of the walking wounded in LA.

Over the rest of July they're facing a one and four record with a win against LA .

I'm not at all confident they can compete at home against the Mystics and the Sun.

Losses are looming on the road....Vegas and NY.

The lack of consistency will likely doom Dallas.

The high point for their season was the home W over the Aces last week as McCowen (+/- +14) outplayed Wilson. I don't think anyone expects that to happen again. I do expect Arike to go 9 for 21 with 4 turnovers....(+/- -1) again and again and again.

 

[MilfordHusky]

When they are off....not so much

Dallas is 5th in the league in scoring trailing the Aces, Liberty, Dream and Sun, all of whom are superior to Dallas offensively certainly more consistent.

Defensively....6th in the W, nudging ahead of the walking wounded in LA.

Over the rest of July they're facing a one and four record with a win against LA .

I'm not at all confident they can compete at home against the Mystics and the Sun.

Losses are looming on the road....Vegas and NY.

The lack of consistency will likely doom Dallas.

The high point for their season was the home W over the Aces last week as McCowen (+/- +14) outplayed Wilson. I don't think anyone expects that to happen again. I do expect Arike to go 9 for 21 with 4 turnovers....(+/- -1) again and again and again.

I'm hoping that the new coach and Crystal's influence will make Arike a more efficient player.

Do you know where Dallas now stands in pace of play? They were 1st or 2nd about 10 games into the season. Their game plan is speed.

Other than Vegas, no one in the W seems consistent. NY has barely won some games against mediocre or weak teams, Connecticut misses Jones, and Washington is now down 3 starters, 2 of whom are All-Stars.

 

[Bigboote]

That’s (Grace Berger and Aliyah Boston) who they need to run their offense through! Grace at point and Aliyah getting a touch in the post.

People who pay attention to me (I'm not saying there are any, nor is there any reason to) know I think the world of Grace and Aliyah. But about Grace:

I watched the game against the Liberty last night (a day late). Berger played 35 minutes, and I thought very well. Her ±line was +1 in an 8 point (overtime) loss. It's seemed to me that the Fever generally play better with her in the lineup even when her stats don't look great. I looked it up and she's the only (that I found) Fever player with a positive +/- line for the season. Sure, maybe she's mostly playing against second-stringers (not true the other night), but over 15 games I think it's indicative that the Fever really do play better with Berger in the lineup.

And, man alive, she puts fannies in the seats! Drafting Berger and Boston was one good decision the Fever have made in the last year. The Egbo-for Zahui-B trade isn't looking so good right now.

 

[JellyBean]

Most (all?) of the teams have a noon or 1 PM game aimed at kids in summer camp. I love the atmosphere of those games.

We love that the Lynx offers these noon games. Like you said, the summer camps. We have kids that are doing summer camp and these noon games are fun and the kids enjoy them as much as the grownups.

 

[azfan]

D-Wade joining ownership group of WNBA's Sky

Dwyane Wade, who will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame next month, is joining the ownership group of the WNBA's Chicago Sky.

www.espn.com

"We all talk about support, and support looks different for everyone," Wade, who will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame next month, told ESPN. "And so instead of tweeting out and saying 'go support the W,' instead of showing up at the game and supporting, I wanted to take it to that next level, and this was the next level for me."

Since this is occurring in season.

Clearly the kind of step necessary to improve the visibility and reach of women's basketball.

Hopefully Wade will be a more successful owner than MJ and I think that this type of celebrity investment can kickstart a new phase for the league including:

1. A high level Major League media deal
2. Successful expansion
3. The foundation for both sustainable growth and a expanding share of the sports entertainment market

 

[GamecockFam]

People who pay attention to me (I'm not saying there are any, nor is there any reason to) know I think the world of Grace and Aliyah. But about Grace:

I watched the game against the Liberty last night (a day late). Berger played 35 minutes, and I thought very well. Her ±line was +1 in an 8 point (overtime) loss. It's seemed to me that the Fever generally play better with her in the lineup even when her stats don't look great. I looked it up and she's the only (that I found) Fever player with a positive +/- line for the season. Sure, maybe she's mostly playing against second-stringers (not true the other night), but over 15 games I think it's indicative that the Fever really do play better with Berger in the lineup.

And, man alive, she puts fannies in the seats! Drafting Berger and Boston was one good decision the Fever have made in the last year. The Egbo-for Zahui-B trade isn't looking so good right now.

Coach Sides said in an interview that she thinks she has multiple future All-Stars on the team besides Boston and Mitchell. They're just young and need to mature. I personally think she was talking about Berger, Smith, and Hull...or at least I believe all three have had moments in games this season that support Coach Sides claim.

 

[GCKSFN4L]

People who pay attention to me (I'm not saying there are any, nor is there any reason to) know I think the world of Grace and Aliyah. But about Grace:

I watched the game against the Liberty last night (a day late). Berger played 35 minutes, and I thought very well. Her ±line was +1 in an 8 point (overtime) loss. It's seemed to me that the Fever generally play better with her in the lineup even when her stats don't look great. I looked it up and she's the only (that I found) Fever player with a positive +/- line for the season. Sure, maybe she's mostly playing against second-stringers (not true the other night), but over 15 games I think it's indicative that the Fever really do play better with Berger in the lineup.

And, man alive, she puts fannies in the seats! Drafting Berger and Boston was one good decision the Fever have made in the last year. The Egbo-for Zahui-B trade isn't looking so good right now.

I think universally most people that have followed the Fever believes that Grace deserve more playing time. She has her moments of being a rookie but she has shown great upside when given a chance. Her and Boston have a great chemistry on the floor and they seem to be some of the most levelheaded players while on the court.

Catering to egos and not addressing the problem will continue to haunt this franchise. Coach Sides will need to take reign of this team or she'll be likely out next season.

 

[Dillon77]

I think universally most people that have followed the Fever believes that Grace deserve more playing time. She has her moments of being a rookie but she has shown great upside when given a chance. Her and Boston have a great chemistry on the floor and they seem to be some of the most levelheaded players while on the court.

Catering to egos and not addressing the problem will continue to haunt this franchise. Coach Sides will need to take reign of this team or she'll be likely out next season.

Unless she totally loses the team -- and I don't think she's anywhere near that -- I don't think Sides is in any danger whatsoever of losing her job. The near-universal sentiment I've seen on this thread this season is the Fever needs to not lose games at the end of the 4th quarter. Lot of 1st and 2nd year players with some vets and....and a firs- year head coach. Should she be merely judged on the end-of-game scenario? No. They're in the games, too, and playing hard and well, at times.

I think some decisions by Dunn and Sides on what vets to keep (or not) need to be made off-season. I'm still scratching my head on the Egbo deal, but let's see what happens.