WNBA 2024 May 2024

[WBBTakeover]

Let's see if this ages as well as your "Stewie is done" proclamation.

I never made that proclamation. That was @hoopsnloops32.

But I do stand by Plum playing her way out of 5x5 consideration if Chelsea doesn't return soon.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I never made that proclamation. That was @hoopsnloops32.

But I do stand by Plum playing her way out of 5x5 consideration if Chelsea doesn't return soon.

Sorry, my mistake.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Congrats to Kate Martin on scoring her first WNBA points!

 

[nwhoopfan]

Congrats to Kate Martin on scoring her first WNBA points!

A couple minutes into her career I already like her more than anything I've seen from K. Bell.

 

[WBBTakeover]

A couple minutes into her career I already like her more than anything I've seen from K. Bell.

Yup! There's a reason why she got the call to enter the game over KB.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Yup! There's a reason why she got the call to enter the game over KB.

I think Bell isn't suited up today, but glad to see Martin take advantage of the opportunity.

 

[WBBTakeover]

I think Bell isn't suited up today, but glad to see Martin take advantage of the opportunity.

My bad

 

[WBBTakeover]

Kiah has been really poor defensively this season. Not sure if she's the answer for being the fifth starter on this year's team.

 

[nwhoopfan]

My bad

I could be wrong. One of the TOs I thought she was in civvies, but now looking at the bench it looks like she is suited up.

Is Vanderveer a coaching consultant for this game? She's awfully close to the Aces' bench.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Kiah has been really poor defensively this season. Not sure if she's the answer for being the fifth starter on this year's team.

Can they get Hamby back? She's killing them today.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Jeez Jackie--what are we doing?

 

[WBBTakeover]

Can they get Hamby back? She's killing them today.

She's been phenomenal. Fatigue's gonna get her, though (I hope).

 

[WBBTakeover]

Chelsea Gray has to return ASAP.

 

[nwhoopfan]

She's been phenomenal. Fatigue's gonna get her, though (I hope).

Nope. Wilson came alive in Q3, but the rest of the game Hamby completely outplayed her.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Yeah Aces can't feel very good about close wins at home against the Merc and the Sparks.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Jackie looked good with the 22 point, 11 assist double-double. It hasn't been completely pretty, but if Chelsea's going to continue to miss games then this is what is needed from her.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Nope. Wilson came alive in Q3, but the rest of the game Hamby completely outplayed her.

Meh. She may have scored more, but I'd say that A'ja played better defensively. So, they played to a virtual standstill. And Dearica looked visibly gassed by the end of the game while A'ja looked like she could've kept playing for five more minutes. Hamby was trying to prove a point while the Aces were trying to win another game without their all-world PG.

A win is a win, but these games show the value of Chelsea Gray. A great PG can get easy touches (off of difficult passes) for everyone on the court. A good PG can control tempo and make the right pass. The Aces have neither right now. Jackie is adequate as a PG. That's what they have to go with for now.

Becky has said before that Chelsea makes her look good. I think we're seeing that now.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

Sounds like Gray will be out for a while based on how they are talking. At this point I’m assuming she tore her Achilles last October so maybe a post Olympic break return?

 

[WBBTakeover]

Sounds like Gray will be out for a while based on how they are talking. At this point I’m assuming she tore her Achilles last October so maybe a post Olympic break return?

If the Aces came into the season knowing that Chelsea tore her Achilles and did nothing to address the position outside of selecting a diminutive second-rounder (who the coaching staff does not trust, apparently) and bringing back a locker room presence/energy player, then the front office is extremely negligent. There were opportunities to acquire a rotation PG, but they focused on post depth.

I would hope that Chelsea's injury was not a torn Achilles because I want to believe that the Aces would've acquired a solid PG if that were the case. They don't have one right now and that's affecting their ability to play like a competent team.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Meh. She may have scored more, but I'd say that A'ja played better defensively. So, they played to a virtual standstill. And Dearica looked visibly gassed by the end of the game while A'ja looked like she could've kept playing for five more minutes. Hamby was trying to prove a point while the Aces were trying to win another game without their all-world PG.

A win is a win, but these games show the value of Chelsea Gray. A great PG can get easy touches (off of difficult passes) for everyone on the court. A good PG can control tempo and make the right pass. The Aces have neither right now. Jackie is adequate as a PG. That's what they have to go with for now.

Becky has said before that Chelsea makes her look good. I think we're seeing that now.

Hamby was getting steals and coast to coast layups at the end of the game. Didn't look gassed to me. Wilson did virtually nothing in Q4.

Also, while she didn't score, Brink was a defensive presence and did a good job against Wilson.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Isn't Achilles a full year recovery? Stewie and Plum both missed a full season.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Hamby was getting steals and coast to coast layups at the end of the game. Didn't look gassed to me. Wilson did virtually nothing in Q4.

Also, while she didn't score, Brink was a defensive presence and did a good job against Wilson.

Hamby was visibly gassed in those last three to four minutes of the game. She had some buckets, but she didn't look like she could go if the game was extended. She played herself out trying to prove a point. That was a winnable game, but they didn't win. It's going to be a long season for them if they can't reel Hamby in--and that's going to be hard to do without a good PG. Clarendon tries, but they aren't the PG that the team needs. Aari McDonald is terrible.

It also doesn't sound like Hamby and her head coach are on the same page. Curt Miller wants to see the ball spread around (why didn't Nurse get more touches in the second half? She had 13 in the first half) while Dearica is talking about her individual goals. We'll see where this goes.

A'ja's teammates froze her out in the 4th. I vividly recall a play where she had Hamby pinned but Jackie just looked at her. LaChina pointed that out as well.

Brink was solid defensively, but she still managed to get into foul trouble (and got away with a pretty egregious foul on A'ja where she was not vertical). Rickea actually looked like the better rookie today.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Nurse has to actually shoot. She disappeared in the 2nd half. That's on her. But Lexie Brown was good in the 2nd half.

I just don't get the criteria you are using. Hamby making buckets is bad? Why? She was 12-16, that is off the charts efficient. What else could she possibly do to gain your approval?

 

[hoopsnloops32]

If the Aces came into the season knowing that Chelsea tore her Achilles and did nothing to address the position outside of selecting a diminutive second-rounder (who the coaching staff does not trust, apparently) and bringing back a locker room presence/energy player, then the front office is extremely negligent. There were opportunities to acquire a rotation PG, but they focused on post depth.

I would hope that Chelsea's injury was not a torn Achilles because I want to believe that the Aces would've acquired a solid PG if that were the case. They don't have one right now and that's affecting their ability to play like a competent team.

Sound like they expect to have her at some point this season just not anytime soon. They were weird about the CP injury that retired her so who knows. Idk if it’s a torn Achilles but she said she heard a “pop” and has been out 7 months at this point. I’m not sure what else it would have been. An Achilles is 6-9 months recovery so it would fit within that recovery time line anyways.

Isn't Achilles a full year recovery? Stewie and Plum both missed a full season.

6-9 months these days. 12 if you are being very cautious. AT came back from hers in 9. It’s been 7 months at this point since grays injury.

 

[Audi1954]

Isn't Achilles a full year recovery? Stewie and Plum both missed a full season.

Anyone else concerned about Chelsea Gray’s availability for the upcoming Olympics? You would think the committee might need to be aware and possibly thinking about adding the next best point guard? Who would that be I wonder?