WNBA Opening Night Games.

[Geew1992]

Aces cut the lead. 43-39 Mercury at half. Tina with some much needed offense to hold the Mercury together.

Did I see Diana go after Skylar on the bench?

You sure did

 

[eebmg]

You sure did

Details please.

 

[Geew1992]

Details please.

Don’t have much. Saw Sky stand up during a time out huddle talking and Dee got right up in her face

 

[eebmg]

Don’t have much. Saw Sky stand up during a time out huddle talking and Dee got right up in her face

Diana not having a good game tonight after she torched the Storm. Guessing mostly frustration on her part.

I also saw something I never thought I would see. Megan Gustafson 2-2 on 3's and looks in really great shape. Almost did not make a WNBA roster this year.

 

[eebmg]

McBride lighting it up on her first game back for the Lynx Scoring 17 of the Lynx's 27 points but on the Sparks side Lou also looking good on her first game back 2-2 from 3.

Not much from Moriah or Evina yet.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Jackie Young is hitting the 3 ball consistently this year, which makes her pretty close to unguardable. She just killed Phoenix in Q3.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Starting from 1:45 before halftime thru the end of Q3, Aces outscoring Merc 36-14.

 

[eebmg]

46-40 Lynx at half. Moriah getting into alot of action.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Merc got an 18 point deficit down to 8, but Plum nailed the door shut w/ back to back 3's. She overcame a rough start to finish w/ a game high 20.

Charles and Wilson was a good battle, pretty much a draw. Taurasi never really got going. DeShields and Petty had some good minutes.

All 5 Aces starters in double figures. Gray had probably her best game of the season so far.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Minny gets their first win. Mo goes for 20/7/6/4 (6 TOs).

She played 36 minutes, despite some foul trouble. I remember this player!

 

[bballnut90]

I was just about to post something about that. She and Howard have both looked WNBA ready from Day 1. Makes you wonder why their teams didn't do better in the most recent NCAA Tourney.

I get the SEC dig, but the WNBA is a completely different game/style of play than college basketball. Spacing is better in the pros since everyone can knock down shots, so opposing teams can't camp out on them like they did in college, which creates better opportunities to score. Both Howard/Austin/Smith are absolutely perfect physical specimen for the WNBA--long, tall, quick, and all 3 are very skilled.

 

[bballnut90]

Aces cut the lead. 43-39 Mercury at half. Tina with some much needed offense to hold the Mercury together.

Did I see Diana go after Skylar on the bench?

Pretty noteworthy to have a big display like that during a game...makes you wonder how heated practices get.

 

[bballnut90]

Minny gets their first win. Mo goes for 20/7/6/4 (6 TOs).

She played 36 minutes, despite some foul trouble. I remember this player!

If Jefferson keeps playing like this and Kayla McBride plays like she did 5-6 years ago, Minnesota is dangerous, especially if they get Collier back anytime soon. Jessica Shepard is also playing very well and Fowles is putting up big numbers like she always does.

 

[eebmg]

If Jefferson keeps playing like this and Kayla McBride plays like she did 5-6 years ago, Minnesota is dangerous, especially if they get Collier back anytime soon. Jessica Shepard is also playing very well and Fowles is putting up big numbers like she always does.

But what about the theory (by those Internet people) that Reeve is tanking for Paige (or Boston) ?

 

[cancontent]

I thought it looked like she and Harrison (?) knocked knees and Hines-Allen may have a quad bruise or something. We'll see.

Agree with everyone about Austin. I saw her first two years with UMD, hardly saw her at Ole Miss. Announcers keep talking about her being "offensively raw", but she's been hitting some tough shots, finding some good shots, and not playing beyond herself in the three games I've seen.

If that's "offensively raw", imagine what she'll be like once she's refined those skills?

 

[MSSportsGuy]

If that's "offensively raw", imagine what she'll be like once she's refined those skills?

I saw Austin more at Ole Miss due to the SEC experience and she's a pretty darned good one. She has the size, mobility, and can knock down shots when she gets the ball in the right position. I disagree that she's offensively raw but I don't think she's hit her ceiling by any means.

 

[Rb335]

Some rookie thoughts. Not sure where else to put this, but pretty crazy to think #1 2022 pick Rhyne Howard has scored more career points through 5 career games than Charli Collier has through 30+ games, the #1 pick from 2021.

I was really perplexed when Dallas took her #1, but then again, it was probably a historically weak draft.

It’s always funny to me to see how different college players visually look in the pros. Was watching Atlanta play and at first glance, I thought Naz Hillmon was a 2 guard off the bench. The league is just way taller, longer, and more athletic.

 

[TheFarmFan]

Some rookie thoughts. Not sure where else to put this, but pretty crazy to think #1 2022 pick Rhyne Howard has scored more career points through 5 career games than Charli Collier has through 30+ games, the #1 pick from 2021.

I was really perplexed when Dallas took her #1, but then again, it was probably a historically weak draft.

It’s always funny to me to see how different college players visually look in the pros. Was watching Atlanta play and at first glance, I thought Naz Hillmon was a 2 guard off the bench. The league is just way taller, longer, and more athletic.

+1. This is why tweeners have traditionally not always fared well. You can get away with being a 6'1" forward in college and do well, or a 5'10" guard who drives but doesn't have range on her shot. But neither will cut it in the pros. These days almost every player either has the entire offensive toolkit in her repertoire, or else she has extreme physical gifts.

 

[Reypl21]

I remember during Collier's draft interview she said it was always her dream to go number 1. IMO, if she didnt leave early she wouldn't have been a top 5 pick in the draft this year. Maybe she would fall lower (depending on her senior season at Texas). Smith, Austin, and Egbo have all done very good as rookies.

Egbo has to be the biggest surprise for me. Her game translates very well to the pros, and she can be quite a bit more physical. Whenever she develops some more offensive skills she will be a force.

 

[TC22]

I remember during Collier's draft interview she said it was always her dream to go number 1. IMO, if she didnt leave early she wouldn't have been a top 5 pick in the draft this year. Maybe she would fall lower (depending on her senior season at Texas). Smith, Austin, and Egbo have all done very good as rookies.

Egbo has to be the biggest surprise for me. Her game translates very well to the pros, and she can be quite a bit more physical. Whenever she develops some more offensive skills she will be a force.

Collier won’t last long if she doesn’t improve. In fact she may have been let go this year if Alarie had played. She surely wouldn’t have been #1, probably not Top 5.

 

[shiverz45]

Jackie Young is hitting the 3 ball consistently this year, which makes her pretty close to unguardable. She just killed Phoenix in Q3.

Jackie is playing like an all star this year. All the Aces #1 picks are looking like #1 picks.

 

[baggerbob]

But what about the theory (by those Internet people) that Reeve is tanking for Paige (or Boston) ?

The only team worse then the Storm right now is Indiana. They have a few games at home, but outside of Loyd no-one is playing well. Sue has been missing in action. Gabby seems to still be on France.

 

[eebmg]

The only team worse then the Storm right now is Indiana. They have a few games at home, but outside of Loyd no-one is playing well. Sue has been missing in action. Gabby seems to still be on France.

I have faith that my Liberty can be as bad as anyone,

 

[eebmg]

The only team worse then the Storm right now is Indiana. They have a few games at home, but outside of Loyd no-one is playing well. Sue has been missing in action. Gabby seems to still be on France.

Some good news for the Storm

 

[JellyBean]

Can we say this draft class is way better than last year??!!

I gotta say, Yeah! I mean it is early but this Rookie crew seems to be a little more active and loud. Last year, the rookies were impactful but it was a quiet impact.