WNBA Opening Night Games.

[MilfordHusky]

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

It took Kelsey and Jackie a few years to get there, but they are now solid players. Many number 1 picks wind up being MVPs--think Parker, Wilson, Maya, Tina, Diana, Stewie. Jackie and Kelsey are not at that level, but few are.

 

[JellyBean]

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.

We needed McBride back here in Minnesota. We need a scoring punch. Hopefully this gets the Lynx going. We need that spark. Meanwhile....Let's talk about that incident with the Skylar Diggins and Diana. Hmmm. I just look at it as two competitors caught up in the moment. Skylar had that leg shaking and we all know that is not a good sign. Hopefully they put this incident behind them and move on.

 

[nwhoopfan]

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.

Might've been a bit premature. Just about every team has been up and down from game to game as far as I can tell. Sky rallying late but Storm should win. Chicago hasn't exactly looked like the defending champs so far.

 

[nwhoopfan]

It took Kelsey and Jackie a few years to get there, but they are now solid players.

I can't help but wonder if Laimbeer held their development back. I've long suspected that with Plum, but with the way Jackie has exploded this year it might be the case with her as well. I think "solid players" might be underselling them a bit at this point.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Storm hang on to win by 3. Magbegor led them in scoring. Stevens led the Sky. That's a big front court w/ Parker, Meeseman and Stevens all starting.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Who the heck is Rebekah Gardner? Did she break Whitcomb's record for oldest rookie in the WNBA? She's listed as being from UCLA, but I haven zero recollection of her from college. Born in 1990, one of the older players on the Sky's roster.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Gabby made a key 3-pointer late in the game and then a highlight block by chasing down Sloot and swatting the ball off the glass. Then she grabbed a key O board (before dribbling it out go bounds). But she defended Quigley on the final shot.

Gabby finished with 7/6/1/2/1 in 19 minutes on 3-5 shooting.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I can't help but wonder if Laimbeer held their development back. I've long suspected that with Plum, but with the way Jackie has exploded this year it might be the case with her as well. I think "solid players" might be underselling them a bit at this point.

I mean "solid" as a complement. What's the next level up--"star"? It's very early in the season, but both look very good. Is A'ja still the best player on the team?

 

[nwhoopfan]

Is A'ja still the best player on the team?

I'll probably be dismissed as being wrong, but honestly I don't think so. Not so far this year anyway. Was she their best player in the playoffs last year? It sure didn't look like it to my eye.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I'll probably be dismissed as being wrong, but honestly I don't think so. Not so far this year anyway. Was she their best player in the playoffs last year? It sure didn't look like it to my eye.

I think the media say that she is, but I'm not totally sure. Their leading scorers: Plum, 18.0; Young, 18.0; Wilson, 15.2; Hamby, 14.4. Suddenly, the Aces have become a guard-oriented team.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Suddenly, the Aces have become a guard-oriented team.

That started to manifest down the stretch last year, and certainly in the playoffs. It might've been partly because of matchups, but the Gray/Williams/Plum trio carried them in that series against Phoenix while the front court struggled somewhat.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I think the media say that she is, but I'm not totally sure.

Wilson is no doubt a very good player, but the media is obsessed with her and kind of act like she's the only player on the team. The WNBA itself is terrible about this. On Facebook all of their posts about the Aces are all about A'ja. There are a bunch of other good players on that team performing well. I hate predetermined, narrow focused narratives that just refuse to change. They were hyping up Wilson averaging a double-double...while ignoring that so is Hamby...who is also shooting 60% from the floor. Young is shooting 55%, 46% behind the arc. Plum is hitting 51% from 3.

 

[GoChips20]

I'll probably be dismissed as being wrong, but honestly I don't think so. Not so far this year anyway. Was she their best player in the playoffs last year? It sure didn't look like it to my eye.

I LOVE A’ja, but think she’s a cut below Stewie and EDD at this point in her career. In tier 1B of the W, I’d say. Jackie, Plum, and Hamby have all looked as good or better this year although Wilson hasn’t exactly been shabby in averaging >15 and >10.

It’s nice to see her block numbers up as well; those have kind of waxed and waned throughout her pro career.

Aces’ issues will be depth and size against larger frontcourts a la LA and Chicago. 6’3” and 6’5” aren’t huge for your 4 and 5 spots. But the offense is so vastly improved it may not really matter. I’m not convinced Cambage ever made LV better.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Wilson is no doubt a very good player, but the media is obsessed with her and kind of act like she's the only player on the team. The WNBA itself is terrible about this. On Facebook all of their posts about the Aces are all about A'ja. There are a bunch of other good players on that team performing well. I hate predetermined, narrow focused narratives that just refuse to change. They were hyping up Wilson averaging a double-double...while ignoring that so is Hamby...who is also shooting 60% from the floor. Young is shooting 55%, 46% behind the arc. Plum is hitting 51% from 3.

I couldn't agree more. A'ja is very, very good and improving, but she is a media darling and not the only player of note. The narrative is over-simplified.

When she is healthy, I think Stewie is the best player in the world, because of her versatility.

In terms of guard play, I can see more focus on it under Becky than under Trader Bill.

 

[UcMiami]

Entertaining game last night. Agree with you nwhoops - that Chicago starting five is a tough match-up with Parker, Messerman, and Stevens - all capable from three and able to put the ball on the floor and able to post up. Add in Sloot still doing her thing and it is really tough. And the bench isn't too shabby either.

Seattle is in a season long shooting slump it seems, but they have some really good players. Impressed with how Magbegor has developed - she would have benefited from a US college career, but is now reaching her potential.

On A'ja being the face of the Aces ... it isn't just scoring. Defense is a major part of it, and on offense the defensive focus on her opens a lot of space for the rest of the team. So I don't think it is out of place necessarily, just a simplification and that is a normal part of any publicity campaign - 'keep it simple, stupid' is the first line in a PR flak's bible.

 

[baggerbob]

I couldn't agree more. A'ja is very, very good and improving, but she is a media darling and not the only player of note. The narrative is over-simplified.

When she is healthy, I think Stewie is the best player in the world, because of her versatility.

In terms of guard play, I can see more focus on it under Becky than under Trader Bill.

Look who was the player who played by far the most minutes in the Olympics with Dawn as the coach. That tells you who Dawn felt needed to be on the floor.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Gabby Wiliams skying for the block!

 

[Geew1992]

Diggins-Smith out with a non Covid illness…

 

[nwhoopfan]

and on offense the defensive focus on her opens a lot of space for the rest of the team

It's a 2 way street though, with the way various Aces are hitting the 3 ball, that opens up space for Wilson to operate.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Gabby Wiliams skying for the block!

Gabby makes plays few people can make. Dick Fain will love her this season!

 

[TC22]

If anybody wants to question A’ja’s value to that franchise look at where they were when she got there. They had Plum. They had Hamby. They didn’t sniff the play-offs. In fact, they were so bad they got lottery picks 3 years in a row. The first year she was there they were within one game of the play-offs. The past 2 years they have been a top 4 team. A’ja is in her 4th year.

Wilson is no doubt a very good player, but the media is obsessed with her and kind of act like she's the only player on the team. The WNBA itself is terrible about this. On Facebook all of their posts about the Aces are all about A'ja. There are a bunch of other good players on that team performing well. I hate predetermined, narrow focused narratives that just refuse to change. They were hyping up Wilson averaging a double-double...while ignoring that so is Hamby...who is also shooting 60% from the floor. Young is shooting 55%, 46% behind the arc. Plum is hitting 51% from 3.

The WNBA isn’t the only media obsessed with predetermined, narrow focused narratives.

So the media acts like she’s the only player on their team even though there are lot of other good players? like Paige? Like Aliyah Boston? Like Caitlin? Don’t all those teams have other players who are good, who outperform the superstars at times? A’ja lives in Vegas full time. She doesn’t play overseas - never has other than a short stint in China. Im not sure what her official title is with the Aces or with Vegas but she is ALWAYS doing promos for all the sports teams there. She’s engaging, approachable, funny, a people person and always available. She’s a great interview and it’s never always about her.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Okay, fair points @TC22 . Talk to me about last year's playoffs though. I think the biggest reason the Aces didn't beat the Merc is because Wilson was well below her normal performance level. Maybe that's all due to Turner's defense, but a former MVP needs to figure out a way to get it done in the post season, and she didn't.


Also, yeah the Aces when they drafted Wilson and the Aces now are 2 totally different things. Plum and Hamby have both improved. They drafted Young, who has also improved as her career has gone on. They added the now departed Cambage thru FA, followed by Gray and Williams. They did lose McBride, but overall the TEAM is much better now than they were when A'ja was drafted, and not just because of her. They'd be thin up front, but I'd say they're still a playoff team without her at this point in time. You gotta look at this with some context.

 

[jchusky]

wow so cool, Thomas made the Mercury.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Aces almost have all 5 starters in double figures at halftime. Of course almost no scoring off the bench. No Riquna today. First game of the year for Stokes. I saw her on the bench against the Merc but she didn't play. LV up 11 on Minny.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Wings up 3 on Merc at halftime. Don't look now but Arike has put up 20 already.