WNBA Opening Night Games.

[nwhoopfan]

Connecticut beat Indiana and EDD-less Mystics beat the Dream.

 

[nwhoopfan]

WNBA scheduling is SO wacky. It's starting to even out now so most teams have played a similar number of games. But on Saturday Las Vegas and Phoenix will be playing each other...for the third freaking time already. What the hell? Why can't they spread those matchups out during the season? That's just stupid. And Merc have played the Storm twice as well. Their first 6 games will be against only 3 different teams.

 

[sivad40]

WNBA scheduling is SO wacky. It's starting to even out now so most teams have played a similar number of games. But on Saturday Las Vegas and Phoenix will be playing each other...for the third freaking time already. What the hell? Why can't they spread those matchups out during the season? That's just stupid. And Merc have played the Storm twice as well. Their first 6 games will be against only 3 different teams.

The WNBA scheduling is like that for two reasons- 1) Only conferences games that count towards Commision Cup and they are squeezing as many of those type of games in before the Commission Cup championship game and 2) they are scheduling two teams playing back to back games against each other to save on travel expenses. For example the Fever and Sun play each other again tomorrow and after that the Sun will play the Wings twice, the Mystics once and the Ace twice within the next two weeks.

 

[nwhoopfan]

What did the Merc talk about at halftime? They went from down 2 to down 19 in 6 1/2 minutes. Hamby and Plum are torching them in Q3.

 

[eebmg]

Las Vegas plays with a really good tempo. Just always attacking. Draws a ton of fouls.

 

[Blueballer]

What did the Merc talk about at halftime? They went from down 2 to down 19 in 6 1/2 minutes. Hamby and Plum are torching them in Q3.

I don't think it was talking that did them in. They are shorthanded and have some older players. They have been running out of gas in second halfs. The Aces on the other hand seem to pick things up in their 3rd quarters. Whats happening doesn't surprise me.

 

[eebmg]

In a side note when the commentors were talking about the possible liability of a perceived lack of depth on Vegas. Becky Hammon said the starters complain (jokingly?) when being subbed out. They say the season is short, and the minutes per game is less (than the men's game?) . Why sub?

 

[TheFarmFan]

At the moment, there's no question LV has the best back court in the league. Gray, Plum and Young all firing on all cylinders this season.

 

[Iluvacc2]

What did the Merc talk about at halftime? They went from down 2 to down 19 in 6 1/2 minutes. Hamby and Plum are torching them in Q3.

Add Young too lol. The Aces are simply outworking them.

 

[Kaizen]

Las Vegas plays with a really good tempo. Just always attacking. Draws a ton of fouls.

Las Vegas scored 38 pts in 3Q only.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Nygaard got fired up over seemingly nothing there. Peddy got fouled but went down hard and had to leave the game. The opposing coach gets to choose which player shoots the FTs in place of the injured player. Not sure why that caused such a stir.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Las Vegas scored 38 pts in 3Q only.

Most points in a quarter so far this season.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Cunningham has been going off in garbage time.

 

[Kaizen]

Cunningham has been going off in garbage time.

She should be the starter ...

 

[nwhoopfan]

She should be the starter ...

Could be. Peddy and DeShields have both been playing well The commentator said they've been playing Cunningham at the 4? She seems way undersized for that.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Gustafson seems to have found herself a good spot in Phoenix.

Plaisance has been teeing off behind the arc this year.

 

[Geew1992]

Gustafson seems to have found herself a good spot in Phoenix.

Plaisance has been teeing off behind the arc this year.

Gustafson is there because griner isn’t

 

[nwhoopfan]

I'm gonna go ahead and say it. Taurasi simply can't guard anybody at this point in her career. She's a savy vet and she'll get a steal or a block at times, but she just can't move the feet to stay in front of drivers. Plum blowing past her repeatedly was like taking candy from a baby.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Gustafson is there because griner isn’t

Anigwe? Which of those two do you think they will dump when Griner comes back?

 

[Reypl21]

Gustafson is there because griner isn’t

Isnt Anigwe also on the team? I'm thinking Anigwe is the placeholder, Gustafson has added a 3 point shot to her arsenal. Anigwe and Turner have overlapping skillsets

 

[baggerbob]

Nygaard got fired up over seemingly nothing there. Peddy got fouled but went down hard and had to leave the game. The opposing coach gets to choose which player shoots the FTs in place of the injured player. Not sure why that caused such a stir.

Should have been a review of arm to face, and a flagrant 1 or 2. There was no attempt at going for the ball.

 

[Geew1992]

Isnt Anigwe also on the team? I'm thinking Anigwe is the placeholder, Gustafson has added a 3 point shot to her arsenal. Anigwe and Turner have overlapping skillsets

Didn’t know she was in the team too. So yea… Anigwe will probably get waived and Gustafson will replace her minutes

 

[MilfordHusky]

At the moment, there's no question LV has the best back court in the league. Gray, Plum and Young all firing on all cylinders this season.

I'm on the Jackie Young for MVP Bandwagon. At least for now. She has improved and continues to impress. She's averaging 19.3 ppg (4th in the W) and shooting 55/46/87 with 3.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.0 steals.

 

[Dillon77]

I'm on the Jackie Young for MVP Bandwagon. At least for now. She has improved and continues to impress. She's averaging 19.3 ppg (4th in the W) and shooting 55/46/87 with 3.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.0 steals.

Em Adler of The Next had this in her a.m. column Today ((Sunda) regarding how the Aces' starters are doing this well offensively (see below). Jackie has benefitted very, very well from playing under Hammon's. Of course, you also have to perform to make all of this come to fruition ... and she has.

I have a lot of faith in Jackie, as a long-time fan and observer. If she continues to play just like this, I see all-star teams in the future plus another round at the Olympics -- and it might be on the 5x5 team vs. the 3x3. Maybe not in the upcoming World Cup (I think Reeve will go with whom she knows there), but for the next cycle.

"Becky Hammon’s squad isn't just blowing out everyone in its path — with the exception of Washington, when Las Vegas was poorly rested after flight issues. Every starter has seen their play skyrocket in the new system:

A’ja Wilson has improved her true-shooting by 7.2%, her three-point rate by 10%, her free-throw attempt rate by 15% and increased her points per scoring attempt by 13.3% Kelsey Plum has improved her three-point rate by 9% and her assist rate by 4.4% Jackie Young has improved her true-shooting by 11.4%, her three-point rate by 27%, her assist rate by 2.2%, her free-throw attempt rate by 1.7 and increased her points per scoring attempt by 19.4% Chelsea Gray has improved her true-shooting by 1.9%, her three-point rate by 3%, her assist rate by 2.8% and her free-throw attempt rate by 9% Dearica Hamby has improved her true-shooting by 6.8%, her three-point rate by 4% and increased her points per scoring attempt by 13.3%"

 

[eebmg]

Nice hiqh quality game between Washington and Chicago. The return of Copper. Not doing much yet but I expect her to ramp up in the second half. Shakira Austin is really really good.