WNBA Playoffs Thread

[bbsamjj]

Figured it made sense to start a separate thread for the playoffs (Though apologies HuskyNan if I'm stepping on your toes!).

This is first year of new playoff format, where the first round everyone plays a 3-game series, but the higher seed gets its first two games at home (which i'm sure is to save the league money for travel, but also puts a really interesting wrinkle into home court advantage).

Match-ups are set:

1. Vegas vs. 8. Phoenix
4. Seattle vs. 5. DC

2. Chicago vs. 7. NY
3. CT vs. 6. Dallas

Id' be shocked if the title winner did not come from the top 5 seeds, but then again, last year's finals was a 5 vs 6.

 

[bballnut90]

Figured it made sense to start a separate thread for the playoffs (Though apologies HuskyNan if I'm stepping on your toes!).

This is first year of new playoff format, where the first round everyone plays a 3-game series, but the higher seed gets its first two games at home (which i'm sure is to save the league money for travel, but also puts a really interesting wrinkle into home court advantage).

Match-ups are set:

1. Vegas vs. 8. Phoenix
4. Seattle vs. 5. DC

2. Chicago vs. 7. NY
3. CT vs. 6. Dallas

Id' be shocked if the title winner did not come from the top 5 seeds, but then again, last year's finals was a 5 vs 6.

Seattle vs Mystics should be great basketball. I think the other 3 will be sweeps.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

Honestly I could see any of the top 5 winning the title. All of them have veteran leadership, strong coaching and multiple weapons. I wouldn't say I have a favorite to win but any of them could put it together.

 

[Coler]

Go NY

 

[bbsamjj]

Seattle vs Mystics should be great basketball. I think the other 3 will be sweeps.

I can see Dallas stealing one in CT if the team gets hot; but don't think they have the goods to win a best of 3.

Also, NY/Chicago have played a lot of close games this year.

 

[Millenial23]

I want the Sun to finally win one (although I also like Seattle) but I'm a bit afraid of Chicago - the Sun hasn't beat them once this season I believe - so that doesn't bode well for a best-of-5, assuming both teams get past the first round.

 

[JoePgh]

As a Connecticut Sun fan, I am somewhat worried about the series against the Dallas Wings. The Wings won the season series against the Sun, 2 games to 1, although the one Sun win was a 30-point blowout.

The Wings do not have Arike, and I am not sure whether they will have Satou Sabally for the upcoming series. But they do have Teiara McCowan, who may be able to neutralize Jonquel Jones. Also, to my astonishment, Marina Mabrey has been an effective WNBA player, and on offense she may give the Sun guards some problems -- although I have to think that on defense she will be left flatfooted against Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman (not to mention the recently acquired Odyssey Sims, and the very effective Dijonae Carrington).

On paper, the Sun should win, but they have had problems with this particular team. I hope that won't continue.

 

[eebmg]

Go NY

I prefer we got the Sky than the Aces or the Sun. Hope we can get a game in Chicago so we get a home game.

 

[WFFL]

Seattle will have to beat Washington , Las Vegas and either or Chicago/Connecticut most likely to be champions. That's a tall task !!!

 

[Coler]

I prefer we got the Sky than the Aces or the Sun. Hope we can get a game in Chicago so we get a home game.

We played the Sky pretty close in all our games this season, and that was without Laney. I hope we hit some shots early, and stay hot.

 

[eebmg]

I found this end of year report by Lynx coach Reeve very interesting and in an alternate universe, could see Geno use the same language

After Lynx miss playoffs, Cheryl Reeve says, 'I was not able to get through to this group'

The coach and general manager vowed a harder-working group in 2023, although the retirement of Sylvia Fowles will be a tough blow.

www.startribune.com

But the biggest problem, the thing that had Reeve questioning herself as a coach, was that she was never able to get the team to commit to working hard enough to consistently win.

Reeve said the team had a similar problem in 2021, but the presence of Collier and Clarendon's steady play masked that. But this summer, the losing exposed the problem.

"We've been the same team for two years," Reeve said. "A little more averse to working hard, plain and simple. They want less, not more. They want less drills, not more. It was hard for me to convince them that what we were doing wasn't good enough. I tried to get on 'em. I tried yelling at them. I tried to leave 'em alone. I was not able to get through to this group. With this team, I had to accept less."

 

[bbsamjj]

Interesting since she...waived Clarendon rather unceremoniously during training camp.

 

[Tangential]

Ok, some playoff predictions. I know that just about everybody has Vegas in an easy sweep, but half of the ESPN writers have NY or Dallas winning a game - and it seems as though a few posters are somewhat optimistic that this will occur as well. I think that all 3 series will be sweeps, especially LV & CT.

I think that JJ & friends will do an adequate job of making sure Big Tea doesn't maintain her pace of the previous month (reminiscent of her days in MSU). I also see this Sun team in a better frame of mind entering the playoffs relative to last year. As long as the guards get the power 4 enough touches, I believe that they will hold serve in both of their home games. I like the acquisition of Sims and the development of Carrington to provide depth as well. Thornton, Burton, & Harris have played well recently, but KT is undersized vs the CT front line and I see Burton's and Harris 's inexperience coming into play. I just don’t think that A Gray & Mabrey can do enough to win a game.

Sabrina has improved tremendously and might be the most inconsistent player in the league (averaging 17.6 ppg with 9 games of 10 or fewer points & high variance with TO's as well), which would ordinarily bode well for NY stealing a game, but I think that Chicago's experience, focus, smarts, and talent will be too much for this developing Liberty team.

Analysis of Storm v. Mystics mañana.

 

[eebmg]

Paige will be watching.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Good back and forth action in the first game of the playoffs. Liberty with a big run to close out the first half and take a lead.

She's kinda hot and cold, but Johannes is one of my favorite players to watch. So much style.

 

[eebmg]

Good back and forth action in the first game of the playoffs. Liberty with a big run to close out the first half and take a lead.

She's kinda hot and cold, but Johannes is one of my favorite players to watch. So much style.

Liberty 6-13 from 3 and only 3TO's at the half which is exceptional for them. Lets go Liberty.

 

[nwhoopfan]

and only 3TO's at the half

Yeah, seeing them up 14-2 in points off turnovers at the half is definitely not their usual M.O.

 

[socal613ws]

Seattle vs Mystics should be great basketball. I think the other 3 will be sweeps.

and that is why they play the games

 

[SECbbfan24]

Chicago in trouble..

 

[nwhoopfan]

I thought Chicago had taken control of this one in Q4. But then they went ICE COLD, and NY surged back ahead. Lib gonna take Game 1. Many good performers for them. So much for having more playoff experience being a big advantage.

 

[jchusky]

Vandersloot is a good player, but she got clearly taken advantage of her defense this game, credit to Sandy who many said was a bad hc. She saw her as the weak link and put Sabrina on her nonstop and this is a clear mismatch, Sabrina is just too big for Sloot to handle.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Johannes had one of the best passes you will ever see that started the big run.

edit-13-0 run to end the game

 

[Blueballer]

Excellent effort by the Liberty

 

[eebmg]

Sabrina and Howard down the stretch. Just beautiful pick and roll again and again. Poor Carolyn Peck.

Blah Blah Ignorance is Bliss. Too young to feel pressure. Blah Blah Blah.

 

[Tangential]

Ok, some playoff predictions. I know that just about everybody has Vegas in an easy sweep, but half of the ESPN writers have NY or Dallas winning a game - and it seems as though a few posters are somewhat optimistic that this will occur as well. I think that all 3 series will be sweeps, especially LV & CT.

I think that JJ & friends will do an adequate job of making sure Big Tea doesn't maintain her pace of the previous month (reminiscent of her days in MSU). I also see this Sun team in a better frame of mind entering the playoffs relative to last year. As long as the guards get the power 4 enough touches, I believe that they will hold serve in both of their home games. I like the acquisition of Sims and the development of Carrington to provide depth as well. Thornton, Burton, & Harris have played well recently, but KT is undersized vs the CT front line and I see Burton's and Harris 's inexperience coming into play. I just don’t think that A Gray & Mabrey can do enough to win a game.

Sabrina has improved tremendously and might be the most inconsistent player in the league (averaging 17.6 ppg with 9 games of 10 or fewer points & high variance with TO's as well), which would ordinarily bode well for NY stealing a game, but I think that Chicago's experience, focus, smarts, and talent will be too much for this developing Liberty team.

Analysis of Storm v. Mystics mañana.

Wow, that didn't take long to be incorrect. Great comments regarding Johannès @nwhoopfan . I was about to praise NY for how well their offense looked even in defeat until they completely owned the final 3½ minutes. Brondello had them spaced and sharing the basketball brilliantly. So many great performances - Howard, Sabrina, Laney, Dolson, Marine, etc.

I thought Azura played really well for the Sky. Kah is so good with and without the basketball, but it looked to me that she was drawing so much attention on her drives that she could dish for an easier bucket. Allemand has looked out of sorts for nearly a month. Vandersloot & Candace were very solid, but Chicago completely imploded at the end. I remember another on point comment from @nwhoopfan that sometimes Quigley's 3s look so forced. Congrats to the Lib fans.