WNBA Thread - Post Olympics

[nwhoopfan]

Is LA tanking games? Previous game fell apart the last 3 minutes. Tonight looks like they didn't even bother to play the 4th quarter. Got outscored 15-4, lost by 9. How do you only score 4 points in a quarter? These are supposed to be professionals.

I think they should cap the playoffs at 6 teams. None of Dallas, New York, LA or Washington deserve a playoff berth, but somehow 2 of them will make it.

 

[nwhoopfan]

New York might be just what the doctor ordered for Seattle--a bad defensive team who turns the ball over like crazy so the Storm can get out in transition. The only problem is Seattle's defense stinks lately as well, so the Lib are matching them bucket for bucket.

I think KLS and Talbot have scored as much combined in Q1 as they did the previous 2 games total (edit--actually more; 9 pts already, I think they scored a total of 6 the previous 2 games).

Ionescu going off early on.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Russell is looking good for Seattle tonight. 12 points at the half on 5-7 shooting.

Storm's defense is just not good. Trailing 45-40 at the half.

I think Loyd completely wore herself out trying to carry the team those 2 games Stewie and Bird missed. She's been struggling ever since.

 

[baggerbob]

New York might be just what the doctor ordered for Seattle--a bad defensive team who turns the ball over like crazy so the Storm can get out in transition. The only problem is Seattle's defense stinks lately as well, so the Lib are matching them bucket for bucket.

I think KLS and Talbot have scored as much combined in Q1 as they did the previous 2 games total (edit--actually more; 9 pts already, I think they scored a total of 6 the previous 2 games).

Ionescu going off early on.

Loyd, has completely disappeared, and Prince is not much help, if she doesn't hit her 1st shot she usually contributes nothing. Again Quinn had a 3 guards out on the floor, which is dumb. Sue has the only points among the 3. The frontcourt has 37.

 

[eebmg]

Sabrina with perhaps her best game of the year.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Storm are doing a lot of complaining to the refs. I'm sure they are a frustrated team right now, but I don't think that's gonna help them any.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Sky has trimmed a 14 point deficit down to 4 in almost no time at all.

 

[nwhoopfan]

There have been a bunch of calls in this Seattle-NY game w/ hardly any contact. Both teams have been victims of it (or beneficiaries conversely).

 

[nwhoopfan]

Well we have 2 games where a team that looked dead in the water got right back in it.

 

[eebmg]

Stewie taking over. Driving at will when her 3pt shot is not falling.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Stewie putting on her Superwoman cape, and NY completely imploding. From up 10 to down 7.

What in the world happened to Laney? She's scoreless tonight, just taking some terrible shots, team high 8 TOs (NY have 19). She's just been awful.

 

[eebmg]

Stewie putting on her Superwoman cape, and NY completely imploding. From up 10 to down 7.

What in the world happened to Laney? She's scoreless tonight, just taking some terrible shots, team high 8 TOs (NY have 19). She's just been awful.

But Laney just hit a big 3 to cut the lead to 4. Not over yet

 

[nwhoopfan]

But Laney just hit a big 3 to cut the lead to 4. Not over yet

Offset by another TO that led to a breakaway layup. If it wasn't for Stewie going off, Laney would be the Storm's MVP tonight.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Liberty are gonna show it is possible to lose a game when you outshoot your opponent behind the arc by a whopping 11-20 compared to 2-14. Should be impossible, and yet it's about to happen.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Sky were down 18 or 19 in the first half, came back to briefly grab a lead in Q4, but couldn't hang on. Aces pulled away late. Wilson/Williams/Plum all scored 21. Another big game for Parker--30/14. If she holds to form she'll disappear in their next game.

 

[eebmg]

Got to hand it to Lambeer. He knows how to get Kiah Stokes to play hard and well. 13 Rebounds (4 Off) best +/-

 

[UConnCat]

Stewie taking over. Driving at will when her 3pt shot is not falling.

She can do this against the Liberty but last night's effort by the Storm will not beat the better teams in the league, particularly those with more size than the Liberty.

Sue and Jewell seem to have no legs.

Important to remember that last year in the bubble Sue played in only 11 of the Storm's 20 regular season games. I believe she was dealing with a knee issue. As a result, she was rested for the playoffs. In 2018, Dan practiced a little load management and gave Sue a few (3?) games off during the regular season. Also, the 2018 World Cup was after the WNBA season. This season Sue played every game leading up to the Olympics, played in all 6 Olympic games, and missed 2 post-Olympic games. She's also playing more minutes than she played last summer or in 2018. Can her 40-year-old body recover?

As for Jewell, more troubling than her 3-12 shooting was that she didn't really get many good shots. That tells me she's just not moving well without the ball. Jewell has played all but one of the Storm's games this season and has not missed a game since the Olympics. Then again, Jewell did play great defense on Ionescu in the 2nd half. The coaches need to figure out how to get her going on offense.

 

[eebmg]

She can do this against the Liberty but last night's effort by the Storm will not beat the better teams in the league, particularly those with more size than the Liberty.

Sue and Jewell seem to have no legs.

Important to remember that last year in the bubble Sue played in only 11 of the Storm's 20 regular season games. I believe she was dealing with a knee issue. As a result, she was rested for the playoffs. In 2018, Dan practiced a little load management and gave Sue a few (3?) games off during the regular season. Also, the 2018 World Cup was after the WNBA season. This season Sue played every game leading up to the Olympics, played in all 6 Olympic games, and missed 2 post-Olympic games. She's also playing more minutes than she played last summer or in 2018. Can her 40-year-old body recover?

As for Jewell, more troubling than her 3-12 shooting was that she didn't really get many good shots. That tells me she's just not moving well without the ball. Jewell has played all but one of the Storm's games this season and has not missed a game since the Olympics.

Hopefully, with Seattle only having 3 games in the next 2 weeks (less that other teams), some much needed rest will help the cause.

 

[baggerbob]

She can do this against the Liberty but last night's effort by the Storm will not beat the better teams in the league, particularly those with more size than the Liberty.

Sue and Jewell seem to have no legs.

Important to remember that last year in the bubble Sue played in only 11 of the Storm's 20 regular season games. I believe she was dealing with a knee issue. As a result, she was rested for the playoffs. In 2018, Dan practiced a little load management and gave Sue a few (3?) games off during the regular season. Also, the 2018 World Cup was after the WNBA season. This season Sue played every game leading up to the Olympics, played in all 6 Olympic games, and missed 2 post-Olympic games. She's also playing more minutes than she played last summer or in 2018. Can her 40-year-old body recover?

As for Jewell, more troubling than her 3-12 shooting was that she didn't really get many good shots. That tells me she's just not moving well without the ball. Jewell has played all but one of the Storm's games this season and has not missed a game since the Olympics. Then again, Jewell did play great defense on Ionescu in the 2nd half. The coaches need to figure out how to get her going on offense.

Stewie went to the basket, because with Lou, and Talbot on the floor she had room. Loyd was able to drive a couple of times late as did Lou. The Seattle teams that win are the ones that can play 5 out, which spaces the floor.
The 3 players that left all fit that style, that is why Ezi should play more, she fits that style.

 

[UConnCat]

Stewie went to the basket, because with Lou, and Talbot on the floor she had room. Loyd was able to drive a couple of times late as did Lou. The Seattle teams that win are the ones that can play 5 out, which spaces the floor.
The 3 players that left all fit that style, that is why Ezi should play more, she fits that style.

Stewie played the 5 position for most of the 2nd half. She was able to attack the rim because the Liberty had no one tall enough to defend her at the rim. That won't be the case against the better and bigger teams. The lineup with Stewie at the 5 also allowed the Storm to defend the smaller Liberty on the perimeter. Again, that lineup won't be able to defend the Aces or Sun in the paint.

 

[nwhoopfan]

She can do this against the Liberty but last night's effort by the Storm will not beat the better teams in the league, particularly those with more size than the Liberty.

Sue and Jewell seem to have no legs.

Important to remember that last year in the bubble Sue played in only 11 of the Storm's 20 regular season games. I believe she was dealing with a knee issue. As a result, she was rested for the playoffs. In 2018, Dan practiced a little load management and gave Sue a few (3?) games off during the regular season. Also, the 2018 World Cup was after the WNBA season. This season Sue played every game leading up to the Olympics, played in all 6 Olympic games, and missed 2 post-Olympic games. She's also playing more minutes than she played last summer or in 2018. Can her 40-year-old body recover?

As for Jewell, more troubling than her 3-12 shooting was that she didn't really get many good shots. That tells me she's just not moving well without the ball. Jewell has played all but one of the Storm's games this season and has not missed a game since the Olympics. Then again, Jewell did play great defense on Ionescu in the 2nd half. The coaches need to figure out how to get her going on offense.

Bird missed so many wide open shots last night that everybody is used to seeing her make. She really has not been shooting well since the Olympics, particularly on non 3 point shots. 17-49 overall.

 

[JellyBean]

I am impressed with the speed of Stef. Watching her run the floor against the Mercury the other day and the Aces yesterday. She is posting up well and taking her defender out on the perimeter and dropping that 3 ball nicely.

 

[eebmg]

Indiana Fever have a major headache . 36-9 3Q for the Mercury ending with one of the coolest time aware plays I have seen in a while by Sophie Cunningham. Hoping to have seen Bria Hartley but surely not needed in the blowout.

Kias Nurse really ignited the 3Q with 3 3pt shots and a UConn patented leakout which DT connected on with a Paige Bueckers looking laser.


Edit. Bria Hartley in .


3 seconds in, Bria Hartley hits a pure 3pt shot.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Bria Hartley in .

That's great news. Were there any indications she was ready to return? I hadn't heard anything.

 

[eebmg]

That's great news. Were there any indications she was ready to return? I hadn't heard anything.

Yes, Last Mercury Broadcast said she was cleared to play.