2024 WNBA Discussion Thread

[glv98]

Jordy and the Storm (sounds like a 90s cartoon) play at 9pm tonight, on league pass only.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

This article talks about CC first, then Rickea. With the Sparks 3 starting guards shooting only 5 of 22 for 11 points last night, they think Rickea might become a starter, too.

WNBA rookie tracker: How Caitlin Clark's season ended, and what's next

Following a historic regular season from the entire rookie class, Caitlin Clark left her mark with a strong pair of.playoff performances.

www.espn.com

 

[glv98]

Allysa Thomas is a talented jerk. Got thrown out for literally wrapping her hand around Angel's neck and slinging her to the floor. The Sun is quickly becoming easy to pull against.

Sky hanging tight w Sun late in the third, Fever ahead of Aces early in 2nd qtr. Liberty got spanked again today. Lots of parity in the W so far.

 

[VolBall09]

One of the gals calling the Aces/Fever game consistently refers to a reach as, “a reach around” I’m assuming she has no context for what that actually is. It cracks me up, not the first time I’ve noticed.

At least a few times a game she’ll say something like “Ope, she gave her a nice reach around there.”

 

[lvocd]

Allysa Thomas is a talented jerk. Got thrown out for literally wrapping her hand around Angel's neck and slinging her to the floor. The Sun is quickly becoming easy to pull against.

Sky hanging tight w Sun late in the third, Fever ahead of Aces early in 2nd qtr. Liberty got spanked again today. Lots of parity in the W so far.

Seriously, she gives off such huge bully vibes to me. I know the type. Kinda feel sorry for Dewanna. Ugh.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Allysa Thomas is a talented jerk. Got thrown out for literally wrapping her hand around Angel's neck and slinging her to the floor. The Sun is quickly becoming easy to pull against.

Sky hanging tight w Sun late in the third, Fever ahead of Aces early in 2nd qtr. Liberty got spanked again today. Lots of parity in the W so far.

Don’t ever forget what she did to our girl Candace

 

[ShortyMac10]

I like AT she real strong but I think she got tired/irritated and I do still think she intentionally tried to take out cp3 during that series but I think with angel she just might’ve met her match angel is strong and is going to get stronger…I like the way angel answered the question about it in post game

 

[madtownvol]

Don’t ever forget what she did to our girl Candace

Still makes me mad. Cost the Sky the series because Candace was never right after that injury (massive thigh contusion).

 

[lvocd]

Still makes me mad. Cost the Sky the series because Candace was never right after that injury (massive thigh contusion).

That was the end of her rope for me. Until then I tried so hard to appreciate her fierce competitiveness. But she crossed a line that day that cannot be excused as merely competitive. That was a conscious decision to specifically attack a known weak body part of an opponent that, if injured again, could end her career.

I. Will. Never. Forget. That. Play.

 

[glv98]

I like the way angel answered the question about it in post game

I thought that was good as well. I think AR enjoyed being the victim and not the bully this time. I wonder if AT might have been hot over Angel punking Jonquil Jones into fouling her last game, or possibily it was just routine AT awfulness. Whatever the case, we know AR will not back down. Her whole game is built on relentlessness and resilience in spite of limitations.

This is great as well, AR is getting much better advice.


But yet, she couldn't resist. Cannot stay out of the mess, and that's fine, that's her brand too. She's deleted this, and also it makes no sense. I think she meant ONE charter flight, not OUR. Don't think it was so much directed at CC as at the whole situation.

Angel Reese Takes A Shot At Caitlin Clark In Now-Deleted Message

Angel Reese took a shot at Caitlin Clark in a now-deleted X post!

www.tmz.com

IMO the winners in all this are Cameron Brink and RIckea Jackson who are getting to go thru the normal rookie process without the noise. Probably not a coincidence that they've both had the most consistent upward trajectory of any of the rookies.

 

[glv98]

Another really rough night for CC against a very good team. 8 pts on 25% shooting, did have 7 assists but also 6 t.o.s.

Going to be so interesting to see what happens to attendance as it becomes more and more obvious CC is just another rookie. A very good one at the occassional spectacular logo three, but nothing to travel to see yet. AR is a draw too and the Sky are much better than expected, but their home opener was about 9,000. Not sure those 15K-17K crowds are going to hold beyond the tickets already sold.

Meanwhile it was a quiet night for Jordy in the Storm's blowout win. Had 8 pts and shot 50% which is great for her, but only played 15 mins and didn't quite stuff the stats the way she usually does.

Sparks play at 9 tonight on League Pass only.

 

[Mafiaboss]

I agree but she didn’t play the bad guy role, they made her the bad guy and she made the best out of it. And we all know why they labeled her the villain and the other one the hero.

She embraced the role media gave her. Glad to see she’s out of Mulky’s orbit.

 

[Mafiaboss]

Allysa Thomas is a talented jerk. Got thrown out for literally wrapping her hand around Angel's neck and slinging her to the floor. The Sun is quickly becoming easy to pull against.

Sky hanging tight w Sun late in the third, Fever ahead of Aces early in 2nd qtr. Liberty got spanked again today. Lots of parity in the W so far.

Can’t pull for the Sun at all. If Thomas has to resort to deliberate take downs, she should be suspended for a few games.

 

[glv98]

She embraced the role media gave her. Glad to see she’s out of Mulky’s orbit.

Agree to disagree on the first sentence. Chicken or egg? IMO that LSU team embraced that role first and the media latched on.

Totally agree on the second sentence.

Can't wait to see Angel and Kamilla together. I'm worried KC's return and Izzy H's ongoing injury problems are going to mean a really diminished role for her. Would like to see Diamond stay healthier too.

 

[Mafiaboss]

Agree to disagree on the first sentence. Chicken or egg? IMO that LSU team embraced that role first and the media latched on.

Totally agree on the second sentence.

Can't wait to see Angel and Kamilla together. I'm worried KC's return and Izzy H's ongoing injury problems are going to mean a really diminished role for her. Would like to see Diamond stay healthier too.

Agreed. It is hard to tell.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

OK, just did it, bought the annual WNBA Season Pass, so I can watch Rickea’s games.

 

[glv98]

OK, just did it, bought the annual WNBA Season Pass, so I can watch Rickea’s games.

Well that was disappointing. A strange game where RJ played alot, but only got two shots! Brink started out like a house on fire and then - wait for it - got in foul trouble.

The ball enters a deep dark black hole when it goes into Lexie Brown's hands and so RIckea (and everyone else) got very few touches. LA's second unit made a big comeback, but it wasn't enough. They need a point guard SO bad.

They've got to start running plays to get the ball into Rickea's hands. It was obvious they couldn't guard her one on one fm her first few touches, and then they ignored her the rest of the game. Next game Tuesday at Indy, maybe that will be better.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Well that was disappointing. A strange game where RJ played alot, but only got two shots! Brink started out like a house on fire and then - wait for it - got in foul trouble.

The ball enters a deep dark black hole when it goes into Lexie Brown's hands and so RIckea (and everyone else) got very few touches. LA's second unit made a big comeback, but it wasn't enough. They need a point guard SO bad.

They've got to start running plays to get the ball into Rickea's hands. It was obvious they couldn't guard her one on one fm her first few touches, and then they ignored her the rest of the game. Next game Tuesday at Indy, maybe that will be better.

I was just coming g here to make the “black hole” comment but for Hamby, she never passes the ball and will even force a shot when she’s clearly covered and someone’s open. Rickea just doesn’t have the aggression but Iv’e been complaining about that for the last 2 years. Hamby has all these personal goals about getting an MVP vote and I think that’s the reason she plays selfish, she might need to go in order for Rickea to reach her full potential, that along with getting a true Pg.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

Well that was disappointing. A strange game where RJ played alot, but only got two shots! Brink started out like a house on fire and then - wait for it - got in foul trouble.

The ball enters a deep dark black hole when it goes into Lexie Brown's hands and so RIckea (and everyone else) got very few touches. LA's second unit made a big comeback, but it wasn't enough. They need a point guard SO bad.

They've got to start running plays to get the ball into Rickea's hands. It was obvious they couldn't guard her one on one fm her first few touches, and then they ignored her the rest of the game. Next game Tuesday at Indy, maybe that will be better.

Yes, very disappointing. It seems the Sparks are not using Rickea to score. I guess she’s doing what they have told her to do, she’s spreading the defenders out by staying in a corner, waiting on a pass that never comes. She is not running toward the basket without the ball, so there are no passes that way either.

On defense, Rickea seems so intent on guarding or blocking out her opposing player, that sometimes a player shoots the ball, and Rickea doesn’t even see it, or attempt to get the rebound, because she is watching her player, and her back is to the basket. I have seen one or two times (not in this game), where someone passed the ball to Rickea, and she caught it, but could do nothing with it, because she wasn’t ready for the pass. Seems like she’s playing some without keeping up with where the ball is. Also, if players are going to screen for you, why run past the screen (not in this particular game), you need to be able to stop and shoot quickly behind your screen, if possible.

 

[glv98]

I guess she’s doing what they have told her to do, she’s spreading the defenders out by staying in a corner, waiting on a pass that never comes.

I've read that's what Miller does with his scorers - send them to the corner. It's weird, and not very effective.

Rickea just doesn’t have the aggression but I e been complaining about that for the last 2 years

She's aggresive to the basket when she gets the ball, she just never gets the ball. She would have to be aggressive to the point of yanking the ball away from her own players to get more touches.

It's on the coaches to design a scheme that gets her the dang ball more.

Speaking of black holes for the ball, Arike was 7-30!

 

[DarkPhoenix]

I've read that's what Miller does with his scorers - send them to the corner. It's weird, and not very effective.

She's aggresive to the basket when she gets the ball, she just never gets the ball. She would have to be aggressive to the point of yanking the ball away from her own players to get more touches.

It's on the coaches to design a scheme that gets her the dang ball more.

Speaking of black holes for the ball, Arike was 7-30!

She never asks for the ball, and she’s not always aggressive with the ball, some games she will and most games she won’t. she just needs to make quick decisions once she get a pass, too much hesitation to me. No reason for her to only take 2 shots when she played about 25 mins.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

I've read that's what Miller does with his scorers - send them to the corner. It's weird, and not very effective.

She's aggresive to the basket when she gets the ball, she just never gets the ball. She would have to be aggressive to the point of yanking the ball away from her own players to get more touches.

It's on the coaches to design a scheme that gets her the dang ball more.

Speaking of black holes for the ball, Arike was 7-30!

If the Sparks keep playing like this, I’m wondering how many games they can win. Brink won’t always make multiple 3s, and they’re wasting Rickea‘s scoring talent.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

She never asks for the ball, and she’s not always aggressive with the ball, some games she will and most games she won’t. she just needs to make quick decisions once she get a pass, too much hesitation to me. No reason for her to only take 2 shots when she played about 15 mins.

She’s generally passing the ball to someone else, instead of taking the shot herself.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

She never asks for the ball, and she’s not always aggressive with the ball, some games she will and most games she won’t. she just needs to make quick decisions once she get a pass, too much hesitation to me. No reason for her to only take 2 shots when she played about 15 mins.

Actually, Rickea played 24 minutes, taking 2 shots.

Wings 84-83 Sparks (May 26, 2024) Box Score - ESPN

Box score for the Dallas Wings vs. Los Angeles Sparks WNBA game from May 26, 2024 on ESPN. Includes all points, rebounds and steals stats.

www.espn.com

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Basically saying what I said.