The 2024 WNBA preseason started last night, and top overall draft pick Caitlin Clark scored 21 in a three-point loss for the Fever. All but five of the Fever’s regular season games are on national TV this year and I plan to watch as many as I can.
She had 20 points on 5-15 shooting, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 10 turnovers in her regular season debut. Obviously the TOs are a problem, but no doubt Connecticut was making a point of going after her.
You know, I watched some of the Iowa playoff games and noticed that she could shoot the ball from just about anywhere, but seemed a little sloppy with the ball handling. Has this historically been trouble for her?
Just looking at the numbers, she averaged almost 5 turnovers a game at Iowa. PGs will usually have more turnovers than other players because they handle the ball the most, but that’s still a pretty horrific number.
In all honesty, I haven’t really followed the WNBA, but the Chicago Sky has suddenly become much more interesting with their two draft picks, Kamilla Cardosa and Angel Reese. They mysteriously cut their #13 pick Brynna Maxwell before the season even began despite the fact that she had impressive stats.
Diana Taurasi made some very intelligent comments about Clark’s debut in the WNBA and got ripped for it by “fans” who aren’t very bright. Turns out Taurasi has been proven right already. Caitlin has to realize that she isn’t in Iowa anymore and must adjust her game accordingly.
It does seem that teams and players are specifically targeting her, though. This was not a “basketball play” by any stretch of the imagination and then Carter simply doesn’t want to talk about it? Does she need a scone to go with all that jelly?
Los Angeles Sparks rookie small forward Cameron Brinks, the 2nd overall pick, has suffered a torn ACL that you have to figure will end her season.
Caitlin Clark rolled her ankle in the first quarter against Atlanta tonight, but returned to the game in the second quarter.
The Fever are currently 7th in the standings, with the top 8 making the playoffs.
The Chicago Sky just debuted a new mascot, Skye the Lioness:
Skye was designed by the same designer who made the NY Liberty mascot, Ellie the Elephant:
This isn’t major news but I think it’s fun and I like to see teams embracing the growing interest and excitement that people have for the WNBA.
Game one of the finals between the Minnesota Lynx and the New York Liberty was played last night in NYC. The Lynx stumbled early and were unable to adequately defend against an active NY offense in the first half. Second half saw the Lynx surge, but in the forth they were down by fifteen.
Incredibly, they caught up to NY and the game ended in regular time as a tie by a missed NY free throw. The OT was a mad scramble, with Minnesota prevailing by one point. Man, what a game!
It was revealed during the game that next season’s finals will be seven games instead of five.
The Lynx choked in game two, and the series now moves to MSP for game three & four.
Nobody else seems interested in this, but the finals will go to a final game five after the Lynx won with two seconds left in the game last night.
Thanks for the update!
Yeah, I’m a little disappointed that my basketball-obsessed 13-year-old son isn’t interested in this. And…half his family is from New York, while Minnesota is literally two miles down our street!
The athleticism of today’s women athletes is astonishing to me. Prior to Title 9, women were not respected as players in any sport. I can only think of one girl in my high school of 2000 kids who had any sort of competitive drive, and that was as a swimmer. Nowadays, women athletes sporting six-packs and being fiercely competitive is the norm.
I watched a fair amount, when I found them, of Caitlyn Clark and Angel Reese games this season. Quality sports entertainment for sure.
Will this game 5 be available on network tv? I receive my television utilizing rabbit ear technology.
ESPN I’m afraid. It’s on at 8pm Eastern. I’m expecting a brawl.
Game 5 ended on a dramatic overtime win for the Liberty, who won their first WNBA Championship.
That was fun!
We didn’t make it past 3Q, I’m afraid. New York was showing signs of life at that point, so it wasn’t a surprise that they won. I wish I’d stayed up for the OT, though. It was a really good playoff series, though, with close games and a lot of heart from both sides.