2025 WNBA Regular Season Discussion Thread

[MrDollarBills]

Man Pili is a frickin TANK

[Green Chile]

Sucked to see Seattle blow that lead, but really impressed with Smesko and the Dream.

I didn't like a lot of those foul calls, but Atlanta kept attacking the rim when their outside shots weren't falling.

Smesko is going to win COY unless Indy makes a real push to be the clear #3 team.

And Allisha is playing like a sneaky MVP candidate right now. I can't imagine a world where she would win even if she did hold up this pace, but she's playing her way into the fringe candidate conversation.

Seattle Seattle'd. Looked fantastic until the end. Mostly ignoring the 3 point line as always, but Zia Cooke had some good minutes (AC out). If her or Lexie could ever get real minutes that would help the shooting issue.

For much of the game it was the good part of Seattle on display. Great defense, get stops and turnovers, and score a whole bunch of points in transition.

Dom has her usual minutes that were fun and you can see the glimpses. First touch, she caught a pass over Griner and finished. Griner immediately came back down the floor and scored on Dom.

It was a really funny one later when Dom had the ball at the top of the key, and said eff it, I'm taking it to the rim right at Griner. Griner blocked it, of course. But I dig it. Sometimes you just got to find out.

[hermes]

probably depends on the number of games out, but the more time that some mvp candidates miss (clark and collier) - the better odds for other candidates i would think

[Ice Man]

probably depends on the number of games out, but the more time that some mvp candidates miss (clark and collier) - the better odds for other candidates i would think

Most likely, Clark is already out of contention. Her first 4 games were meh (1 great one, 1 good one, two poor ones) and she will miss at least 4 more. So, that eliminates 20% of the season right there. We'll see about Phee.

In any case, if NY keeps playing like this, I would have to give it to a Liberty player.

[hermes]

probably depends on the number of games out, but the more time that some mvp candidates miss (clark and collier) - the better odds for other candidates i would think

Most likely, Clark is already out of contention. Her first 4 games were meh (1 great one, 1 good one, two poor ones) and she will miss at least 4 more. So, that eliminates 20% of the season right there. We'll see about Phee.

In any case, if NY keeps playing like this, I would have to give it to a Liberty player.

that you didn't pick one i think is the hurdle for liberty mvp candidates, they'll cannibalize each others votes unless one of them clearly separates from the others

[Green Chile]

I'm no betting man, but I think if everybody generally has the season we expect, Phee would have to be a heavy favorite.

Narrative matters.

Last back to back was, who, Cynthia Cooper?
A'ja would have to do something really incredible to win It again.
As mentioned, CC's injury won't help.
Liberty probably have too many candidates.

Just feels like Phee's time if she does her part.

[Ice Man]

True, the Liberty could be like the Curry/Durant Warriors, neither of those guys was going to win an MVP Award while playing with the other.

[rmontro]

Most likely, Clark is already out of contention. Her first 4 games were meh (1 great one, 1 good one, two poor ones) and she will miss at least 4 more. So, that eliminates 20% of the season right there. We'll see about Phee..

If a team is good, the seeding can be overcome. The problem with the Fever is they've looked so bad without Clark, it looks like their choice of coach and players during the offseason didn't do the job they were hoping for. The defense so far doesn't appear to be any better than last year.

[Green Chile]

The Seattle, Atlanta, Phoenix tier is such a fun one. You don't want to see any of them in the 1st round. Might sound like heresy, but one of them is going to host in the first round (can't decide which one, just depends on the day).

PHX probably has the highest upside. AT and Sabally are crushing it. Kah coming back at some point. And Mack. But as a team that doesn't believe in draft picks, they are crushing it with the undrafted FA's. Makani, the elder Westbeld, Laksa, Prince, and Held all look great. Kalani giving them good minutes.

Depth was a concern after the Big 3, but they seem to have found it.

AT, Satou, and Kah with good depth can beat anybody.

[Green Chile]

And speaking of PHX, Vegas better get it together.

Most don't think A'ja would leave Vegas. But if she's sitting there and she likes the desert.....Phoenix also has great facilities. Vegas has made terrible decisions this year (do they even have a damn GM yet?). Looking like another year where A'ja has do some heroic **** to be the 4-seed.

Great facilities, Satou, AT, and Kah could be really attractive. Could even lose one of those players if It doesn't fit with the new cap.

You assume she's not going to NY or Minny. As far as other teams with great facilities with a history of investing, it's PHX or SEA. I could make a case for Seattle too, but Phoenix looks awfully attractive.

Feels like it's been a minute since Vegas has done anything to inspire much confidence if you are betting on the organization

[Green Chile]

Actually, Seattle makes a compelling case too.

Both better options than "hey, you'll take Kiah Stokes and you'll like it, and Becky is the GM no matter what"

[cdubbz]

The Seattle, Atlanta, Phoenix tier is such a fun one. You don't want to see any of them in the 1st round. Might sound like heresy, but one of them is going to host in the first round (can't decide which one, just depends on the day).

PHX probably has the highest upside. AT and Sabally are crushing it. Kah coming back at some point. And Mack. But as a team that doesn't believe in draft picks, they are crushing it with the undrafted FA's. Makani, the elder Westbeld, Laksa, Prince, and Held all look great. Kalani giving them good minutes.

Depth was a concern after the Big 3, but they seem to have found it.

AT, Satou, and Kah with good depth can beat anybody.

The W is crazy wild. I love how the Mercury went from Diana Taurasi, Griner, & Cloud to AT, Copper, & Sabally.

[BlacJacMac]

And speaking of PHX, Vegas better get it together.

Most don't think A'ja would leave Vegas. But if she's sitting there and she likes the desert.....Phoenix also has great facilities. Vegas has made terrible decisions this year (do they even have a damn GM yet?). Looking like another year where A'ja has do some heroic **** to be the 4-seed.

Great facilities, Satou, AT, and Kah could be really attractive. Could even lose one of those players if It doesn't fit with the new cap.

You assume she's not going to NY or Minny. As far as other teams with great facilities with a history of investing, it's PHX or SEA. I could make a case for Seattle too, but Phoenix looks awfully attractive.

Feels like it's been a minute since Vegas has done anything to inspire much confidence if you are betting on the organization

Did anyone think Fowles was going to end up in Minny?

Maybe the Lynx get lucky in the lottery with the Sky's pick...

[Ice Man]

44-0?

[Green Chile]

The Seattle, Atlanta, Phoenix tier is such a fun one. You don't want to see any of them in the 1st round. Might sound like heresy, but one of them is going to host in the first round (can't decide which one, just depends on the day).

PHX probably has the highest upside. AT and Sabally are crushing it. Kah coming back at some point. And Mack. But as a team that doesn't believe in draft picks, they are crushing it with the undrafted FA's. Makani, the elder Westbeld, Laksa, Prince, and Held all look great. Kalani giving them good minutes.

Depth was a concern after the Big 3, but they seem to have found it.

AT, Satou, and Kah with good depth can beat anybody.

The W is crazy wild. I love how the Mercury went from Diana Taurasi, Griner, & Cloud to AT, Copper, & Sabally.

I was a bit skeptical about how it would work with PHX and no depth.

But AT and Sabally look great and they found some depth on the cheap with Makani, Westbeld and the bunch.

[Green Chile]

44-0?

They certainly seem to want that Commissioner's Cup money.

[Green Chile]

Probably not a happier person in the world than Cloud right now.

She was very close to ending up on the Sun side of this one.

[Green Chile]

And of course, it's Ellie's birthday.

[Green Chile]

Aces-Storm Round 2 on the way. This one will be telling.

If the Storm do it again, it's time to panic in Vegas. If Vegas gets it done, they are 4-2 with the only losses being to the dynamo Liberty and a Storm loss that they would have just avenged.

It wouldn't put them out of the woods just yet, but it would be a step in the right direction.

Go Storm.

If they win this, it's an all out battle between 5 teams for the #3 seed.

[Green Chile]

Aces look sharp. Beating A'ja twice in a week was always probably a pipe dream.