2024 WNBA Season Discussion Thread

[MrDollarBills]

Las Vegas is face guarding CC pretty hard here in the half court and they are not allowing the Fever to get out in transition.

Hull getting 3 fouls early has done them no favors.

[cdubbz]

Fever going 5 players deep into their bench in the first half is ODD.

[cdubbz]

Fever going 5 players deep into their bench in the first half is ODD.

Some Subs:
- Sides subbed out Clark at the 5minute mark of the 1st quarter. Wheeler came in and had solid minutes, but strange time to sub her out.
- Kristy Wallace was in the game for 3-4 minutes.
-Katie Lou was in for Hull.
- Dantas & Fagbenle were in their normal sub rotations.

Wallace and Katie Loui were not good in their minutes.

[MrDollarBills]

Dominant paint production from the Fever. But A'ja is going right at Boston

[MrDollarBills]

Fever going 5 players deep into their bench in the first half is ODD.

Hull picked up 3 early fouls, but to your point, Wallace was absolutely horrible.

[MrDollarBills]

That was a good game.

The Fever have some work to do. I think expectations need to be tempered entering the playoffs.

[zimpy27]

Las Vegas is face guarding CC pretty hard here in the half court and they are not allowing the Fever to get out in transition.

Hull getting 3 fouls early has done them no favors.

Great defense on fever, they need to work on a counter

[cdubbz]

Las Vegas is face guarding CC pretty hard here in the half court and they are not allowing the Fever to get out in transition.

Hull getting 3 fouls early has done them no favors.

Great defense on fever, they need to work on a counter

I was hoping for the Fever to pick on Chelsea Gray and have Hull do screens for Clark and hope for a mismatch. Can Gray even keep up with fast actions? They never picked on her, but the Aces definitely picked on Clark on defense.

[Ice Man]

Las Vegas is face guarding CC pretty hard here in the half court and they are not allowing the Fever to get out in transition.

Yep. As you recall, I've been writing that it's a capital crime not to defend Clark/the Fever that way. Sure, Clark will sometimes dribble past her mark for a 5v4, or find a teammate for a 4v3. But the benefit from slowing the game and stopping the transition buckets, plus beating down Clark physically so that she starts to lose her shooting legs, is far greater than the disadvantages.

But I guess that a lot of WNBA coaches don't mind losing a regular season game.

If you take away the transition basketball from Indy, and have a shot blocker to take away their post play (as with A'ja), then the Fevers offense comes down to hero ball from Clark and Mitchell. Yeah they might both go nuclear, but that's a limited and difficult way for an offense to function.

[MrDollarBills]

Las Vegas is face guarding CC pretty hard here in the half court and they are not allowing the Fever to get out in transition.

Yep. As you recall, I've been writing that it's a capital crime not to defend Clark/the Fever that way. Sure, Clark will sometimes dribble past her mark for a 5v4, or find a teammate for a 4v3. But the benefit from slowing the game and stopping the transition buckets, plus beating down Clark physically so that she starts to lose her shooting legs, is far greater than the disadvantages.

But I guess that a lot of WNBA coaches don't mind losing a regular season game.

If you take away the transition basketball from Indy, and have a shot blocker to take away their post play (as with A'ja), then the Fevers offense comes down to hero ball from Clark and Mitchell. Yeah they might both go nuclear, but that's a limited and difficult way for an offense to function.

Yep. Las Vegas is a really bad match up for Indiana. Gray played some really tough defense against Clark. There are two impact numbers for Clark that i look at during Fever games: boards and assists. If she's hitting those areas hard, it's going to be a long night for the opposing team.

Last night, she only had 3 rebounds, 6 assists. It matches the eye ball test of how the game went, the Aces got back in transition and kept a body on Clark at all times.

This is where Clark's need to become a 3 level scorer in the half court needs to improve, because teams are going to take away the fast break if they have the personnel. It also didn't help that AB got her ass kicked by A'ja and the other role players did absolutely nothing.

[MrDollarBills]

Las Vegas is face guarding CC pretty hard here in the half court and they are not allowing the Fever to get out in transition.

Hull getting 3 fouls early has done them no favors.

Great defense on fever, they need to work on a counter

I was hoping for the Fever to pick on Chelsea Gray and have Hull do screens for Clark and hope for a mismatch. Can Gray even keep up with fast actions? They never picked on her, but the Aces definitely picked on Clark on defense.

Chelsea was playing some really tough D. That might have been the best I've seen from her since her injury.

[MrDollarBills]

Las Vegas is face guarding CC pretty hard here in the half court and they are not allowing the Fever to get out in transition.

Hull getting 3 fouls early has done them no favors.

Great defense on fever, they need to work on a counter

Yep. And frankly they may not have the answer for it this year. They need a two way wing badly and as I said before, CC has to work on her half court offense. There are going to be games that are just flat out ugly and she's going to need to score.

[Ice Man]

Yep. And frankly they may not have the answer for it this year. They need a two way wing badly and as I said before, CC has to work on her half court offense. There are going to be games that are just flat out ugly and she's going to need to score.

While I agree with most of of this, I disagree on the Clark comment. She went 1-10 on 3s that were not unusually difficult shots, no different than the ones she normally takes. Had she gone 4-10, which has been her shooting percentage on 3s since the break, she would have scored 25 points.

I mean sure, she does need to improve her midrange game, but even so she was 5-12 with two +1s on 2-point attempts yesterday, which isn't awful. Her main problem was she bricked her 3s.

I would also say that my NaLyssa Smith tolerance is running low. Yes she rebounds and can score inside, particularly against weaker defenders, but there's a limited role for a low-defense #4 who makes neither jump shots nor free throws. She's kinda like Andre Drummond, but without his overwhelming rebounding and physicality. And he's not even a starter in the NBA, just a role player.

[MrDollarBills]

Yep. And frankly they may not have the answer for it this year. They need a two way wing badly and as I said before, CC has to work on her half court offense. There are going to be games that are just flat out ugly and she's going to need to score.

While I agree with most of of this, I disagree on the Clark comment. She went 1-10 on 3s that were not unusually difficult shots, no different than the ones she normally takes. Had she gone 4-10, which has been her shooting percentage on 3s since the break, she would have scored 25 points.

I mean sure, she does need to improve her midrange game, but even so she was 5-12 with two +1s on 2-point attempts yesterday, which isn't awful. Her main problem was she bricked her 3s.

I would also say that my NaLyssa Smith tolerance is running low. Yes she rebounds and can score inside, particularly against weaker defenders, but there's a limited role for a low-defense #4 who makes neither jump shots nor free throws. She's kinda like Andre Drummond, but without his overwhelming rebounding and physicality. And he's not even a starter in the NBA, just a role player.

That's fair, for sure. She did brick a few shots she usually makes once she gets space.

Smith is not the answer long term. She's a decent player but the Fever need to upgrade at forward. I'm not sure what Indiana's cap situation looks like but I'd be making huge pitches to either Satou or Nneka this offseason.

[hermes]

Las Vegas is face guarding CC pretty hard here in the half court and they are not allowing the Fever to get out in transition.

But I guess that a lot of WNBA coaches don't mind losing a regular season game.

number of teams that make the playoffs in each league
NFL: 14/32 (44%)
MLB: 12/30 (40%)
NHL: 16/32 (50%)
NBA: 16/30 (53%)
MLS: 18/29 (62%)
NWSL: 8/14 (57%)
WNBA: 8/12 (67%)

wnba teams have the best odds to make the playoffs of the major sports leagues, so there is less importance on the regular season. heck right now the 8 seed only has a .361 winning percentage. in most other leagues, a team with a record like that isn't making the playoffs

[cupcakesnake]

number of teams that make the playoffs in each league
NFL: 14/32 (44%)
MLB: 12/30 (40%)
NHL: 16/32 (50%)
NBA: 16/30 (53%)
MLS: 18/29 (62%)
NWSL: 8/14 (57%)
WNBA: 8/12 (67%)

wnba teams have the best odds to make the playoffs of the major sports leagues, so there is less importance on the regular season. heck right now the 8 seed only has a .361 winning percentage. in most other leagues, a team with a record like that isn't making the playoffs

You can understand why the WNBA wants 8 teams making the playoffs to get that bracket structure. This problem will ultimately be solved by expansion. Add 4 teams, don't change the playoff format, and get into that 50% level.

[cupcakesnake]

Las Vegas is face guarding CC pretty hard here in the half court and they are not allowing the Fever to get out in transition.

Hull getting 3 fouls early has done them no favors.

Great defense on fever, they need to work on a counter

Yep. And frankly they may not have the answer for it this year. They need a two way wing badly and as I said before, CC has to work on her half court offense. There are going to be games that are just flat out ugly and she's going to need to score.

As much as it's fun to ride the Fever hype, I think the scouting report on how to guard them is pretty simple. Absolutely do not let them get out in transition, don't let the Clark/Boston pick & roll turn into 3-point shots. Let CC take her 30-foot pull ups. Play the passing lanes aggressive when CC has the ball in her hands (she will throw reckless passes so be ready to pick those off). Kelsey Mitchell will get hers, but you can live with that if it's not kickstarting the 3-point bombing or coming in transition.

Now I've seen some teams try and fail at this. You have to be locked in on defense, and you have to have a defender that can guard Aliyah 1-on-1, so that she can't hit corner shooters in the short roll.

They do need a counter if they're going to beat a good defense in the playoffs. Their defense isn't equipped to fight back, so there's no chance if they can't light teams up.

[jc23]

Great defense on fever, they need to work on a counter

Yep. And frankly they may not have the answer for it this year. They need a two way wing badly and as I said before, CC has to work on her half court offense. There are going to be games that are just flat out ugly and she's going to need to score.

As much as it's fun to ride the Fever hype, I think the scouting report on how to guard them is pretty simple. Absolutely do not let them get out in transition, don't let the Clark/Boston pick & roll turn into 3-point shots. Let CC take her 30-foot pull ups. Play the passing lanes aggressive when CC has the ball in her hands (she will throw reckless passes so be ready to pick those off). Kelsey Mitchell will get hers, but you can live with that if it's not kickstarting the 3-point bombing or coming in transition.

Now I've seen some teams try and fail at this. You have to be locked in on defense, and you have to have a defender that can guard Aliyah 1-on-1, so that she can't hit corner shooters in the short roll.

They do need a counter if they're going to beat a good defense in the playoffs. Their defense isn't equipped to fight back, so there's no chance if they can't light teams up.

If you can guard Boston 1 on 1 that really takes away from her effectiveness as an offensive player. Since she doesnt stretch the floor and isnt a big that runs the floor well. The Aces defensive strategy would not have worked as well if she was a threat from deep. Luckily the Fever wont have to play them in the first round but what other teams do you think have the personnel to pull that off?

[MrDollarBills]

Great defense on fever, they need to work on a counter

Yep. And frankly they may not have the answer for it this year. They need a two way wing badly and as I said before, CC has to work on her half court offense. There are going to be games that are just flat out ugly and she's going to need to score.

As much as it's fun to ride the Fever hype, I think the scouting report on how to guard them is pretty simple. Absolutely do not let them get out in transition, don't let the Clark/Boston pick & roll turn into 3-point shots. Let CC take her 30-foot pull ups. Play the passing lanes aggressive when CC has the ball in her hands (she will throw reckless passes so be ready to pick those off). Kelsey Mitchell will get hers, but you can live with that if it's not kickstarting the 3-point bombing or coming in transition.

Now I've seen some teams try and fail at this. You have to be locked in on defense, and you have to have a defender that can guard Aliyah 1-on-1, so that she can't hit corner shooters in the short roll.

They do need a counter if they're going to beat a good defense in the playoffs. Their defense isn't equipped to fight back, so there's no chance if they can't light teams up.

Yeah I agree. Personnel matters a lot. If your interior is weak, the Fever are going to run you out of the gym.

If you limit Clark's ability to jump start the break, that tanks a lot of the Fever's offense.

[MrDollarBills]

Yep. And frankly they may not have the answer for it this year. They need a two way wing badly and as I said before, CC has to work on her half court offense. There are going to be games that are just flat out ugly and she's going to need to score.

As much as it's fun to ride the Fever hype, I think the scouting report on how to guard them is pretty simple. Absolutely do not let them get out in transition, don't let the Clark/Boston pick & roll turn into 3-point shots. Let CC take her 30-foot pull ups. Play the passing lanes aggressive when CC has the ball in her hands (she will throw reckless passes so be ready to pick those off). Kelsey Mitchell will get hers, but you can live with that if it's not kickstarting the 3-point bombing or coming in transition.

Now I've seen some teams try and fail at this. You have to be locked in on defense, and you have to have a defender that can guard Aliyah 1-on-1, so that she can't hit corner shooters in the short roll.

They do need a counter if they're going to beat a good defense in the playoffs. Their defense isn't equipped to fight back, so there's no chance if they can't light teams up.

If you can guard Boston 1 on 1 that really takes away from her effectiveness as an offensive player. Since she doesnt stretch the floor and isnt a big that runs the floor well. The Aces defensive strategy would not have worked as well if she was a threat from deep. Luckily the Fever wont have to play them in the first round but what other teams do you think have the personnel to pull that off?

Minnesota and New York.