With one week to go prior to the Olympic break, the storylines and games continue to be active and plenty within the WNBA.
One of those involved the Los Angeles Sparks. Earlier in the season, the Sparks shared the stage of the undefeated teams with the Minnesota Lynx. Now, that both teams have been in the loss column this year, it is no longer an issue.
The Sparks were going for another bit of history—when they had a chance to become the first team to begin a season 21-1 with a victory this past Sunday against the Atlanta Dream. The 1998 Houston Comets were the last team to start a season with a 20-1 record. Unfortunately for LA, the Sparks’ bid for history would be one that existed only in their dreams.
The Dream’s defense held all Sparks players not named Candace Parker (26 points) and Nneka Ogwumike (22 points) in single-digits for scoring while Atlanta’s offense presented a much more balanced scoring effort with four players in double-digits.
The four were Angel McCoughtry and Layshia Clarendon with 17 each, Bria Holmes (15), and Tiffany Hayes (14), plus 12 rebounds from Elizabeth Williams.
Prior to that, the victor of the Dream/Sparks matchup experienced a loss by six points and the Sparks had won by six. The Dream’s loss came against the Indiana Fever on Friday (78-72) even though Tiffany Mitchell only played 19 minutes. Tamika Catchings and Lynetta Kizer each put up 18 points. Erlana Larkins also helped Indiana’s cause with a double-double (10 points, 11 rebounds).
Even though Atlanta had 20 points from Carla Cortijo, McCoughtry only scored 10 (an off night by her standards) and Clarendon was -13 with her on the floor. She was held to a mere eight points.
All was well that ended well for the Sparks in Connecticut, but the Sun did force Los Angeles into overtime. A big reason for that was the Sun held Parker to only six points to the entire game and she only made three of her 10 shots from the field—including all of her three-point attempts.
Jantel Lavender picked up where Parker was struggling as she greatly aided the Los Angeles effort with a double-double of her own (25 points and 10 rebounds).
Two players for Connecticut also finished with double-doubles—Alyssa Thomas with 17 points and 12 rebounds as well as Chiney Ogwumike who had 16 points plus 13 rebounds. It would be Nneka’s team that got the better of this matchup. She also had 22 points on eight for 11 from the field.
A short trip south on the New Haven Metro-North line from Connecticut will find you in Grand Central Station in New York City. A few blocks from Grand Central is Madison Square Garden—the home of the New York Liberty. New York also put the Sun in the loss by way of an 83-76 victory as they earned their 17th win of the season atop the Eastern Conference.
Rebounding. That is one of the things that will do it. The Liberty had plenty of those against Connecticut when they grabbed 38 of them for the game, including ten via Tina Charles who also finished with 14 points. Sugar Rodgers also added another 14 of her own to go along with 16 from Swin Cash.
And when you’re held to under 35 percent shooting like the Sun were while your opponents are north of 40 percent, that is no recipe for victory either.
Believe it or not, despite the fact that the Lynx were once the W’s last remaining unbeaten, the Liberty now only are three games behind Minnesota in terms of the playoff picture.
It may have been two if the Liberty were successful in defeating the Lynx on Friday, but thanks to 20 points from Seimone Augustus who was returning from a knee ailment, Minnesota topped New York by a final of 88-70. Maya Moore added 15.
Only Shavonte Zellous (11), along with Charles (15-14) had double-digit scoring efforts.
Speaking of overtimes, free basketball did not only occur in Gotham, but also in North Texas when the Dallas Wings hosted the Lynx. This overtime period, as did the one between Los Angeles and Connecticut also went the way of the road team, with the Lynx defeating the Wings by a final of 98-97.
A late three by Augustus was what put the Lynx over the top. All five starters for the Lynx finished with at least ten points—including Moore’s 20, Augustus’ 14, Lindsay Whalen’s 15, and Rebekkah Brunson’s 16. Brunson and Sylvia Fowles also had ten and 19 rebounds, respectively for double-doubles.
As for the Wings, they also had five players in double-digits points-wise—including Plenette Pierson’s 21 with 11 rebounds, Karima Christmas’ 20, Skylar Diggins’ 18, and Odyssey Sims’ 18. Aerial Powers also had 15 off the bench.
Earlier in the week, the Wings also suffered defeat at the hands of the Chicago Sky by a final of 84-77. Pierson had 20 and Sims finished with 14, but Diggins only made one of her nine attempts from the field.
The Sky, this game, were +15 with Tamera Young on the floor. Elena Delle Donne had another big game with 24 points and Jamierra Faulkner finished with 13. Allie Quigley also added ten off the bench.
Delle Donne also had a highlight play in Seattle when the Sky traveled to the Emerald City to face the Storm. With the game tied at 88 apiece, she drained a game-winning three to nullify a furious Seattle comeback after they were down by 22 points after one quarter.
The game-winner game Delle Donne 35 points for this game plus 11 rebounds. Cheyenne Parker was the other Chicago player with a double-double by way of 15 points and 10 rebounds. Off the bench, Cappie Pondexter and Courtney Vandersloot combined for 26.
Forty-six came from either Sue Bird or Breanna Stewart.
On Friday, the night that the Storm retired Lauren Jackson’s #15 jersey, the Storm played the Washington Mystics as if there were five of her on the KeyArena court at all times. Led by 26 from Jewell Loyd, Seattle thrashed Washington, 80-51.
Along with the Gold Mamba’s 26, there were ten points, eight rebounds, and seven assists courtesy of Stewie. Bird—12 points and seven assists.
Most of this weekend’s games occurred on either a Friday or a Sunday, but there was one on Saturday as the Phoenix Mercury did battle at home vs. the San Antonio Stars. This one was all Merc as even with no Diana Taurasi, the Stars had no answer for DeWanna Bonner who put in 33 points on 11 of 16 from the field.
By: Akiem Bailum (@AkiemBailum on Twitter, Instagram)
