This Week in the Wubble: August 17 – August 23
Looking back on the week that was in the WNBA
Thanks for reading the Her Hoop Stats Newsletter. If you like our work, be sure to check out our stats site, our podcast, and our social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also buy Her Hoop Stats gear, such as laptop stickers, mugs, and shirts!
Haven’t subscribed to the Her Hoop Stats Newsletter yet?
With the end of the WNBA regular season just 19 days away, every game is crucial for playoff positioning. So let’s dive in — here’s the review of the last week in the Wubble:
The Sky and the Aces delivered drama again
This rivalry has been percolating for over a year now, and on Tuesday, another chapter was written.
In the season opener on July 26, the Sky battled back from a late deficit to win after Allie Quigley nailed a three on an excellent play designed by James Wade. In round two, it was the Aces who came from behind in the final minutes, but after their furious rally to tie it, Wade and his clipboard struck again for a game-winning play. Bill Laimbeer had held off on getting his hair cut due to his players’ superstitions during Las Vegas’ seven-game win streak, but this game ultimately spelled the end of “Shaggy Bill.”
Stella Johnson made it rain
Signed by Washington after being waived by Chicago, Johnson got her first career start on Wednesday, and she didn’t disappoint. The rookie out of Rider dropped 25 points — the second-most ever for a third-round rookie — and set a Mystics rookie record by knocking down six threes. More importantly, she led the team to a win, which ended a brutal seven-game losing streak. She followed that up with a scoreless outing on Friday, but three of her teammates had career games in that one. The Mystics’ injury report is cruelly long, and their newcomers will need to continue to step up to keep them in the playoff hunt.
The Storm lost twice
Seattle had reached the point where even one loss was notable. No one saw two in a row coming. On Thursday, the Fever took down the Storm 90–84 behind 23 points from Kennedy Burke, and two days later the Storm fell to the Aces in an 82–74 game that really wasn’t nearly that close. Las Vegas’ A’ja Wilson looked like an MVP candidate in the latter, putting in 23 points and pulling down 14 rebounds. Meanwhile, Seattle’s MVP candidate, Breanna Stewart, struggled to the tune of 3-for-16 shooting from three during the two games. Stewart won’t keep missing that many threes, but this stretch gave the Aces hope to snag the No. 1 seed, as they now sit just half a game back.
Crystal Dangerfield kept amazing us
The 5-foot-5 second-round pick has made waves this season, and last week she continued her stellar play with averages of 18 points, 3 assists, and 45% shooting from three. The UConn product fell to 16th in the 2020 draft, but she’s making a strong push to be the first second-round pick in WNBA history to win Rookie of the Year. Dangerfield trails only Chennedy Carter in scoring among qualified rookies and only Julie Allemand and Carter in assists. Amidst Minnesota’s revolving door in the backcourt this season, she’s been steady for Cheryl Reeve at the point. Carter’s case for Rookie of the Year will depend on how soon she comes back, but Dangerfield is performing at a level rarely seen from a second-round rookie and making it hard to pick against her.
The first two overtime games of the season occurred on the same night
After 72 games without an overtime to start the season, both the 73rd and 74th games gave us free basketball. The Sparks and the Dream opened Friday night’s slate with a thriller that saw two buckets in the final four seconds of regulation. Los Angeles escaped the upset with sensational defense in the overtime period, allowing only four points in five minutes. Then the Mystics followed that by erasing a 20-point deficit against the Wings to force an extra five minutes, but Dallas avoided a total collapse and regrouped in overtime to take the game 101–92.
Brittney Griner left the Wubble
Griner missed Phoenix’s loss to the Lynx on Friday for personal reasons, and the next day the team announced that she had left the bubble. It’s unknown how long Phoenix will be without her, but her play will be missed on a team that’s dangerously close to the playoff cut line.
Looking Ahead
Seattle’s next two games are against the teams that just beat them — the Fever on Tuesday and the Aces on Thursday. The latter game could determine the top spot in the standings, and a win for the Aces would give them the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Thanks for reading the Her Hoop Stats Newsletter. If you like our work, be sure to check out our stats site, our podcast, and our social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also buy Her Hoop Stats gear, such as laptop stickers, mugs, and shirts!
Haven’t subscribed to the Her Hoop Stats Newsletter yet?