Guru’s WNBA Report: Connecticut, Phoenix, and Atlanta Hit the Victory Column

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

 

Back in the beginning of this truncated 22-game regular season in the WNBA caused by the coronavirus, the Connecticut Sun, which fell to the Washington Mystics in the fourth quarter of the decisive Game 5 a year ago,  and the New York Liberty plunged off a cliff together each losing their first five games.

 

But then they separated — New York continued to plunge, operating with  bunch of newcomers and losing top draft pick Sabrina Ionescu in the third game to a season-ending injury.

 

The Sun, however, has steadily found itself back into a strong bid to return to the postseason, even if entry level will be at a lower seed position.

 

The two teams met again Tuesday night and the Sun tacked on another sweep from the misbegotten pile, hanging on to beat New York 70-65 and as a bonus the Atlanta Dream gained a rare win, knocking off Indiana 102-90.

 

The Fever were on the flip side of a back-to-back after losing to the Chicago Sky Monday night when both teams played the makeup from last week’s postponement when the league stood down two nights to join their NBA brothers in protest over the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis.

 

The Sun (8-9) are still in seventh but while they are 5.5 behind league-leading and idle Seattle, they are also now 2.5 games in front of Indiana, which is in a virtual tie with Washington for ninth.

 

Eight teams make the playoffs and while Dallas is in eighth, the Sun have a two-game series sweep and are 1.5 games in front of the Wings.

 

In the game with New York (3-14), which is nearing elimination and back to the lottery, DeWanna Bonner, who came to Connecticut from Phoenix as a free agent in the offseason, had 27 points and 12 rebounds, while Alyssa Thomas, named earlier in the day as the Eastern Conference player of the week,  scored 15 points, Natisha Hiedeman scored 10, and Brionna Jones grabbed 10 rebounds.

 

New York’s Kia Nurse had 18 points, Jazmine Jones scored 15, and Amanda Zahui B. grabbed 10 rebounds.

 

In keeping all five Liberty starters to single digits, it’s the first time in practically a decade since the last time the Sun performed the deed on an opponent, beating Seattle in a 88-68 win on August 13, 2010.

 

Atlanta Tops Indiana

 

In a scoring fest for both teams the Atlanta Dream came out best over the Indiana Fever 102-90 depriving the opposition to gain a win in their bid to grab a lower spot in the playoffs.

 

Rookie Chennedy Carter scored 22 points as did Courtney Williams for the Dream, while Rutgers grad Betnijah Laney scored 16, Glory Johnson had 13 points and eight rebounds, and Elizabeth Williams scored 10.

 

Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell and Teaira McCowan each scored  20 points, Tiffany Mitchell scored 14, and Natalie Achonwa scored 10.

 

Achonwa and Jullie Allemand each dealt five assists.

 

Phoenix Bests Las Vegas

 

In the night’s other game, which involved the middle and upper half of the standings, sixth place Phoenix deprived Las Vegas a chance to tie Seattle for first by downing the Aces 92-85.

 

Thus, Las Vegas is now a game back and tied in second with the Los Angeles Sparks, while Phoenix (10-7) is now closer to the league leader, but still in sixth place.

 

Former UConn great Diana Taurasi scored 32 for the Mercury, while Skylar Diggins Smith scored 20, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough scored 15, former Rutger star Kia Vaughan scored 14, and Brianna Turner grabbed 13 rebounds.

 

The Aces’ A’ja Wilson, the former South Carolina greart, had 17 points and 10 rebounds, Dearica Hamby also had a double double with 18 points and 13 rebounds, Jackie Young scored 20, and Kayla McBride had 14 points and dealt nine assists.

 

Looking Ahead

 

On Wednesday night, a key playoff-chasing game has fourth-place Minnesota and fifth-place Chicago meeting at 7 p.m. on Facebook, while Los Angeles and Dallas meet at 8 on CBSSN, while Washington and Seattle also meet on CBSSN at 10.

 

Thursday’s action has a key matchup at 8 on twitter when Las Vegas and Connecticut meet an hour after Atlanta and New York tip off at 7 on CBSSN, and Indiana and Phoenix on facebook meet at 10 p.m.

Friday night heading into the holiday weekend has Chicago and Washington meeting at 7 on twitter, followed by Minnesota and Dallas tipping off at 8 on Facebook, while Seattle and Los Angeles meet on Facebook at 10.

A Facebook doubleheader on Saturday afternoon has Connecticut and Indiana tipping at 4, followed by Atlanta and Las Vegas at 6, while New York and Phoenix meet at 8 on twitter.

Sunday will see Dallas and Washington meeting at 4 on twitter, Seattle and Minnesota meeting at 6 on twitter, while Chicago and Los ngeles meet at 8 on CBSSN.

Finally Monday has the third of the six makeup games from the postponements as Phoenix and Connecticut meet at 6 p.m. on CBSSN in yet another key game with playoff implications.  

 

And for now, that’s the report.