Guru’s WNBA Report: Seattle Tops Dallas on Strong Finish While Atlanta Upsets Chicago and Phoenix Shakes Off Connecticut Rally in OT

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

 

The actual WNBA playoffs don’t begin until Tuesday night but it was playoff frenzy on Wednesday night in the wubble, better known as the IIMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., near Tampa/St. Petersburg where each of the three games had postseason implications.

 

In the final game of the night first place Seattle trying to finish the coronavirus-shortened 22-game regular season on top met Dallas, which is trying to hang on to the eighth and final spot still open.

 

The two went toe-to-toe most the way until Seattle took over towards the fourth quarter and the Storm rode to a 107-95 finish.

 

That inched the Storm (17-3) up by 1.5 games over second-place Las Vegas (15-4) and two over Los Angeles (15-5), which were both idle.

 

Dallas (7-13) stayed in eighth but the Wings are up by just a half-game over Washington (6-13), which plays Los Angeles Thursday night at 10 on CBSSN.

 

Earlier the Atlanta Dream (6-14) upset the Chicago Sky 97-89 to stay in the hunt a game behind the Wings using the third quarter to erase a season-high 18-point deficit and score a season-high 28 points.

 

Chicago (11-10) stayed in sixth while in the opener on Wednesday’s card, Connecticut had punched its playoff card Monday beating Phoenix but the two went at it again and after the Mercury built a huge early lead, the Sun (10-11) fought back and took a 89-86 lead with 3.4 seconds left in regulation.

 

But wait.

 

There must be something about about Notre Dame and game-ending three-pointers, because after last Friday in which former Irish star Jewell Loyd carried Seattle over Los Angeles on a game-ending three, and Arike Ogunbowale of buzzer-beating Women’s Final Four fame, forced overtime for Dallas against Washington Sunday and eventual victory with a three-point regulation ender, Skylar Diggins-Smith popped a regulation-ending three to force overtime and Phoenix prevailed 100-95.

 

Thus one of next week’s playoff game participants is decided, though not yet seed designate, as Chicago and Connecticut will meet in the 6-7 game in Tuesday night’s opening doubleheader.

 

Phoenix (13-8) is currently fifth but could catch fourth-place Minnesota (13-7) for fourth and a bye into the second-round.

 

Seattle Topples Dallas

 

The Storm kept the pressure on its two nearest pursuers in Las Vegas and Los Angeles by pulling away in the fourth quarter and downing the Wings 107-95 pulling away in the fourth near the end of the third quarter and continuing in the fourth.

 

Breanna Stewart and Jewell Loyd each scored 23 points and Stewart grabbed 11 rebounds and dealt six assists. Natasha Howard had 16 points and eight rebounds.

 

Alysha Clark scored 14, while Sue Bird scored 10 and dealt nine assists.

 

Dallas rookie Satou Sabally out of Oregon scored 25 for Dallas, while Allisha Gray scored 17, Ogunbowale had 15, and Marina Mabrey and Tyasha Harris each scored 10.

 

Seattle finishes with Phoenix Friday at 10 p.m. on CBSSN and on Sunday with Las Vegas at 3 on ABC in one of the three other makeup games from the recent two-day postponements when the WNBA followed their NBA brothers in the case of the WNBA in a two-day halt to games in protest over the recent police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis., besides also focusing on other victims.

 

Dallas plays Chicago Friday at 8 p.m. on CBSSN and New York Sunday in a makeup game at noon on CBSSN.

 

Atlanta Upsets Chicago

 

The Dream kept their slim playoff hopes alive and ruined Chicago’s chance to move higher with a 97-89 victory.

 

Rutgers grad Betnijah Laney had 24 points and 10 rebounds for Atlanta, Courtney Williams, who previously played on the Sun, had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Elizabeth Williams had 11 points and 10 rebounds, rookie Chennedy Carter had 16 points and dealt five assists, and off the bench Princeton grad Blake Dietrick had 15 points helped by a trio of three-balls.

 

Chicago’s Courtney Vandersloot had 22 points and 11 assists, Allie Quigley and Rutgers grad Kahleah Copper each scored 17, and Gabby Williams scored 12.

 

Atlanta finishes by playing in Connecticut in the Sun’s final game Friday at 7 p.m. on Facebook and then Sunday in what could be a playoff implication game with Washington at 5 p.m. on Facebook.

 

It’s the first time in Atlanta history that three different players had a double double in the same game.

 

Afterwards, Atlanta coach Nicki Collen spoke of Dietrick’s contribution off the bench.

 

“She came in and she made shots,” the Atlanta coach said. “As much as her making shots, it was her defensive energy, getting through screens, making it a little tougher on Slooty being able to switch and give us size.”

 

Said Dietrick of her game, “I think my job is to make my teammates better and help our team win. If I score some points, that’s great. If that means I assist as many times possible, that’s great. If that means that all I so is defend, that’s fine.”

 

Speaking of the third quarter when Atlanta trailed by 18, Collen said, “We’re going to have to guard. It all came back to pride. That was the word I used multiple times.

 

“For us to be down at the half, I felt we had a run in us. It was all about defensive pride.”

 

Laney, asked to reflect on her breakout season to date, “The fact that I was able to keep going and finally show people what I’m capable of, that’s what I’m most proud of.”

 

Phoenix Edges Connecticut in Overtime to Avoid Sweep

 

It was a disappointing loss for the Sun, being down 20 at the half and coming back to take the lead only to have it slip away when the Mercury forced overtime. 

 

Besides the regulation game-ender to force overtime, Diggins-Smith had 33 points for Phoenix, while Diana Taurasi scored 28. Brianna Turner had a career-high 21 rebounds to go with her 10 points.

 

Rutgers grad Kia Vaughn scored 12.

 

DeWanna Bonner had 32 points and 10 rebounds for Connecticut, while Alyssa Thomas had 18 points and 17 rebounds, Brionna Jones had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Natisha Hiedeman out of Marquette scored 16.

 

“Proud of our fight,” said Connecticut coach Curt Miller. “You saw the competitiveness of our team in the third quarter. We had a good talk about halftime. They weren’t happy with the way they played in the first half.

 

“We didn’t force any disruption in the first half.”

 

Phoenix finishes playing Seattle on Friday night at 10 on CBSSN.

 

As for the other key games involving playoff scenarios, Minnesota faces Las Vegas on Thursday at 8 on ESPN2 before Washington and Los Angeles meet at 10 on CBSSN.

 

Washington after Los Angeles on Thursday meets New York on Saturday at noon, and then Atlanta on Sunday at 5 p.m. on Facebook.

 

Minnesota plays Indianapolis on Saturday at 6 p.m.

 

The other games were spoken to earlier.

 

And that’s the report.