The Guru’s WNBA Roundup: Reese’s Triple-Double Paces Chicago over Connecticut While Atlanta Crushes Washington and Phoenix Wins at Las Vegas

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

Three games Sunday wrapped up the fourth week and first month of the WNBA season ahead of a maximum six in the 13-team women’s league coming Tuesday after a day off Monday.

In the lower neighborhood of the standings ending overall week two in the Commissioner’s Cup race, the in-season tournament deciding the best of the East and West to meet July 1 for the title hosted by the team with the best record Chicago (3-8) took a 78-66 road win over Connecticut (2-8) at the Mohegan Sun Arena in  Uncasville before a large Father’s Day crowd of 8,451 fans.

Down in the nation’s capital in the second of what was a Sunday road sweep in the WNBA Atlanta (8-3) romped to an 89-56 romp over Washington (4-7) in front of 4,200 at CareFirst Arena, while out West Phoenix (8-4) won 76-70 at the struggling once-powerful Las Vegas Aces (5-5) in front of a disappointed crowd of 10,497 at Michelob ULTRA Arena.

So after a month at the top of the league the two who played in last season’s finals are still dominating with runners-up Minnesota (10-1) holding a half-game lead on champion New York (9-1), each losing their first game in the past week.

Atlanta (8-3) follows two games out just one-half game ahead of Phoenix (8-4), the two surprises for this much success this early following roster retooling under two of the eight new coaches.

Seattle (6-5) holds fifth place four games out and a half-game ahead of a three-way tie at 5-5 for .500 among expansion Golden State, Indiana whose Caitlin Clark made a dynamic return Saturday from an injury-related five game absence, and Las Vegas filling the slots for the postseason if about to get under way.

A clear drop comes next though still in position to be playoff contenders from Washington (4-7), which is 1.5 behind the playoff threshold, Los Angeles (4-8) and Chicago (3-7) at two each, and Connecticut (2-8) in 12th place three behind while Dallas (1-11) with No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers is at the bottom, 9.5 behind first and five games out of eighth.

Reese and Van Lith Lead Chicago Over Connecticut

The rivalry for success among second-year pros Indiana’s Caitlin Clark and Chicago’s Angel Reese continued Sunday a day after Clark dropped 30 in her return leading the Fever to hand New York its first loss, Reese gained her first triple double with the Sky collecting 11 points, a personal best 11 assists, and 13 rebounds.

At age 23 she is the second youngest to gain a triple double topped only by Clark who had her first a year ago when she lived up to her overall No. 1 pick to be rookie of the year.

Rookie Van Lith out of TCU, off the bench but with more minutes in the wake of the recent season-ending injury to Courtney Vandersloot, had a career-high 16 points with five boards.

Kia Nurse (11), second-year pro Kamilla (10), and Ariel Atkins also scored in double figures for the visitors.

Connecticut’s Marina Marbrey continued to lead the team, scoring 22 points with 5-12 from deep, and five boards, veteran Tina Charles scored 19 with six boards, and rookie Jacy Sheldon out of Ohio State scored 12 shooting 4-5 from the field and a perfect 2-2 on 3-pointers.

The 36-2 bench domination helped the Sky to the winner’s circle along with Reese’s day.

Chicago held a slim 38-36 lead at the half, riding a perfect 8-8 at the line before the Sun went up 51-48 early in the third quarter but heading into fourth the visitors were back in front 59-54.

In the Cup standings Chicago (1-3) won its first matching Connecticut (1-3).

In two of the six Tuesday games Chicago will host Washington at 8 p.m. while Connecticut heads to Indiana with all six games on the WNBA streaming league pass but NBA TV will also air the Indiana game at 7 p.m. and the Seattle at Los Angeles game at 10 p.m.

The other three Tuesday contests are Atlanta at New York at 7 p.m., Golden State at Dallas at 8 p.m., and Las Vegas at Minnesota at 8 p.m.

Allisha Gray’s Best Carries Atlanta Over Washington

The Dream had a franchise best 18 makes from deep, one back of New York’s WNBA record set twice this season, easily cruising over a Mystics completion of just three while Allisha Gray set a career high with 32 points for the visitors shooting 10-14 from the field, including 6-9 on the three-point party.

Rhyne Howard had four beyond the arc and scored 14 points becoming the fastest in the league to reach 300 at three games ahead of New York’s Sabrina Ionescu and tan ahead of the retired Diana Taurasi.

Rookie Te-Hina Paopao out of South Carolina also had four from deep on the way to a career high 16 points while Naz Hillmon had 10 points and 11 boards.

Atlanta moved the ball well with 24 assists on 31 baskets.

Washington’s Sonia Citron scored 10, the only Mystic in double figures ending the run of sister rookie Kiki Iriafen, who was held to six points shooting 2-9 with eight boards.

The Mystics were coming off a six-day break in their worst offensive showing of the season.

The swing from a 37-point win to 33-point loss was the largest in WNBA history, the Washington Post citing the stats website Across the Timeline.

Rookie Lucy Olsen out of Villanova and Iowa in five minutes off the bench was 1-2 from the field, the missed shot coming from deep, with a rebound while reserves Shakira Austin and Jade Melbourne had nine and eight points respectively.

In the Cup race, Atlanta is 3-1 while Washington is 1-3

Phoenix Tops Las Vegas

The Mercury’s free agent Satou Sabally out of Dallas had 22 points and nine boards while free-agent acquisition Alyssa Thomas, the Harrisburg native switching from Connecticut double doubled on the Aces with 14 points and 13 boards.

Las Vegas’ reigning WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson missed her second straight game after suffering a head injury.

Phoenix reserve Sami Whitcomb scored 18, including four from deep, her last one with just over a minute countering the 3-pointer from Jewell Loyd that moved the home team within three points at the 1:37 remaining mark of the fourth period.

Rutgers grad and Philadelphia native Kahleah Copper finally playing following a pre-season knee injury scored 11 points for the Mercury.

Las Vegas had entered the season considered a contender coming off titles in 2022 and 2023 and a semifinal finish to New York last fall.

Phoenix in this one outscored the Aces 28-14 off the bench and mined 22 points off 22 turnovers.

Chelsea Gray had 20 points and 10 boards for Las Vegas, Loyd scored 17 and Jackie Young collected 15.

In the Cup race, the Mercury are now 4-2 while the Aces have fallen to 2-3.

Phoenix, the only team not playing Tuesday night, is at Connecticut at 7 p.m. Wednesday on League Pass.