The Guru’s WNBA Report: Atlanta Ends 1st Place Minnesota’s Perfect Home Streak at 14; Last Place Connecticut Upsets Golden State; Phoenix Over Washington; Las Vegas Tops Dallas

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

To paraphrase a line associated with the NFL and an ensuing movie, on any given day in the WNBA unanticipated things can occur and Sunday in the league’s five-game package a strong dose of such took place.

Right at the top Atlanta went after Minnesota having almost beaten the league’s frontrunner in overtime in an earlier meeting but this time the Dream (15-10) got the job done in an 90-86 victory dealing the Lynx (22-5) their first home loss of the season after a 14-0 start before a Target Center crowd of 8,788 in Minneapolis.

The setback enabled idle New York (17-7) to move within 3.5 games of first and the Liberty can inch another half-game closer Monday night when they travel to 12th-place Dallas (7-19) at 8 p.m. on ESPN ahead of visiting Minnesota Wednesday night at 8 p.m. on ESPN for their first meeting with the Lynx since beating them last October in overtime in the decisive Game 5 of the finals at home in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for their first WNBA crown in the franchise’s then 28-year history matching the length of the league’s existence.

Brittany Griner had her best game of the season scoring 22 points as Atlanta moved into sole possession of fourth place six game out but a half-game ahead of idle Seattle (15-11) and a game behind Phoenix (16-9) which won 88-72 at Washington (12-13) in front of 4,200 fans at CareFirst Arena.

 The Mystics on the second day of a home back-to-back fell alone to eighth in the last playoff spot a half-game behind Las Vegas (13-13) and a half-game in front of expansion Golden State (11-13) which got stunned 95-64 at last-place Connecticut (4-20) in front of a Mohegan Center crowd of 8,294 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville.

Las Vegas was able to take seventh a game behind Indiana (14-12) by winning 106-80 at Dallas which rested No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers in front of 6,251 at the College Park Center on the campus of Texas-Arlington.

Idle Los Angeles on a five-game win streak in 10th place is just a game behind Washington and next hosts Las Vegas Tuesday at 10 p.m. on NBA TV.

The other game Sunday wasn’t surprising in its outcome with Indiana (14-12) winning 93-78 at 11th place Chicago (7-18) to hold sixth a game behind Seattle, which plays Monday’s other game at Connecticut at 7 p.m. on ESPN3, but the crowd size was.

The host Sky had for the second time in the series moved the game from Wintrust Arena to the large United Center, home of the NBA Bulls, expecting the renewal of the collegiate rivalry between former Iowa sensation Caitlin Clark on the visiting Fever and Chicago’s Angel Reese out of LSU with the game airing on ABC.

But 19,601 showed up without neither playing – Clark, the reigning rookie of the year continuing to sit out rehabbing her second groin injury while Reese missed her second straight game with back problems.

A large crowd showed up earlier at the United Center at the beginning of the season when Clark missed that one with a quad injury.

 Minnesota Upset by Atlanta

Technically, this was the Lynx’s second loss in the Target Center having been beaten by Indiana at the beginning of the month in the championship of the Commissioner’s Cup but the only statistic off the regular season involving the game was Minnesota in the tournament between the two intra-conference winners getting the site with a better record.

In this one Atlanta almost let it get away as it had several others, notably a huge meltdown at New York that cost the Dream the East slot to Indiana in the cup championship.

The Dream held an 83-70 lead with three minutes left in regulation when Minnesota rallied to within three points with 11.3 seconds to go on Napheesa Collier’s basket. However, Jordin Canada hit a free throw four seconds later to clinch it.

Collier, the frontrunner to date for MVP honors, scored 32, including 13 in the fourth period, shooting 14-for-18 from the field with with eight boards, seven assists, four steals, and two blocks while Alanna Smith scored 12 for the Lynx, Courtney Williams scored 11 and Natisha Hiedeman scored 10.

The home win streak was fourth longest in WNBA history.

Behind Griner on Atlanta, Canada scored 18, while Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and Allisha Gray each scored 12.

While Minnesota is off until Wednesday’s New York visit, Atlanta hosts Golden State Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. on the WNBA’s streaming League Pass.

Connecticut Stuns Golden State

The Sun, which has been undergoing its worst season after losing five starters and 10 of 12 roster players last winter, looked more like the squad that has consistently made deep playoffs runs while Valkyries looked anything but the team that’s been on a track to make the playoffs its first year in operation.

Connecticut’s Tina Charles scored 24 points, while Bria Hartley and Marina Marbrey each scored 15 as the Sun were hot from the outside with 12 3-pointers and overall shooting 35-for-66 for53% with 14 steals, including six from French rookie Leila Lacan in her sixth game.

Reserve Jacy Sheldon scored 13 as the home team ended their four-game slide mining 34 points off 24 turnovers.

Charles, who played just 19 minutes, reached her 395th game in double figures to land third behind the retired Diana Taurasi (488) and Tina Thompson (404), while it was her 185th 20+ game, second in back of Taurasi (259).

The Valkyries in suffering their worst loss were in their second game after losing All-Star Kayla Thornton to a season-ending injury.

Reserve Illana Rupert scored 13 while Veronica Burton scored 10.

As mentioned, Connecticut in a back-to-back hosts Seattle Monday while Golden State is at Atlanta Tuesday.

Mitchell Paces Indiana Over Chicago

  Though Caitlin Clark remains sidelined having now missed 13 of Indiana’s 26 games plus the Commissioner’s Cup, the All-Star 3-point contest and the game itself of which she with the most fan votes and Minnesota’s Collier in second were team captains, Kelsey Mitchell made up the absence with 35 points fueled by seven made 3-pointers.

In sixth, Indiana is one game behind Seattle, 1.5 behind Atlanta, and 2.5 behind 3rd place Phoenix.

Aliyah Boston added 14 points with 11 boards and six assists as the Fever have dominated Chicago in all three games.

Reserve Makayla Timpson added 14 points while Aari McDonald scored 10.

Indiana scored 31 points off 23 turnovers from Chicago, missing a slew of players from injuries besides Reese.

The Sky’s Rachel Banham nearly matched Mitchell from outside with six makes from deep and finished with 26 points while Kia Nurse scored 14, Rebecca Allen scored 13, and Kamilla Cardoso double doubled with 12 points and 12 boards.

Though Chicago made several rallies, Lexi Hull beat the buzzer going into the final period for a 75-61 lead.

Indiana next hosts Phoenix Wednesday at 7 p.m. on ESPN3 while Chicago visits Washington Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

Phoenix Tops Washington

The visiting Mercury avoided slipping into a tie with fourth place Atlanta as the Mercury gained control in the third quarter.

All-Star Alyssa Thomas out of Harrisburg, playing near her alma mater Maryland, came close to another triple double continuing her first season in Phoenix following a long run with the Sun as she scored 27points, snatched 11 boards, and dealt eight assists.

Satou Sabally, also a voted All-Star, but was injured, added 15 points, while Kitija Laksa and rookie Monique Akoa Makaniboth scored 13, and Natasha Mack scored 10.

Washington’s Shakira Austin scored 20 while Jade Melborne and rookie Sonia Citron each scored 13.

The Mystics made it a contest in the first half and led 46-42 at the break.

Washington hosts Chicago Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. while Phoenix visits Indiana Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Las Vegas Cruises Past Dallas

A game switch by Becky Hammon helped the Aces behind Jackie Young scoring 24 points as Jewell Loyd in her first season since coming from Seattle went to the bench and scored 20 points while inserted starter Kierstan Bell had a career-high 19 points in beating the Wings.

‘Vegas had a season-best 15 from deep.

In snapping a two-game losing streak, the Aces got 14 points, 10 boards, and seven assists from reigning MVP A’ja Wilson and NaLyssa Smith scored 11.

Dallas’ Arike Ogunbowale scored 18, Haley Jones scored 15, DiJonai Carrington scored 14, and Teaira McCowan double doubled with 12 points and 13 boards.

Villanova graduate Maddy Siegrist, the third pick of the 2023 draft, remains sidelined from an injury early in the season.

The Wings stayed in it early tied 27-27 after one quarter.

Though Dallas maintained ball control with 12 turnovers, Las Vegas got 26 points as Hammon got her 100th win, the third fastest at 142 games.

New York’s Sandy Brondello, whose team is meeting Dallas in the second of the Wings’ back-to-back Monday night, picked up her 300th win last week, including a long stint with Phoenix.