The Guru’s WNBA Roundup: Indiana Tops Chicago Despite Short Roster; Golden State Takes 8th and Series From L.A.

 By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

Indiana (18-14) survived an injury-riddled roster Saturday night in one of two games on the WNBA schedule beating visiting Chicago 92-70 at home before a crowd of 17,274 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis and a nationwide TV audience on CBS to hold fifth two games behind Atlanta (19-11) and Phoenix (19-11) who meet each other Sunday while the Fever also cling a half-game in front of Las Vegas (17-14).

The Sky (8-23) off the loss fell to an 11th-place tie with Dallas just two above Connecticut at the bottom.

The other game that at the outset featured two teams tied at the eighth place cut off for the playoff field saw expansion Golden State (15-15) apply the brakes to surging Los Angeles (14-16) winning at home 72-59 continuing a season-long sellout 18,064 at the Chase Center in San Francisco.

The regular season ends Sept. 11.

Mitchell Paces Indiana

While reigning rookie of the year Caitlin Clark missed her ninth straight game at Indiana with her second groin injury after having an injury-free collegiate career at Iowa and her WNBA debut season, the Fever were without a healthy guard – missing Sydney Colson (ACL) and recent signee Aari McDonald (broken foot), who both suffered season-ending injuries Thursday in the loss at Phoenix.

Both had to miss Saturday’s game under WNBA rules before being able to sign a replacement to a hardship contract.

Fortunately, Chicago, with their own deficiencies, was the opponent and the Fever now are expected to acquire a player ahead of Tuesday’s visit from Dallas.

Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana with 26 points and former Stanford standout Lexie Hull, inserted as a starter, scored 17, while Sophie Cunningham scored 10 of her 16 in the first half, and Aliyah Boston scored 15.

“It feels good to see the ball go in the net, but every game, regardless, you’re making shots, you’re not, it feels really, really, good, to have your teammates behind you and I definitely feel that every day,” Hull said. “It was fun today.”

Clark last played July 15, two games ahead of the All-Star break, against Connecticut in Boston when she aggravated an earlier groin injury that was in addition to a quad injury that had her out of action for a bunch of games in the front end of the season.

There’s no timetable for Clark’s return, coach Stephanie White recently saying when her star player is 100 percent.

This game was another billed as a rivalry attraction featuring Clark and second-year pro Angel Reese dating to their Iowa-LSU showdowns in two NCAA tournaments that accelerated women’s basketball to booming TV ratings and attendance.

Two Chicago hosted games in the series were moved to the United Center to accommodate a larger crowd, but Clark did not appear in either game while Reese missed the recent one, not playing now five straight games and just twice since the All-Star break with a back injury.

Indiana cobbled a 48-37 halftime lead and then raced to an 8-0 run at the outset of the third and was never threatened the rest of the way.

Mitchell and Hull each had four makes from distance combing 8-14 on the attempts.

Chicago’s Rachel Banham scored 11 while reserve Maddy Westbeld scored 10.

Chicago’s next game is at Connecticut Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Golden State Bests Los Angeles in Race for Playoff Berths

Overall, beyond the gap between Minnesota and everyone else, nine teams are hunting seven playoff spots with the upper squads also targeting home-court advantage and a crunch below contesting to just make the field.

That latter was the neighborhood where the expansion Valkyries hosted the Sparks trying to be the first franchise to qualify for the playoffs in their debut season.

Veronica Burton scored 16 for Golden State while Cecilia Zandalasini scored all 14 before the half, and Janelle Salaun had 11 points and eight boards.

Zandalasini only took one shot, which didn’t connect, in the second half after shooting 5-6 from the field across the first two quarters and 4-5 on 3-point attempts.

Defense has been the name of the game for the Valkyries, who lost leading scorer Kayla Thornton last month to a season-ending injury.

“We talked about the stakes,” Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said. “But we also talked about what we’re in control of and that’s our energy.

“And that’s our communication, we felt it's been lacking, especially these last two games, we said ‘we have to be loud, we have to be connected.’ People are trying to pick our defense apart, because we’re a top defensive team, so not only do we have to communicate, but we also have to be connected on every layer.

“I thought we did a great job tonight.”

Said Sparks coach Lynne Roberts about what factored in the loss, “Well, it's two things, right? We had the same amount of field goal attempts as them, so it wasn't a possession game. It was a shot-making game, and there's two [reasons] for that.

“One, you have to give their defense credit. They did a really good job making us a little rushed. As I said before the game, they play so hard. So that's one, you have to give their defense credit for the game plan and being ready to get after us,” she continued.

“And two, we just didn't hit shots like we normally have been. I don't think we took bad shots, we got to the bucket a little more in the second half. We were more aggressive, we found ways at halftime to work on how to get the ball into the paint and score, but we still didn't shoot it from three well.

“And that happens sometimes, there's games like that. Unfortunately, it was tonight, so I think we had an off-shooting night from three, and you gotta give their defense credit.”

 Los Angeles’ best production came from Dearica Hamby with 15 points while Julie Allemand and reserve Rae Burrell each scored 10 points.

 

The Sparks were held to nine in the second quarter and trailed 33-23 at the half.

Los Angeles rallied within three, but Golden State reeled of a 12-5 start to the fourth and gained an all-important 3-1 series win.

“I think their game plan was to pack the paint and make us shoot outside shots,” Hamby said. “[We] couldn't really find confidence like we normally do. We couldn't get to the basket and hit kickout threes, and it just became mental for us after that.”

The Sparks on a back-to-back host seventh place Seattle (16-15) at 8 p.m. Sunday, one of five games, while Golden State in the only game Monday hosts Connecticut at 10 p.m.

“This stretch, we have three games in five days,” Roberts said. “That's hard, and I think we play five games in eight days.

“But that's what this league is, and no one's gonna feel sorry for us, including myself. That's the beauty, and I've said it all season – whether you win or lose, you don't have time to either enjoy it or feel sorry for yourself,” she continued.

“You gotta get back up and fight, and so, [I’m] looking forward to getting on the plane, and getting back home. [I] hope these guys can recover as much as possible. The minutes were pretty well-distributed tonight, so that's good. We can re-attack tomorrow and play a really good Storm team.”

Showdown Sunday

In the two main attractions, the second 1-2 duel between Minnesota (26-5) and defending champion New York (20-10), which is 5.5 behind the Lynx, tips at 12:30 p.m. on ABC/ESPN+ at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Minnesota won the first meeting July 30 at home, and this is the first in Brooklyn since New York last October won the Decisive Game 5 at the finish in overtime for the Liberty’s first title in 28-years of existence dating to the WNBA’s inaugural summer in 1997.

The Lynx are actually playing the first of three straight against New York, which will see other teams across the same span.

The next meeting is Saturday in Minneapolis while the teams return to Brooklyn the following Tuesday.

The Liberty are just a game ahead of visiting Atlanta and Phoenix, who meet at 6 p.m. on NBA TV.

Los Angeles is 1.5 behind seventh-place Seattle, who the Sparks beat on the road 108-106 in double overtime last Saturday, while the Storm is a game behind ~Las Vegas (17-14), which hosts Connecticut at 9 p.m. on NBA TV.

In the other game, 10th place Washington (13-17), which has lost four straight, is a game behind Los Angeles and two behind Golden State heading to Dallas at 4 p.m. on CBSSN.