The Guru’s WNBA Playoff Roundup: Cloud Helps New York Take Home Advantage From Phoenix; Easy Wins for Minnesota, Las Vegas, and Atlanta

 By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

The defending champion and fifth seeded New York Liberty were involved in all the drama that existed in what was an otherwise blowout Sunday afternoon and night, ousting fourth seeded Phoenix from its driver seat in a tightly contested 76-69 victory in overtime before a disappointed Mercury crowd of 10,095 in PHX Arena in the Southwest to take the home court advantage back to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn  in the best-of-three series as the WNBA playoffs got under way with all four games in the opening round.

The two teams, who were tied for fourth in the final standings, next meet Wednesday at 8 p.m. on ESPN, which is airing all four Game 2 action.

Elsewhere, eighth seeded Golden State, the first expansion team to make the postseason in the WNBA’s 29-year history, challenged top-seeded Minnesota with a 28-21 first quarter and then the Lynx repeated their runaway finish on top of the standings outscoring the Valkyries 26-12 in the next quarter and keeping the foot on the gas the rest of the way to a 101-72 victory before a Target Center crowd of 8,821 in Minneapolis.

That series also resumes Wednesday, though instead of at the Chase Center that saw all 22 Golden State home games that featured a season-long sellout of 18,064 in San Francisco, Game 2 will be played further south in the Bay Area at the SAP Center in San Jose due to a scheduling conflict when the shared NBA home of the Warriors was booked long before  Golden State became the first expansion team since Atlanta joined the league.

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, the former La Salle star from South Jersey, with the win eclipsed former Connecticut and Washington coach Mike Thibault for most combined regular season and playoff WNBA wins at 414.

Thibault’s son Eric, who had succeeded his dad but was let go after last season, is an assistant on Reeve’s staff.

Atlanta, which tied for second with Las Vegas four games behind Minnesota but fell to the third seed, got the day’s lineup started, falling behind sixth seeded Indiana 21-18 in the first ten minutes before rallying over the Fever by ten points in the second quarter and staying ahead the rest of the way for an 80-68 victory in front of a crowd 3,800 in the Dream’s small home Gateway Center in suburban College Park.

Game 2 is Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. at Indiana’s Gainbridge Fieldhouse that’s also the NBA home of the Indianapolis Pacers.

In the day’s final action second-seeded Las Vegas made it 17 straight continuing the season ending winning streak with a 102-77 victory over seventh-seeded Seattle leading all the way before a crowd of 10,407 at Michelob ULTRA Arena though in the second half the Storm played to within four points and a point of the Aces in the two quarters.

Game 2 in this series is Tuesday night at 9:30 p.m. in Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.

Cloud Brings Sunshine to New York in Win at Phoenix

Saint Joseph’s graduate Natasha Cloud, the Cardinal O’Hara alum out of Broomall in suburban Philadelphia, scored 23 points, including a tie-breaking shot from deep with 4:09 left in overtime, against her former team of last season, to help New York negate the 3-1 season series loss that enabled the Mercury begin at home.

Cloud, whose pro career had previously been with Washington, including the 2019 championship, was initially traded to Connecticut last winter until a month later her dream was fulfilled when she dealt by the Sun to the Liberty, within two hours away from her hometown.

She also had six boards, five assists and four steals besides harassing Kahleah Copper, her former teammate, on defense.

“I love it,” Cloud said. “People, I think, a lot of times the s-t-talking on the court is hostile, whatever, it makes the game better. It entertains y’all better, as well, as competitors, as dogs, like me and Kah are from Philly, we're going to go head-to-head.

“… We're competitors on the court we're going to go at each other, but my love and my respect has always been there for Kah.

“I thrive in these moments because as a competitor, as a dog, these are the moments you dream about.”

Two-time MVP Breanna Stewart added 18 points but within a week of the Liberty becoming fully healthy for the first time since early in the season when New York got off to a franchise-best 9-0 start, Stewart has given the team a new cause for concern with 3:01 left in the overtime when the four-time NCAA most outstanding player in UConn’s string of four national champions scored on an add-one play and went down grabbing her left knee.

She stayed in the game but missed the ensuing foul shot and left within a minute later without returning to the action.

Stewart missed late July and most of August with a bone bruise on her right knee.

Liberty coach Sandy Brondello, who guided the Mercury to a past championship and in 2021 a runner-up finish to Chicago, had no update on Stewart’s condition afterwards.

Sabrina Ionescu added 16 points with seven assists and six rebounds for the visitors while Leonie Fiebich scored 10 with six boards and Jonquel Jones, last season’s Finals MVP, grabbed 12 rebounds with her seven points.

“We looked around and we’ve been in that position before,” Ionescu said of going into the overtime. “It’s just understanding how much important overtime is and we have another gear to get to and I’m just really proud we stuck together and weathered the runs and ultimately found a way to win.”

“We realized it was winning time, obviously,” Jones said. “We had another opportunity to walk out of here winning Game 1 and everybody locked in, and we were able to do it.”

The Mercury’s Copper, out of North Philadelphia and Rutgers, scored 15 points, while Maryland grad Alyssa Thomas out of Harrisburg nearly added another triple double to her league leading collection with 14 points, nine boards and eight assists.

DeWanna Bonner had 12 points off the bench, shooting 5-7 from the field, Satou Sabally had nine points and eight boards, and rookie Monique Akoa Makani scored eight points.

The Liberty overcame 14 of 20 turnovers in the second half.

“Very physical game,” Brondello said. “It was very hard to get from A to B. In the end, our resiliency paid off and what you said about experience, and we made some shots and defensively, we hung our hat on that, which you have to do in the playoffs and we rebounded very well, so two good things we worked on going into this game.”

Cloud’s 3-pointer in the overtime set off an 8-0 run from New York.

“I know who I am in these moments,” Cloud said. “When these bright lights come on, I’m a f-ing dog, and when I say that I mean that shit.”

Brondello said of Cloud, “She knows what she needs to do to come out to help us win,” she said. “She was massive tonight at both ends of the ball. She had to guard Copper down the other end, but she made some really timely shots, and she controlled the game.”

Thomas in regulation found Copper for two and a 65-63 lead with 1:44 left on the clock but Stewart came right back 13 seconds later with a bucket that sent the game into overtime after both teams missed go-ahead shots in the last half-minute.

“There was a lot of missed shots to be had, I don’t think we got out rebounded (48-31) like this all year,’’ Phoenix first year coach Nate Tibbetts said. "They did a good job on the glass. We’ll do a good job in game 2.

“What I saw was really good defense, what I saw was two high level teams that competed at a high level and we had a chance to win the game.”

Of Cloud, he said,  “Obviously she she made shots, she's kind of done this traditionally in her career, she steps up in the playoffs, and tip the hat to her, she she had a hell of a game today, she was 9 for 12 and we'll take a look at the film and and see what we can do better.”

Brondello was looking to avoid going back to Phoenix Friday to break what would be a 1-1 tie to advance.

“We have the advantage,” she said. “We won on their home court and now the advantage is for us to take care of it. This is an experienced team, and we've been here before. We know what our goal is, and we want to keep playing.”

Collier Leads Minnesota Over Golden State

By the order of Sunday’s schedule, the Lynx got to make the first move in a looming semifinals collision between Minnesota and New York, who met in last season's finals, won by the Liberty at the end of overtime in decisive Game 5 in Brooklyn to take the series 3-2 for the franchise’s first title in its 28-year history, which came besides criticism from the visitors of the officiating down the stretch.

But though once the pairings were set, it was apparent what looms, the first order of business for Minnesota is the rookie team from the West that has rocketed to the most financially valued of the 13 in the WNBA.

The Lynx, with four WNBA titles achieved in the last decade resulting in retired stars Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles being inducted to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame last weekend, had no desire to be victims of beginners’ luck from the Valkyries.

Napheesa Collier, runner-up to Las Vegas’ A’ja Wilson for the Associated Press MVP award, was 7-11 from the field with a make from deep, and a perfect 5-5 on the line scoring 20 points to lead four other Minnesota teammates also in double figures to capture the series opener.

Natisha Hiedeman hit two from distance and finished with 18 points for the Lynx, Kayla McBride scored 17 points, Jessica Shepard had 12 points and eight boards, and Courtney Williams scored 11 with four steals.

‘We were twisted early,” Minnesota’s Reeve said of the Golden State start. “We settled in. Found our footing. Thought our post players were terrific. We weren’t perfect but we were locked in on some of the schemes we were trying to get done.”

Veronica Burton and Cecilia Zandalasini each scored 14 for Golden State while Burton added seven helpers and three steals but also has seven of the Valkyries’ 16 turnovers.

Janelle Salaun added 13 points with eight rebounds and Temi Fagbenle scored 12 before fouling out.

After the Valkyries took the opening quarter 28-21, propelled by an 11-4 start, McBride scored twice to launch a 12-3 run at the outset of the next period to go ahead 33-31 and expand the lead to 47-39 at the half in the physical game.

It got to double digits for the home team early in the third and stayed there the rest of the way.

Afterwards, Golden State’s Natalie Nakase, voted AP coach of the year, put her two cents on the officiating.

“When Iliana Rupert is trying to fight for the rebound and she's getting called for a foul on a rebound, it takes our aggression away, and that's where I'm not OK with it,” Nakase said. “I want a fair fight, I really do. I want a clean fight, but I love the fact that both teams are playing their hearts out. They're fighting. But I would like it to be fair.”

Golden State lost all four games to Minnesota during the season including the last one Thursday at the Target Center that dropped the Valkyries from sixth to eighth in the final standings causing them to stay in town to open the postseason.

Wilson Leads Las Vegas Rout of Seattle

Reigning MVP A’ja Wilson led Las Vegas to its 17th straight win, one short of the league record set by the 2001 champion Los Angeles Sparks, though their 18 wins came in the confines of the regular season.

Jackie Young added 18 points for the winners with seven assists, five rebounds, and four steals, while Jewell Loyd had 14 points, Dana Evans scored 13, and NaLyssa Smith had 11 points and nine rebounds.

“It's the first to nine wins, so that's how we want to approach it,” said Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon in terms of the chase for their third championship.

 The Aces won back-to-back titles in 2022 and two 2023 and fell last season in the semifinals to eventual champion New York but started this season in the wake of several key personnel changes struggling just to stay in the playoff race culminating in a 53-point home loss to Minnesota.

 Las Vegas hasn't lost since.

 “You guys celebrate this more than we do,” Wilson said, referencing the streak. “The streak stopped in the regular season.”

 Wilson and the trio of hall of Famers Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, and Lauren Jackson are the only players to win the formal WNBA MVP, voted by a national media panel, three times.

 Wilson just won the AP award while the one for the formal WNBA honor will be announced in a week.

 Wilson has appeared in 11 straight playoff games with at least 15 points and five boards, which ties Leslie for the second longest such streak in WNBA history, according to ESPN stats and research.

Seattle’s Gabby Williams scored 16 points, French rookie Dominique Malonga, taken second overall last April, had a double double 12 points and 11 boards, Skylar Diggins scored 12, and Nneka Ogwumike scored 11 points.

Loyd, traded by Seattle, after a decade with the Storm, to Las Vegas, scored seven points while Wilson scored six in a 17-7 opening run to put the Aces ahead to stay.

The Aces were 51% from the field on 36-of-71 attempts, 14-for-29 for 48% shooting 3-pointers and dealt 23 assists.

“You're at home, you're sleeping in your bed, you have the fans there and more familiarity with your routine,” Ogwumike said of returning to Seattle. “But at the end of the day, a game is going to be played and there's teams that are looking to advance.

“As much energy and as much as our fans deserve for us to play well and win in front of them, we have to figure out how to do it, no matter what. That's going to be the test on Tuesday.”

 “(Coach Noelle Quinn) message to us was just the reminder that it's a series,” said Williams. “It's one game and we still have another day to live.

 “They obviously played great and have been playing great for the last how many games. Tonight, there were a lot of things that we could control, our turnovers especially,” Williams continued. “Sometimes, the best defense is offense, and us taking care of the ball and taking correct shots.”

Malonga was the first rookie in Storm history to get a double double in the postseason.

 “We're going to need Dom’s points,” Quinn said. “I think she was one for six at one point of the game. Then she found some rhythm and saw some shots go through.

“It was good to see her settle into the game in the second half. We're going to need that effort on Tuesday.”

Gray and Howard Power Atlanta Over Indiana

Considering the loss of five players for the season, including reigning Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clarke, who only made 13 appearances and had been sideline since July 15th, Indiana would be a strong candidate for simply a participation award just to make it into the playoffs.

But none exist so one must make do with what one has.

 Atlanta had more on Sunday, especially Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard, who each scored 20 points to lead Atlanta to an opening victory and is now looking to finish the job on Tuesday when the series moves to Indianapolis.

Naz Hillmon, the AP Sixth Person of the Year, added 16 points and 9 rebounds with the Dream.

 The home folks hit the half leading 47-40, forcing the fever to play catch up the rest of the way.

 Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell scored 27, Odyssey Sims scored 10 points, while Aliyah Boston grabbed 12 boards to go with her eight points and five assists.

With 3:32 left in the game Mitchell's foul shot got Indiana within 10 points, but Hillmon struck back with a three-point play and the Dream stayed well ahead the rest of the way.

 Atlanta doubled its win total from last year when New York started its title run dispatching the Dream in the first round.

They broke the franchise record for season wins at 30 and finished with their highest win percentage in history at .682.

Indiana took a 15-6 lead with under 5 minutes left in the first period after Mitchell connected on a fast break shot from beyond the arc to complete a 9-0 run, but Atlanta owned the game the rest of the way.

Atlanta first-year coach Karl Smesko said the sights were set on a championship soon after he was plucked at the outset of the NCAA season from a longtime run at Florida Gulf Coast University.

“ We went into the first meeting, and we made it clear that we had really high goals,” he said. “This wasn't going to be a year that we were going to be satisfied with everybody telling us that, ‘wow, you really improved over last year,’ that's not what we are trying to do. “We're trying to be the best team in the league. We're trying to win the championship, and we are all aware how hard that is, because everybody's trying for that, but we weren't going to let a year go by where we didn't go for it.”