Mateo’s Hoop Diary: The Aces’ airtight defense crushed the Liberty in Game 3

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The Aces will leave to deal another day. A’ja Wilson carried her squad to the finish line, and the defensive pressure- blitzing Sabrina Ionescu and suffocating the 3-point line- zapped the visitors in the second half. 

 

Wilson didn’t allow the Liberty’s protection to put a lid on her game early. She came out converting a pick-and-pop jumper, assaulting the rim and splashing a top-of-the-key tray. 

 

On the other side, Breanna Stewart rattled off three consecutive baskets. And Jones burst into the paint from the top to the cup for a layup and downed a corner triple. 

 

In frame two, Plum added seven digits, pulling up in the corner and maneuvering to the hole twice. Wilson disrupted two close-range attempts for Stewart and scored on a gorgeous feed from Chelsea Gray on a pick-and-roll set, plus logged a bucket from the dunker spot. 

 

At halftime, the Aces were up 52-49. Additionally, the squad had 20 paint points, nine on the break, seven on extra tries, three off turnovers and eight from the bench.

 

The Liberty accumulated 18 interior marks, eight in the open court, six via second chances, two off turnovers and 16 from the reserves.  Ionescu was held scoreless on four attempts.

 

Then the hosts crushed the guests, making them play mostly from the outside and forced seven turnovers. Only two of 14 field goals were allowed in the third quarter. Alysha Clark bothered Stewart’s jumper on time on the perimeter and in the post. The defense closed in quickly on offensive rebounds. And the passing lanes were as secure as Fort Knox.

 

The contributions on offense were overkill. Plum followed up with two trifectas and dribbled left by Leonie Fiebich from the top to the cup for a layup. And Wilson nailed a step-back jumper over Jonquel Jones plus spun out of a post up at the elbow for a catch and score under the rim. 

 

The fourth quarter started with the champs ahead 73-55.

 

Yet the rest of the match was a formality as no Liberty player logged more than six minutes.

 

The Aces won 95-81. The team picked up 42 paint points, eight on the break, 12 via second chances, 13 off turnovers and 17 from the bench. 

 

Wilson had 19 points on eight of 14 attempts, with 14 rebounds, three assists, one block and three giveaways. Young put up 24 marks on 56% accuracy, with six rebounds, four assists and one turnover. And Plum dropped 20 points on seven of 11 makes, with one steal and one turnover. 

 

The Liberty finished with 28 interior digits, 13 in the open court, 12 on spare tries, six off turnovers and 21 from the reserves. 

 

Stewart had 19 points on seven of 17 shots, with six boards and one dime. Nobody else took more than eight looks. Ionescu scored four points on one of seven attempts, with five rebounds, five assists and five giveaways. Jones totaled 11 points 50% accuracy, with six rebounds, one assist, one block and two turnovers. And Fiebich had 10 points on four of eight makes, with four rebounds and two assists.

 

Wilson handled the on-court interview. She said, “We got to sustain this. This is just one game…”

 

The series is 2-1 in favor of the Liberty. No team in WNBA history has come back in a series after losing the first two.



Sabrina Ionescu’s takeover leads the Liberty to a 2-0 lead versus the defending champions

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The  Las Vegas Aces’ first-quarter burst included 10 field goals scored on nine assists. Yet, Chelsea Gray’s multiple catch-and-shoot trays, drive through the center and mid-range pull-up, and Alysha Clark’s three 3-pointers only amounted to a five-point advantage, partly because of poor ball protection and getting outrebounded. The Aces’ first bad omen was Kelsey Plum picking up two fouls in fewer than two minutes. 

 

The hosts’ defense forced three turnovers (two via steals) that turned into four marks.  Additionally, Courtney Vandersloot woke the team up like smelling salts, supplying seven bench points. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton canned two triples. And Breanna Stewart cut through the middle of a horns set for a jumper and scored on a pick-and-roll with Jones, making a floater in the paint.

 

Then it got ugly for the visiting champions. The Liberty outscored them 24-13 in the second quarter. Plum was getting worked on defense and could barely buy a basket. Gray wasn’t getting separation and was slow to contest. 

 

On the other side, Sabrina Ionescu flared into two triples- one at the top of the key and one in the corner. And Kayla Thorton was immaculate on four tries.

 

The Liberty led at halftime 46-40, with a slight rebound advantage and committed three fewer turnovers. On top of that, the crew had 28 paint points, 10 on the break, seven via second chances, 20 off turnovers and 16 from the bench.

 

The Aces had 10 interior marks, three in the open court, 11 on extra attempts, nine off turnovers and seven from the reserves.

 

Subsequently, Jackie Young came out of the break downing three 3-pointers. A’ja Wilson scored in transition and used a stagger screen to curl to the left elbow for a jumper. 

 

Yet, the counter was Jonquel Jones, Ionescu and Vandersloot combining for six of 10 baskets. Stewart dribbled past Young on the baseline for a layup and made two freebies, too. 

 

The fourth quarter started with the Liberty ahead by seven. Plum was benched and played four minutes to close.

 

Wilson erupted, making six of the Aces’ seven field goals of the period. Three of them came against Jones. 

 

For the hosts, Jones splashed a tray. And Ionescu used handoffs to get down to the right and left interior thrice for baskets and hit a mid-range pull-up in Wilson’s face to take a two-point lead with 75 seconds left.

 

Next, the Liberty had the Aces on life support in the last 10 seconds with a four-point lead. Out of a timeout, Wilson caught in the post, didn’t look to pass and took a two-point shot when her team badly needed a three. Had one been successful, it would’ve cut the deficit to one. And in that hypothetical situation, if the Aces failed to steal the inbound, they’d likely be down three digits after the opponents’ free throws. And with a chance to tie.

 

Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon should have instructed her players on that, but didn’t until they got the ball back, with a four-point deficit and five seconds left. 

 

The Liberty won 88-84. The squad had 44 paint points, 12 on the break, 11 via second chances, 22 off turnovers and 21 from the bench.

 

Ionescu totaled 24 digits on nine of 18 looks, with nine assists, five rebounds, one steal, one block and two turnovers. Stewart added 15 points on 33.3% shooting, with seven rebounds, eight assists, one steal and three turnovers. And Jones put up 14 marks on five of eight tries, with eight rebounds, four dimes and three giveaways. 

 

The Aces had 24 interior marks, 10 in the open court, 18 on extra attempts, 14 off turnovers and 10 from the reserves. 

 

Wilson had 24 points on 11 of 18 field goals, with seven boards, four assists and one steal. Young dropped 17 points on 38.5% accuracy, with six rebounds, three dimes, two blocks and two turnovers. 

 

Ionescu handled the on-court interview. She said, “We were resilient the whole game. We understood how important this game was. We came out with the right mindset and continued to chip away. This win was huge for us.”

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: The Liberty held off the Aces in Game 1

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The Liberty’s superior 3-point shooting, rebounding and defense at the outside and up close, decided Game 1. Jonquel Jones was attracting extra help near the basket. And Sabrina Ionescu plus Breanna Stewart garroted the champs, getting anything they wanted all over the floor.

 

Early, Stewart scored on a baseline cut and fastbreak layup. Then she made New York’s last three shots of the period: a catch-and-shoot triple at the top, used a horns set’s right avenue to dribble to the hole and nailed a jumper at the nail. 

 

Ionescu capitalized in transition following Betnijah Laney-Hamilton’s steal, curled into a breakdown on the left side for a scoop and buried a pull-up tray in A’ja Wison’s eye.

 

Defensively, The Liberty were slow to blow up the pull-up shot from Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Wilson. Yet, they held the Aces to three of nine makes to close the frame in the last four minutes.

 

Next, the hosts’ 3-point protection was unrelenting. The Aces snipers saw a hand bothering almost every attempt and drained one of six behind the arc.

 

The offense slowed down, but it eventually exposed the cracks in Las Vegas’ security. Stewart got down to the rim on a face-up, making a layup on the right, used a double screen to find space, and buried a mid-range jumper, plus canned a fader over Gray, taking a 12-point lead in the last 36 seconds of the half.

 

At intermission, the Liberty were up 48-38, with an edge on the glass of four and had taken four extra free throws. The crew had 24 paint points, seven on the break, four via second chances, seven off turnovers and five from the bench.

 

The Aces had 16 interior marks, none in the open court, three on spare tries, eight off turnovers and seven from the reserves.

 

Subsequently, Plum came out of the break blazing, being the lone scorer for her team for over half the interval. She got to the rim from the top using Wilson’s handoff and isolated Ionescu twice for layups, including euro-stepping past her and burying two 3-pointers. Yet, her efforts resembled a fighter who connects on the hard right hand but instantly takes a combo to the face. Spike Lee even talked trash to her from courtside.

 

On the other side, Ionescu beat everyone on the break following Kennedy Burke’s steal and dribbled around a trap on the right side for a three-foot shot. And Stewart made the free throw line her home, making five of six.

 

The fourth quarter started with the hosts up 71-62.

 

Defensively, the squad forced the champs into difficult, contested looks from deep, allowing one of five. Length neutralized Plum, and Wilson didn’t make a fourth-quarter bucket until the game was out of reach.

 

On the attack, Ionescu opened the frame on a coast-to-coast drive plus punished Wilson and Jackie Young for sagging away from long range. And Stewart drained in three paint baskets to close.

 

The Liberty won 87-77. They had a nine-rebound advantage and attempted eight extra freebies. Furthermore, the team totaled 42 paint points, 16 on the break, 11 via second chances, 11 off turnovers and nine from the bench.

 

Stewart racked up 34 marks on 63.2% accuracy, with five rebounds, four assists, two steals, one block and four turnovers. Ionescu added 21 points on nine of 15 looks, with four rebounds, five assists, two steals, one block and three turnovers. And Jones logged 13 points, making four of 10 shots, with 12 rebounds, two assists, one steal, one block and four turnovers.

 

The Aces put up 38 interior digits, six in the open court, seven on spare tries, 15 off turnovers and 11 from the reserves.  

 

Plum amassed 24 points on nine of 17 ventures, with two rebounds, four assists and three giveaways. Wilson had 21 points on 56.3% shooting, with six rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two turnovers. And Young had 17 marks on six of 16 tries, with two rebounds, two assists and two steals.

 

After the game, Stewart said, “We’re hungry… We’re going to be ready on Tuesday” for Game 2.

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Aaron Gordon is perfect for Team USA basketball and Russell Westbrook’s impact on the Nuggets

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Aaron Gordon revealed that he didn’t get a call to join Team USA basketball at Nuggets media day.

 

“There was a little bit of salt there,” Gordon said. 

 

Team USA doesn’t always need a star to take up a spot. Most of the elite haven’t been role players for a lot of years or never were. It’s hard for some ballers to flip the switch to getting fewer touches and being expected to screen and play the best defense they ever have. 

 

Gordon will be just shy of turning 33 when the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics start. If he maintains his level of play, he’ll be a great option for the team. 

 

Versatility is vital in international competition. AG is a top-tier athlete at 6-foot-9 and jacked to the gills. His switch ability on defense, off-ball movement and IQ are winning assets to any squad. On top of that, he can play small-ball center because he overpowers mismatches at close range and runs the floor quickly- Team USA can use this in lineups built for speed. 

 

The Nuggets forward was the top defender in the 2023 Playoffs. He guarded Kevin Durant for 2.5 hours in the semis, holding him to 37.7% shooting. In round one, he held Karl-Anthony Towns to 35.7% of field goals in 80 minutes. Jimmy Butler was checked for 127 minutes in the Finals, logging 44% of shots, per NBA Stats.

 

Offseason work

 

Polishing his 3-point shooting was a priority. He shot 29.8% on 1.3 catch-and-shoot trays during the last regular season and 44% on 2.2 tries in the Playoffs.

 

If Gordon can maintain his Playoff split during the regular campaign, opponents can’t sag off to disrupt his drive as often. If they do, he must make them pay for jamming the Nuggets’ offense with a jumper or set up a quick handoff to the closest teammate to attack the space. 

 

Guarding him closer will also make beating a defender off the dribble easier after the catch. 

 

Russell Westbrook’s impact  

 

Bringing in a former MVP and one of two players in NBA history to average a triple-double as a sixth man or spot starter is a big deal. Keep in mind that such a statistical achievement has been logged five times; he has four of them and always demonstrates an excellent work ethic despite his role. Westbrook will turn 36 years old on Nov. 12.

 

The team’s culture and the hunt to win a championship attracted him to the organization over the summer. “I’m always, at this stage of my career, always looking to play the right way, regardless of the wins and losses,” he said. 

 

Opponents will try to scheme out Westbrook by making him take jumpers. Maximizing fast break opportunities by turning into the Showtime Nuggets with him playing is a solution to avoiding the sag. Off-ball screening will also have to be sharper than ever in the half-court so he can capitalize on cuts and openings through the middle via flares and staggers.

 

In 2023-24, most of Westbrook’s scores were assisted by James Harden (33) and Paul George (29). He’ll have an easier time getting open playing next to Nikola Jokić because the reigning MVP commands more attention from the elbow down than Harden and George. So, Westbrook will have more wing and baseline avenues available. 

 

Also, the Nuggets could successfully run inverted pick-and-roll sets with him and Joker. It will be difficult to stop his speed after the screen as he operates as a wideout, trying to explode after the catch.  

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Connecticut Sun outlast the Fever and will advance to round two

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The first changes from Game 1: Temi Fagbenle started for the Indiana Fever instead of NaLyssa Smith; Marina Mabrey was inserted for Tyasha Harris, who hurt her right ankle.

 

The Fever stunned the Sun early, scoring on the break. 

 

But like an experienced prize fighter absorbing an early flurry, the Sun regained control by giving multiple looks to Caitlin Clark on defense- DeWanna Bonner, DiJonai Carrington and Marina Mabrey. On offense, Alyssa Thomas established the pace with her outlet passes and taking the rock up the court to score herself. 

 

Then the game’s physicality kicked up about 20 to 30° in the second quarter. Erica Wheeler undercut Carrington while going for a steal. And Clark bumped Mabrey out of bounds. 

 

As the period went on, Clark maneuvered around Veronica Burton in the press twice for a basket and scored with the help of Damiris Dantas’ drag screen and delivered a sweet arcing pass to Aliyah Boston cutting into the lane for a layup. Boston tallied two more baskets as well- a fadeaway on the baseline and a driving scoop around Brionna Jones.

 

But the hosts were sharper despite making one of six trays. Thomas collected six dimes on hit-ahead passes in transition and to the cutters in the half-court.

 

At halftime, the Sun led 41-34. They racked up 22 paint points, six on the break, nine via second chances, four off turnovers and 12 from the bench. 

 

The Fever had 18 interior marks, 11 on the break, two on extra tries, one off turnovers and two from the reserves.

 

Next, Clark responded. She got blitzed and kicked it to Lexie Hull for a wing triple, set up a roll for Boston, dashed by Mabrey plus Jones for a close scoop and notched a basket in transition. 

 

Mitchell connected on a wing 3-pointer and flicked an outlet pass to Hull on the break, giving the Fever a lead for 17 seconds.

 

At that point, Thomas took over the interval. She was like a ball and chain destroying a building, as defenders couldn’t contain her from pouring in baskets in the paint and downing one shot at the nail.  

 

The fourth quarter started with the Sun above 68-57.

 

The Fever pushed the pace, generating seven more field goal attempts than their hosts. Fagbenle converted four of five shots in the restricted area and wing. And the group cut the deficit to one. 

 

But Bonner canned a tray, bringing the deficit back to four.

 

The Fever subsequently made the worst mistake of the game. Fagbenle fouled Carrington, putting her on the line, where she made both. The Fever had to guard that possession, make a quick triple and likely down another after fouling the inbound if they couldn’t steal. There should have been better instruction from coach Christie Sides.

 

The Fever flatlined on the next possession. Needing a 3-pointer, Mitchell dribbled to the hole, missing. 

 

The Sun won 87-81 and will advance to round two to play the Minnesota Lynx. Despite being outrebounded by 14, the group took 14 more free throws and committed six fewer turnovers. 

 

Thomas had 19 points on nine of 17 looks, with 13 dimes, five rebounds, one steal and one turnover. Mabrey added 17 points on 33% accuracy, with two boards, six assists, two blocks and two turnovers. The rest of the Sun made 15 of 37 attempts.

 

For the Fever, Clark had 25 marks on 43.5% shooting, with six rebounds, nine assists, one steal, one block and three giveaways. Mitchell put up 17 points on seven of 18 tries, with three rebounds, three assists and five turnovers. And Boston logged 16 points on seven of 12 ventures, with 19 rebounds, three assists, one steal, two blocks and two turnovers.

 

At the post-game presser, Thomas said turning into a scorer was about it being Playoff time. “This is what I live for. Playoffs is what I’m waiting for all season long, and that’s my game… in that moment my team needed me to score, and that’s what I went out there and did.”

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Opening day for the WNBA Playoffs

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The WNBA Playoffs commenced with a bang. All the home teams won. Napheesa Collier was the player of the day, notching 38 points on 11 of 19 attempts, with six rebounds and four assists. And A’Ja Wilson was handed her MVP trophy. 

 

Keep in mind that the first round is a best-of-three series, so each loser is already at the cliff’s edge unless they retaliate. 

 

Let’s review Sunday’s action.

 

Leonie Fiebich and Breanna Stewart led the Liberty over the Dream 

 

The Liberty came out blasting. Sabrina Ionescu hit a floater through the middle, then a transition pull-up triple.  Breanna Stuart connected on a deep shot at the top of the key. Then Leonie Fiebich swished a corner tray, forcing Atlanta to call a timeout as the Liberty led 13-4.

 

Fiebich and Ionescu canned another 3-pointer after the stoppage. 

 

Defensively, they held the Dream to nine points through eight-and-a-half minutes, bothering passing lanes and covering the arc. But the hosts were outscored 7-2 to end the first frame in the last 94 seconds.

 

In the second quarter, Fiebich stole an inbound pass in Atlanta territory, instantly scored at the cup, and made a transition layup with contact fed by Jonquel Jones. The latter collected three dimes and four points. And Ionescu’s jumper successfully fell from mid to long range. 

 

In this spurt, the Liberty’s concern was stopping Tina Charles and Naz Hillmon. They combined for six of 10 baskets in the interval.  

 

The Liberty led 48-30 at halftime, had committed two fewer turnovers and were up four on the glass. Additionally, the squad had 16 paint points, seven on the break, 12 off turnovers, two via second chances and none from the bench. 

 

The Dream had 18 interior points, seven in the open court, two on extra tries, five off turnovers and none from the reserves. 

 

Subsequently, Rhyne Howard came out of the break, punishing the Liberty off the catch and bounce from the perimeter, middle and paint. But her efforts just kept the visitors on life support as the deficit was too vast. 

 

Despite the Liberty shooting poorly in the third quarter, Stewie, Jones and Courtney Vandersloot supplied seven digits from the stripe. Additionally, the group defended well without fouling, allowing the Dream one trip to the line. 

 

The fourth quarter started with the Liberty ahead 69-49. Atlanta’s coach, Tanisha Wright, conceded, benching her starters to close the game. Her reserve crew made seven of 16 shots, totaling 20 points. 

 

After, the Liberty coasted until the buzzer, winning 83-69. Furthermore, the team collected 28 paint points, 11 on the break, nine via second chances, 18 off turnovers and six from the bench. 

 

The Dream put up 38 interior marks, 14 in the open court, 10 on extra tries, 14 off turnovers and 22 from the reserves.

 

Game 2 is on Tuesday.

 

Sun burn the Fever

 

Stephanie White, the 2023 coach of the year, had a curve ball for Caitlin Clark and the Fever, starting the game with DeWanna Bonner checking CC instead of DiJonai Carrington. Through the first half, Bonner held her to zero of three makes and slowed down the fastbreak assault because of her length and speed. Alyssa Thomas, a mobile brick wall, got time on her, too, as the match went on. 

 

In spite of Clark getting neutralized as a scorer, the Fever survived the half down eight points. They leaned on  Aliyah Boston’s post moves plus jumper on pick and pop sets, and Mitchell provided relief buckets from deep, medium and short distances. 

 

At halftime, the Sun was up 46-38, committing two fewer turnovers and with an edge on the glass of two. Bonner and Thomas were unforgiving. The former added 16 marks to her sharp defense, shooting up the perimeter and making a fastbreak layup.  The latter dropped four jumpers, a putback, scored in the open court and set up Bonner and Carrington for four dimes without a turnover. 

 

On top of that, the Sun had 30 paint points, 13 on the break, seven on extra tries, 11 off turnovers and 12 from the bench.

 

The Fever had 20 interior digits, two in the open court, seven on second chances, nine off turnovers and 11 from the reserves. 

 

Clark registered one of nine shots, with four dimes, two rebounds and a steal. 

 

In the third quarter, Marina Mabrey splashed three trays, and Carrington put up three baskets at the cup. 

 

Clark, Mitchell and Boston converted eight of 17 attempts in the period, taking all but one of the shots. Yet the Fever were outscored by three. 

 

The fourth quarter started with the Sun on top 68-57. Carrington’s chase-down block on Temi Fagbelnle in the first minute was the play of the game.

 

Then, the Sun took over. By that point, the production in the paint was comparable to a fighter cracking an opponent’s ribs with body shots. 

 

The Sun won 93-69. They added 50 paint points, 18 in the open court, nine via second chances, 16 off turnovers and 41 from the bench. Mabrey’s 27 was the most off the bench in a Playoff game in WNBA history. 

 

The Fever had 36 interior points, nine on the break, seven on extra tries, eight off turnovers and 15 from the reserves.

 

Game 2 is on Wednesday.

 

Minnesota Lynx avoid a meltdown  

 

To start, Napheesa Collier was unsparing, scoring 13 first-quarter points on a drive-by, rim roll, putback, fadeaway and free throws. The ball movement also exposed the Mercury’s defense, capitalizing on open looks galore for Bridget Carleton, Kayla McBride, Courtney Williams and Alanna Smith. 

 

The Lynx made 60% of attempts through 12 minutes and rattled off 14 straight points, too, against tight coverage and the zone. The host defense contested Brittney Griner closely and on time near the basket, and allowed zero easy fastbreak points. 

 

Collier followed up in the second quarter, pouring in two 3-pointers and four freebies. She ended the first half with 23 points on seven of 11 looks, with five rebounds, two assists, one block and a turnover. The rest of her teammates made 13 of 27 shots in that span. 

 

At halftime, the Lynx were ahead 56-42. The game’s largest lead came midway through the second quarter, ahead by 23. 

 

Subsequently, the 3-point protection loosened up. Diana Taurasi, Natasha Cloud, Celeste Taylor and Sophie Cunningham drained seven of 12 deep looks.

 

Meanwhile, the Lynx offense entered a famine. 

 

Cloud continued to light up defenders in the fourth quarter, zooming past them to the basket and nailing one left-side mid-range basket. She even took the lead for her team, going left by Natisha Hiedeman with two minutes left.  Kahleah Copper added 10 points in the frame, too.

 

The Lynx countered with seven straight points- freebies from Collier, a layup from Myisha Hines-Allen and Carleton’s tray- to put the game out of reach.

 

The Lynx won 102-95. They recorded 36 paint points, 13 on the break, 13 via second chances, 12 off turnovers and 16 from the reserves. 

 

The Mercury had 32 interior marks, 12 in the open court, 10 on extra tries, 17 off turnovers and seven from the reserves.

 

 Game 2 is on Wednesday. 

 

Aces handled the Storm in the second half 

 

The visiting Seattle Storm were the nastier team through the first half. An advantage on the boards by 12, plus seven offensive rebounds that turned into nine second-chance points and six digits off turnovers, helped put the champs on their heels.  

 

At halftime, the Category Five Storm led 42-38. Nneka Ogwumike had 13 points, Jordan Horston put up eight with no misses and Skylar Diggins-Smith amassed seven marks on eight attempts. 

 

The defense on Kelsey Plum—locking and trailing well, trapping her, switching length on her by the hoop, and guarding tight on the dribble—held her scoreless on four attempts. MVP A’ja Wilson was also contained to one of eight buckets at short, mid, and long-range in the span by Ogwumike and Mercedes Russell.

 

Then the Aces came out dealing in the third quarter.  Wilson went wild, pivoting through defenders in the lane, outrunning everyone on the break, attacking the basket on face-up plays and hitting a 3-pointer.

 

On defense, the Aces were slow to stop Diggins-Smith getting downhill. Gabby Williams’ jumper was on target, too.

 

Next, the Aces’ defense shut down the Storm in the fourth quarter, authorizing zero of 12 field goals. Ogwumike was held scoreless in the second half as well. 

 

To boot, Tiffany Hayes contributed eight points off the bench in the second half on drives and cuts. 

 

The Aces won 78-67. Additionally, the group had 40 paint points, 11 on the break, six on extra tries, 12 off turnovers and 27 from the bench. 

 

The Storm had 30 interior marks, 11 in the open court, 14 via second chances, 10 off turnovers and 10 from the reserves. 

—

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Dolphins backup quarterback was sacked five times before leaving with an injury against the Seahawks.

Pressure Point: Inept Miami Dolphins reach new low under Mike McDaniel

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Having to play without starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is the least of the Miami Dolphins’ problems.

Now they are also without backup Skylar Thompson as a Miami quarterback exited with an injury in the third quarter for the second week in a row.

But Dolphins deficiencies run much deeper. Three games into a season already off the rails, this is a team without a clue.

Being routed 24-3 by the Seahawks at Seattle was merely a continuation of what has been evident in each game so far.

They trailed by double-digits in all three games. They haven’t held a lead at any point except when Jason Sanders kicked the winning field goal on the final play of the season opener against Jacksonville.

In the two games since then they were buried early, essentially sunk by intermission.

They have been outscored 58-20 in the first half, indicative of a team ill-prepared, disorganized and undisciplined.

McDaniel’s offense sputters again

They trailed 17-3 at halftime Sunday, lost Thompson with a chest injury early in the third quarter and finished a thoroughly inept performance with Tim Boyle at QB in his first Dolphins appearance.

From coaching to execution it was a complete travesty of football.

There have been so many low points with this franchise this century it is difficult to rank them. But this is right down there.

The Mike McDaniel era would appear to be on the ropes in his third season. But wait, the coach was just given a three-year extension through 2028.

The bloom is clearly off McDaniel’s highfalutin offense, which is fooling no one and going nowhere fast.

They have scored 33 points in three games.

The strategy is often befuddling, to say the least. They had the running game going early with De’Von Achane and rookie Jaylen Wright averaging 4.8 yards a carry but quickly abandoned their legs in favor of Thompson’s arm – a losing prop bet by any assessment.

They ran eight times in the first half and threw 16 times, amassing a grand total of 87 yards in the first 30 minutes.

Achane has been Miami’s most productive force on offense. But his efforts are too often negated by penalties. Tight end Julian Hill got called for holding and illegal motion in the first half Sunday. Another hold by Hill wiped out a sizable gain by Achane in the second half.

Miami’s special teams nothing special

The Dolphins can’t even figure out how to line up for kickoffs and punts. They had four penalties on special teams in the first half alone. That included an unnecessary roughness penalty on a punt they downed at the Seattle 4.

In one stretch of four plays in the second quarter they were flagged for a false start, illegal formation twice and unnecessary roughness.

They finished with 11 penalties for 85 yards. It should be noted that the Seahawks were also penalized 11 times in what apparently was Yellow Flag Day in Seattle.

The past two games the Dolphins haven’t been able to get the ball downfield to star receivers Tyreek Hill and Kaylen Waddle. Hill finished with three catches for 40 yards Sunday, Waddle caught four for 26.

So much for the magic of speed.

Dolphins should reclaim QB Mike White

As for Thompson, he appears to have progressed not at all despite being in his third season in this offense.

The Dolphins’ best moment came on an interception by Kader Kohou off a deflection that gave them a first down at the Seattle 6. They settled for a field goal, which would be their only points of the day.

Thompson got flattened on the final play of the half, oblivious to Derick Hall bearing down on him from behind. The first possession of the second half ended with a sack by Tyrel Dotson.

Thompson exited early soon after on a hit by Dre’Mont Jones after releasing a pass. He remained on the ground for several minutes before making the slow walk to the locker room like Tagovailoa did in the previous loss to Buffalo.

The Dolphins would be wise to reclaim their 2023 backup quarterback Mike White, who is on the Bills’ practice squad. He could step right in and run the offense and certainly wouldn’t be worse than we’ve seen from Thompson and Boyle.

But so much is wrong with the Miami offense right now it is difficult to see a quick fix. The line allowed six sacks Sunday, and left tackle Terron Armstead left again with an injury.

The Dolphins finished the day with 205 total yards. They were 1-for-12 on third down, 0-for-3 on fourth down and 0-for-2 in the red zone. They averaged a meager 3.7 yards per play.

The defense did come up with two takeaways. But the secondary let DK Metcalf run free for a 71-yard touchdown that broke the game open.

With so much gone wrong, it is going to be a tough climb just to become competitive.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

How Will Dolphins Respond? 5 Keys for Miami in Seattle

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As the Miami Dolphins prepare to face the Seattle Seahawks, they do so in the wake of a brutal home loss to Buffalo—a game where nearly everything that could go wrong, did. With starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa now on injured reserve, the Dolphins find themselves at a crossroads. Here are five ways Miami can mitigate Tua’s absence and gain an edge against Seattle.

 

  1. Skylar Thompson’s Command

The Dolphins’ offense boasts star receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but it will be Skylar Thompson throwing them the ball. While Thompson has shown promise, Sunday’s matchup against Seattle will be a true test of his mettle. He must lean on Hill, Waddle, and speedster  De’Von Achane to exploit Miami’s offensive strengths and keep the momentum alive. A lackluster performance from Thompson simply won’t cut it for a team that enters the game as underdogs.

 

  1. Jalen Ramsey vs. DK Metcalf

Last week, DK Metcalf showcased his explosive talent, torching the Patriots’ secondary. This week, he poses yet another formidable challenge for Jalen Ramsey, who will need to bring his A-game. Fortunately for Miami, Ramsey has a solid track record against Metcalf. With the Dolphins’ secondary still searching for its first interception of the season, forcing a turnover against Geno Smith could be pivotal.

 

  1. Pressuring the Quarterback

Last week’s keys to victory emphasized the importance of making Josh Allen uncomfortable. Unfortunately, the Dolphins failed to do so, allowing him too much time in the pocket to escape and do what he does best. With a backup quarterback at the helm and dwindling confidence in the offense, the spotlight now shifts to Miami’s defense, particularly the pass rush. Against Seattle, getting to the quarterback is essential for regaining control of the game.

 

Coach Mike McDaniel gets the game ball after winning his first game as Dolphins coach.

 

  1. Mike McDaniel’s Playcalling

Is Mike McDaniel the offensive genius his peers claim him to be? This week will certainly test that theory as he navigates the challenges of having Thompson under center. McDaniel must be creative and strategic, tailoring his game plan to exploit Miami’s strengths while compensating for the loss of Tua. His ability to adapt will be a telling reflection of his growth as a head coach and the lessons he’s learned along the way.

 

  1. Limiting Turnovers

Last week, Tua’s three turnovers—including a pick-six—proved costly. While some of those mistakes were beyond his control, this week, Miami must prioritize ball security. The Dolphins can’t afford to give away possession, especially in a matchup where every point counts.

As the Dolphins travel to Seattle, they face a number of challenges. However, with the right adjustments, there remains an opportunity to make a statement. It will be important to see how they respond.

 

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Mike McDaniel celebrates at a Miami Heat game.

Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel learned WRONG lesson from Heat coach Erik Spoelstra

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Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is undoubtedly an offensive genius. His scheme is so intricate and so highly detailed that when it’s working the way it’s supposed to, it can seldom be stopped. However, there is a problem. The scheme he runs demands high level talent. It demands elite level execution. And for all the effort being put into player development, the reality is that players cannot be rotated in and out at random.

The past two seasons, a big deal was made about Mike McDaniel spending time with longtime Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. What lessons he must be learning, what words of wisdom McDaniel was taking from a multiple championship winning coach who knows what it takes to win. Through that, McDaniel began to create a culture that players want to be a part of, and it eventually led to owner Stephen Ross giving him an extension through 2028.

But all of the lessons he learned from Spoelstra, it seems the one he took to heart to most is the one that makes no sense in the game of football. The concept of load management.

In the NBA, there are 82 games in the regular season, and that number grows if you make the playoffs. Games are played one to two days apart from each other, and so sitting star veterans makes sense in a league that demands so much play time from their players. Spoelstra has taken criticism at times for his approach, but for the most part it’s a smart strategy. Why play your best players if they aren’t needed or need to rest an injury? There will be another game in a couple days.

However, in the NFL, there is no such luxury. There are only 17 games in the season, and the number of teams that actually make the playoffs is much smaller. Even worse, playoff teams get no room for error in the NFL. If you lose once, you are eliminated. There is no time to regroup and try again.

Back at the beginning of the 2023 season, McDaniel spoke on what he’d learned from Spoelstra.

“I use basketball references all the time.” He said. “I think watching the Heat play gave me all sorts of motivation in the offseason, just by team over everything. What is the saying? The sum is greater than the parts, or whatever? That’s what I see from them, and I think that very much applies to professional football in general, because you always have talented players across the board, but 11 people working together is what generates results.”

That last part is true, it takes all 11 players doing their job to make an offense or a defense run. But the idea of the sum being greater than the parts? In the NFL, that is just not true. The parts matter a lot more than the sum they make.

Really good football teams have their best players on the field a majority of the time. The Philadelphia Eagles, for example, have A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith (whom the Miami Dolphins opted not to draft in favor of Jaylen Waddle). Within the first two weeks, Smith has played – quite literally – every single snap on offense. 100% of them. A.J. Brown, an older veteran, played 95% of the snaps in Week 1 before suffering an injury in Week 2 that kept him out entirely.

The list of wide receivers continues.

For the Cincinnati Bengals, Ja’Marr Chase played 84% and 92% of the snaps.

For the Baltimore Ravens, Zay Flowers played 89% of the snaps in both Weeks 1 and 2, while Rashod Bateman played 84% and 82%.

For the Kansas City Chiefs, Rashee Rice played “only” 78% and 83% of the snaps. But at tight end, veteran Travis Kelce played 89% and 91% of the snaps as their top weapon.

Contrast that with the Miami Dolphins, who have Jaylen Waddle and the players-voted best player in the NFL: Tyreek Hill. The difference is staggering.

In Weeks 1 and 2, Waddle played 72% of the snaps. That in and of itself is bad enough.

Tyreek Hill, the $30+ per year wide receiver, the best player in the league according to his peers, played 70% and 68% of the snaps in Weeks 1 and 2.

Why are the team’s top weapons spending so much time watching from the sidelines, letting players like the newly added Grant DuBose or the recently released Robbie Chosen take so many crucial snaps in important situations? How does one justify that?

Now, Tua Tagovailoa is on injured reserve with another concussion, and won’t return until at least Week 8 against the Arizona Cardinals. This means, Skylar Thompson is being counted on to keep the season afloat. Needless to say, there’s a significant gap between Thompson and Tagovailoa.

Mike McDaniel has an opportunity now to make a necessary adjustment. If the Dolphins are going to win any of the next four games, they need to lean on their best players. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle need to be on the field for every important snap the offense has. Defenses respect their presence, and laugh when the likes of Braxton Berrios and Grant DuBose show up.

It’s time to have the best players play, and move on from the load management idea. Rotations work a lot better in basketball than football. Mike McDaniel needs to let his playmakers make plays. Only then will they find themselves winning games consistently.

 

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Panthers Training Camp Day 1: Roster Predictions

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FORT LAUDERDALE — The summer as champions has come to an end for the Florida Panthers — now they’ll get to work to ensure there’s no Cup hangover. 

 

Training camp began Thursday at the Baptist Health IcePlex, this is how the 2024-24 Panthers roster could shake up on opening night. 

 

Forwards

Florida’s top-nine was one of, if not the best forward groups in the entire league last season and nearly everyone is returning this year. The lone departure from that group is winger Vladimir Tarasenko, who signed a two-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings this offseason. 

 

Tarasenko, 32, scored five goals and nine points last postseason, spending most of the time on the third line with Anton Lundell  and Eetu Luostarinen. 

 

The rest of the forward departures were important pieces to the championship team, but inevitably replaceable depth players in a hard capped NHL. 

 

 

The locks: Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Bennett, Matthew Tkachuk, Evan Rodrigues, Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen (all played in top-nine last season). 

 

No surprise, the Panthers’ top-nine won’t be seeing too much change from last season. 

 

Other than Tarasenko, eight of the top-nine that played in last season’s Stanley Cup Final will be back — leaving one spot open for competition come training camp. 

 

Tarasenko’s replacement

The ball is in 21-year-old Mackie Samoskevich’s court to win a job out of camp. 

 

Last season, Samoskevich made the Panthers opening night roster and played three NHL games in October. He was sent down to AHL Charlotte that month and had one more cup of coffee with the Panthers at the end of January before finishing his season with the Checkers, where he led the team in scoring with 54 points. (22 goals, 32 assists)

 

With already a full year of professional hockey under his belt, a good camp and preseason would not only give Samoskevich a roster spot, but it should see him play way more than seven games with the Panthers. 

 

Samoskevich didn’t skate on Thursday’s opening day of training camp. He is dealing with a “minor upper-body injury”, per Paul Maurice. They will IR skate him and hope he’s good for full sessions on Tuesday. 

 

“There’s opportunities and he had a really good first year in pro,” Maurice answered when asked about Samoskevich slotting  into the top-9. “We have a lot of faith in the young man as a player and as you saw today we also got a number of other players that are going to compete for that job. So there is competition there.”

 

Like Samoskevich, 22-year-old Justin Sourdif made the 2023-24 Panthers opening night roster and played three games with the team before spending the rest of the season in the AHL. 

 

Sourdif will be an interesting player come training camp. 

 

He’s already cracked an opening night NHL roster and has two years of AHL experience (62 points  106 games). It also wouldn’t surprise me if Sourdif plays some fourth line minutes this season. 

 

Important to note, both Sourdif and Samoskevich are waiver eligible.

 

A new fourth line 

Florida’s fourth line is where the largest amount of jobs will be won and lost in camp.

 

The team lost Ryan Lomberg, Kevin Stenlund, Steven Lorentz and Nick Cousins to free agency, while Kyle Okposo just announced his retirement from the game on Wednesday.

 

Jonah Gadjovich is the one fourth liner who returned this season from the Cup team and he should once again make the team out of camp.

 

Penciling in Gadjovich, there will be two open spots on the fourth line, plus any scratches for the 23-man opening night roster. 

 

The Panthers retooled over free agency, bringing in depth players like A.J. Greer, Jesper Boqvist, Tomas Nosek and MacKenzie Entwistle. Will Lockwood, who played 26 games with Florida last season, is another player who will be in contention for a spot.

 

Who replaces Ekman-Larsson, Montour 

Florida will miss Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who both left on July 1 after playing every playoff game in 2024.

 

The other four defensemen who played in the Stanley Cup Final — Gustav Forsling, Aaron Ekblad, Niko Mikkola and Dmitry Kulikov — all return and are locks for the opening night lineup. 

 

After splitting the season between the Panthers, and AHL Charlotte and then joining Florida for their Cup run, Uvis Balinskis — who the team highly rates — is too good to not be on the team this season.

 

Like Balinskis, it would be hard to not see 12-year NHL veteran Nate Schmidt make the team. 

 

The 33-year-old has appeared in 661 NHL games and played for Paul Maurice when he was with the Winnipeg Jets in 2021-22.

 

Florida will need to make a decision on whether they take seven or eight defensemen on its final roster, and if they go with the former, there will be some tough cuts to be made. 

 

Tobias Bjornfot, Adam Boqvist, Matt Kiersted and Jaycob Megna will all be fighting for the final spot(s) on the blueline. 

 

Bobrovsky and Knight duo returns?

Sergei Bobrovsky will be the starter next season, that isn’t up for discussion. As for his backup, all signs point to 23-year-old Spencer Knight reclaiming his spot as the NO.2 now that Antony Stolarz is in Toronto. 

 

The Panthers also brought back Chris Driedger, who played for the team from 2019-2021. He spent most of last season with the Seattle Kraken’s AHL affiliate. He is most likely going to be in the AHL next year with Charlotte as the Panthers’ NO. 3.

 

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