2014 Atlanta Dream and WNBA Previews

[Randy]

As is stands now, looks like only Indiana cannot win home court (Division Reg. Season champ) since we hold the tie breaker and the best they can do is 17 wins.  DC, NY and Chicago could all still get the Division is they win out and we lose out, since DC could win 18 games and NY and Chicago can only win 17, but both hold the tiebreaker, I believe.  Any win by the Dream clinches the division, and any loss by NY prevents them from winning it.  Since they play the Mercury tonight, that seems like a good possibility.  (Phx still has to lock up its own home court against the Lynx and could do it, tonight.)   NY's fate is sort of in Indy's hands - they play two more games.

 

The Sky and DC play at DC so one of them will have to lose.  DC has homecourt but their starting center, Kia Vaughn is suspended for being the DPOW (dirty player of the week) after figuring out how to punch and elbow an opposing player with one arm, and not get called for a foul. (But it was pretty darn clear on the Live Access cam.)  Sky also play Indy, and San Antonio. 

 

In the end, it would all be a lot simpler if we just won a game.  Ideally 3. 

[Randy]

So now after losing to the Mercury, NY can't win home court for the Division, but the Dream still could lose it to the Sky.  If the Sky falls in the 11:30 am game today v. DC sans Lawson and DPOW, we would have the Division no matter what.

 

The Merc have now locked up the Western Division so hard to say if they will be as motivated as in the past and its the second night of a back to back.  Still - Wicked Witch of the West is, if nothing else, just plain ornery.  I would never count on her team taking a night off.  My idea would be to have Shoni guard her.  I know it sounds crazy, but no one can guard her anyway, so its really just random chance whether her shots go in.  Looks like we are without Angel again due to sore feet (tendonitis.)

 

On a more serious note, pretty revealing article (Jeff Schultz column) in today's AJC about Cooper and his cancer surgery.  The beard is there to hide the "neck recession" - removal of Lymph nodes in the neck.  Sounds pretty tough to me.  I'd post the link, but its not open to non-subscribers.  Get Well Coach!!

Edited August 13, 2014 by Randy

[Randy]

Update - DC's falls to the Sky, so we only need to win one game, or the Sky lose one to win the East Division (regular season.)  Now, time to cut Brittany Griner down to size.

Edited August 13, 2014 by Randy

[lethalweapon3]

((All I got… off to the game!))

 

With the Western Conference wrapped up, will the Phoenix Mercury coast or play tonight’s game against the Atlanta Dream (7:00 PM Eastern, FoxSports South in ATL, NBA-TV outside ATL) like a warmup to the possible WNBA Finals. With the Eastern Conference regular season title still hanging in the balance, will the Dream step up their play or will they continue to coast in hopes someone else will do the clinching for them?

 

• For the Dream, avoiding their sixth-straight defeat tonight with the league’s best team in town depends on the quality of play of Angel McCoughtry, upgraded to probable for tonight after sitting out Sunday’s loss in Chicago to rest tendinitis in both feet. The lack of firepower has been evident for an Atlanta team that has failed to surpass 80 points in its past five contests, or even 70 points in regulation of the past four games. In each game of their road trip, the Dream failed to shoot above 40 percent, and defense against rebounders and along the perimeter was absent for long stretches.

 

• One bright spot for the Dream may be Celine Dumerc, who climbed out of her weeks-long shooting slump to hit three triples against the Chicago Sky on Sunday. Her 5.0 APG in the past ten games ranks fourth in the league (Phoenix’s Diana Taurasi leading the way at 5.4 APG), and she’s turned the ball over just five times in the last four games. Also, Sancho Lyttle deserves hazard pay for her work in the trenches against the league’s toughest opposing frontcourts. She notched her ninth double-double of the year at Chicago (first in the last nine games). Her 9.2 RPG is now the highest in the past four seasons and bumps her ahead of Erika DeSouza for fifth in the WNBA.

 

• As was the case in Phoenix’s 75-67 home win on August 5, Atlanta managed to grab leads in the second halves of most of their recent games only to watch them slip away in the closing minutes. DeSouza and Lyttle will need to drop some shots from the elbow to keep Brittney Griner (a whopping nine blocks in her last game vs. Atlanta) from camping out at the rim. A strong close from Angel McCoughtry and Tiffany Hayes and defensive stops from DeSouza may be enough to get the edge tonight and give the Philips Arena fans something to celebrate.

 

• Speaking of celebrations, nothing says ATL Sports quite like the ubiquitous after-parties.

 

 

Go Dream!

 

~lw3

[Dnice]

A blowout win is what they needed.

[Dnice]

Dbl post.

Edited August 14, 2014 by Dnice

[Gray Mule]

At last!!

 

Dream win !!

 

We were all beginning to wonder, if and when.  Finally, a victory!

 

And, just when they really needed it, their little American Indian came up - - BIG!

Much as she did in the all star game, she simply took over the second quarter.

Did she ever!!  Wow!  Way to go!!

 

[lethalweapon3]

No Angel, but no Penny and no Princess Di either, so no problem!

 

How 'bout that second-quarter from Sho-Time! If we can just spread that scoring out from period-to-period and game-to-game!

 

This list is kinda interesting, eh?

 

Most points, one quarter 
22 -- Diana Taurasi, Phoenix vs. Los Angeles, July 14, 2006 
20 -- Shoni Schimmel, Atlanta vs. Phoenix, August 13, 2014 
20 -- Riquna Williams, Tulsa at San Antonio, September 8, 2013 
20 -- Diana Taurasi, Phoenix at Seattle, September 9, 2011 
20 -- Matee Ajavon, Washington at New York, August 6, 2010 
20 -- Deanna Nolan, Detroit vs. Minnesota, June 20, 2008

 

 

Congrats to the Dream for FINALLY earning that #1 seed!

 

~lw3

Edited August 14, 2014 by lethalweapon3

[Randy]

Princess Di - I love it!!  I think she was DNP-Wisdom Teeth last night. 

 

One of the most exciting games of the season.  There was a big crowd including some Mercury fans.  (I guess its payback, since there were so many Shoni/Dream fans in Phoenix last week.)  Highlight of the game was when Shoni put back the rebound on Dumerc's missed layup beating out Griner at the rim.  Its pretty funny that Shoni is the perfect foil for Griner.  Wonder if she showed up at the After Party? 

 

I keep thinking Henry could do more and last night she proved it.  With Erika and Sancho getting older we need to make sure she stays in the fold.  Not sure, however, that the 3 big lineup is really going to be that effective, and I guess as soon as Angel's feet get better that experiment will end. 

Edited August 14, 2014 by Randy

[lethalweapon3]

Two games to go! The #1-seed in the East, the Atlanta Dream are playing their final home game before the playoffs against Fred Williams’ Tulsa Shock (7:30 PM Eastern, SportSouth). Tulsa misses the postseason once again, but expect a full effort from the Shock as Williams, rookie Odyssey Sims and All-Star Skylar Diggins as they seek to conclude their season on a positive note.

 

• Williams had Tulsa in playoff contention through late June, but after a 6-13 close, Freddy will be trying to ensure he’ll be given the right to return next season. Forward Glory Johnson (9.9 RPG in her last 10 games) will strive to notch her team-record 18^th double-double. Courtney Paris won’t need to do much more to lock down the award for the league’s top rebounder.

 

• Sims has been the team’s top scoring threat (22.2 PPG in last ten games), but she’s been hampered by a sore shoulder for about a week. Plus guard Riquna Williams is out for the season with a knee injury. So look for the Shock offense to be a healthy dose of Diggins, Roneeka Hodges, and Jordan Hooper plus a lot of board-crashing from Paris and Johnson.

 

• With everything possible to clinch finally wrapped up, the most important thing for the Dream to accomplish is to remain healthy. They will likely rest Angel McCoughtry (tendinitis) once again, along with several other players like Sancho Lyttle and Erika DeSouza. Expect of lot of time over the next pair of games for Aneika Henry (15 points and 12 boards vs. Phoenix, starting in place of McCoughtry), Nadia Gomes Colhado, Matee Ajavon, and Amanda Thompson to shine, or at least try to.

 

Go Dream!

~lw3

[Dnice]

Whooopin tail again tonight. 0 pts for ms Skylar... maybe henry. can grab some more rebs.

[Dnice]

I might actually have to watch a sportsouth replay...lol

[lethalweapon3]

Looks like we get to enjoy a little more Lyttle. Congrats, Sancho!

 

http://www.wnba.com/dream/news/dreamresignslyttle081514.html

 

ATLANTA, August 15, 2014 — The WNBA Atlanta Dream announced today that the team has re-signed All-Star forward Sancho Lyttle to a multi-year deal. Per team policy, contract terms were not disclosed.

 

“The Dream organization is thrilled to know that Sancho will be continuing her career here in Atlanta,” said Dream President and General Manager Angela Taylor. “She is everything that this organization stands for. She’s a hard worker, a consummate teammate, a stalwart in the community, a role model for boys and girls around the globe and an All-Star. Sancho plays an integral role in our efforts to bring a WNBA Championship to the fans in Atlanta. Coach Cooper and I look forward to continuing to build a championship organization, with one of the best post players in the WNBA leading the way.”

 

The six-foot, four-inch Lyttle is in her sixth season with the Dream, helping the Dream qualify for the playoffs in all six, including three WNBA Finals appearances. She ranks second in team history in rebounds (1,313), assists (347), steals (346), free throws made (311) and double-doubles (42), and third in games (160), points (2,028) and field goals made (841). She has averaged double figures in scoring in all six of her seasons with the Dream.

 

 

 

~lw3

[Randy]

lw3, all good stuff for sure. Was a really entertaining game. Shoni and her favorite targets were on a roll and made Show Time more than just a nickname..  Tulsa looked more than just a bit frazzled and probably had more TO's than assists.  I like the idea of amping it up the week before the playoffs instead of trying to rest everyone and looks like we've been doing that.  A great crowd last night, over 9000 got to see what they've been missing.  If only we could get crowds like that for the playoffs.  Everyone but Amanda Thompson played.  (She may be wondering now, what it takes to get into a game since we had a 20+ lead for most of the second half.) 

 

Now, lets finish off the Sun.  Perfect game for Angel to do a final check on her landing gear before the playoffs. 

Edited August 16, 2014 by Randy

[lethalweapon3]

One last dress rehearsal for the Atlanta Dream, who can still tie their all-time-best regular season record of 2011's 20-14 with a victory in Connecticut against the Sun (No Local TV, 1 PM EST).

 

• For the Sun (12-21), their run under Anne Donovan petered out with just four victories in the past month-and-a-half. Still, Donovan is coaching to be retained for next season, one with another a pair of lottery gem gems like Chiney Ogwumike likely to join the roster. There remains plenty of hope for the immediate future, but for the moment the Sun can further lift the spirits of the home fans by finishing the season with a winning 9-8 record in Uncasville.

 

• Entrusted with the basketball in just her second season, former Dream rookie guard Alex Bentley continues to grow into her role. She's averaging 13.3 PPG and 4.1 APG in her last 10 games, to just 1.8 TOs per game. In Friday's loss to the Mystics, Bentley led the team with 16 points and 3 assists, and hit the only one of Connecticut's ten attempted three-pointers.

 

• Ogwumike is seeking to finish the season strong and hold off Tulsa Shock guard Odyssey Sims for Rookie of the Year honors. She's averaging nearly a double-double (17.0 PPG, 9.6 RPG) in her past five games, but with the power forward's physicality drawing her ample trips to the free throw line, she'll need to convert at a higher clip than the 62 FT% she has been shooting lately. Going forward, Chiney will need defensive improvement from her fellow bigs, particularly from Kelsey Bone, to keep opponents from shooting 47.5 2FG%, the highest in the East.

 

• Today, Ogwumike will have to be mindful of Sancho Lyttle, who is making her final case for voters of the Defensive Player of the Year award. Lyttle ranks second in defensive rebounds and steals per game, and is neck-and-neck with Phoenix's shot-blocking fiancee Brittney Griner for defensive rating and defensive win shares. Atlanta gives up 78.5 PPG, most in the East and 3rd most in the league, due to a significantly high pace of play and the league's second-worst opponent 3FG%. But in large part thanks to Lyttle and her frontcourt colleagues, the Dream's defensive rating (97.2 points per 100 possessions) is slightly ahead of Phoenix for the league lead.

 

• On the offensive end, Tiffany Hayes has a chance to finish the regular season of top of the league with a 121.1 offensive rating. Hayes' field goal shooting percentage has dwindled as the season wore on (just 35.5 FG% in August, down from 48.8% in July and 50.9% in May-June), but conversely has reached the free throw line more frequently and shot with greater efficiency (82.1 FT% in August), while keeping turnovers minimal (0.7 TOs/game in August).

 

• Contrary to my predictions, Atlanta's coaching staff deployed its major players for key stretches of Friday night's home win over Tulsa. That included over 15 minutes of Angel McCoughtry coming off the bench, one of five players in double-figures. Aneika Henry continued to start and contributed 11 rebounds in the first quarter alone. Shoni Schimmel may be beginning to find her equilibrium point, passing the ball with greater purpose and effectiveness (9 assists, 2 turnovers vs. Tulsa) while also finding better shots from long-range (2-for-3 3FG).

 

• Atlanta's peak basketball this season came during a period where they were leading the league in offensive rebounds. The Dream is currently one O-board behind Connecticut, and has to out-rebound the Sun today on the offensive glass plus amass 11 or more offensive rebounds to outpace Tulsa for the league lead.

 

Go Dream!

~lw3

Edited August 17, 2014 by lethalweapon3

[lethalweapon3]

Welp, that's that. But who cares? lol

 

WNBA Playoffs kick off on Thursday! The Dream (19-15) should know their first-round opponent, Washington or Chicago, after tonight’s games. Atlanta will play Game 1 at Philips Arena on either Thursday or Friday. They finished 3-1 on the season against the Mystics but just 2-3 versus Chicago. They dropped the last three games against either team.

 

Indiana (16-17) already locked down the second spot (homecourt in the first-round) and could become only the second team in the Eastern Conference with at least a .500 record by winning their regular season finale in New York this evening (6 PM Eastern, NBATV). The Fever has the East’s best road record (9-7), have won three straight, and will try to win one more WNBA title for outgoing Head Coach Lin Dunn. The Dream can’t face the Fever unless both teams reach the conference finals.

 

Back in the playoffs for the second straight season, Washington (16-18) had a chance to reach .500 on Saturday night but faltered at home to the Liberty on Saturday night. They would lose the 2-way tiebreaker with Indiana for the #2 seed, as well as the tiebreaker with Chicago for the #3 seed. Washington has been slowly returning guard Tayler Hill to the rotation, after the second-year player missed much of the season on maternity leave.

 

Chicago (15-18) also squandered its chance on Saturday to vie for homecourt advantage by losing to the Fever in Indiana. Elena Delle Donne has been coming off the bench alongside wing Allie Quigley, one of the hottest players in the league. The Eastern Conference team with the best in-conference record, the Sky will have a chance to claim the #3 seed with a win tonight against Becky Hammon and San Antonio (6 PM), but also need the Fever to win, as the Sky has the disadvantage in a 3-way tie scenario at 16-18.

 

~lw3

[Dnice]

I suppose the starters were resting.

[lethalweapon3]

The Sky it is!

 

Playoff schedule (not sure if SportSouth is definitely picking up both home games, and a little concerned the team hasn't verified that Philips will be the site for the if-necessary Game 3):

 

Game 1: CHI @ ATL, Friday 8/22, 7:30 PM EST, NBATV

Game 2: ATL @ CHI, Sunday 8/24, 7:00 PM EST, ESPN2

Game 3: CHI @ ATL, Tuesday 8/26, 7:30 PM EST, NBATV

 

http://www.wnba.com/dream/news/round1playoffschedule081714.html

 

Friday’s game against Chicago has been designated a Black Out. Coca-Cola will be sponsoring black “Unfinished Business” t-shirts which will be distributed to the first 3,000 fans, and all fans are encouraged to wear black to the game.

Before hosting the Sky, the Dream will first host a pep rally on Wednesday at Centennial Olympic Park beginning at 5:30 p.m. The pep rally will include giveaways, music, food and more, and Dream players and coaches will be on hand to address the fans.

 

 

~lw3

[Randy]

I have a least a few more days to generate some optimism, but its not going to be easy.  The Sky were my last choice for a first round opponent.  I was really hoping for the Fever or Mystics.  Also, not sure that a blackout is the way to go.  It was revealed this week that Sky center Sylvia Fowles is studying to be a mortician (you know - one of those people who almost always wears black) after her playing days are over.  For the first time this season, just about everyone on the Sky is healthy.  So not only does Chicago have a host of assassins (Delle Donne, Prince and Quigley) they also have the undertaker to take care of the remains.  An arena full of fans dressed in black could be mistaken for a funeral.  And, if we don't play any better than we did against the Sun, it might just produce as cheerful a crowd.  

 

But, the Dream have faced challenges before, so who knows?  I just wish the 84-55 score went the other way.  Anyway, I'll be there for sure, and if nothing else get my free t-shirt.  All I can say is the Dream better find that button and push ON as hard as they can.

Edited August 18, 2014 by Randy

[lethalweapon3]

POW? WOW!

 

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~lw3