2015 Atlanta Dream and WNBA Previews

[lethalweapon3]

 

(Before the theses that follow, a "tl;dr" version... WNBA season's around the corner... The Dream are contenders to win the East once again, but may shake things up next year if they regress in the playoffs... Chicago's the favorite, but what happens with Sky center Sylvia Fowles could shift the balance of power back to Atlanta... WNBA veterans resting from, or due, to other obligations have implications on the race out West.)

 

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Dream Preview

 

Is this the last stand for the Atlanta Dream… as we know them?

 

With a starting frontcourt now reaching well into their 30s, and franchise forward Angel McCoughtry likely reaching her own athletic peak, 2015 could be the last, best chance for the core members of the Eastern Conference regular season champion Atlanta Dream to claim a WNBA crown.

 

Even if it is do-or-die, all’s not exactly doom-and-gloom for coach Michael Cooper’s crew. After two impactful draft seasons, fans may begin to witness a changing of the guard, as a frontline-dominated offense shifts some of its leadership to a young but emerging backcourt rotation.

 

The WNBA East has been the McCoughtry Conference for the past couple of seasons. In the afterglow of the great Tamika Catchings, all quests for the Eastern Conference title have had to get past Angel. But after a second-half collapse at home to the Chicago Sky in last year’s conference semifinals, it appears that the hurdle now belongs to Chicago’s Elena Delle Donne, with her tenuous health situation as the sole wild card. In addition to Delle Donne, younger players like New York’s Tina Charles and Connecticut’s Chiney Ogwumike are likely to eclipse the 28-year-old McCoughtry as the prime faces of the East in the coming years.

 

Throughout the Angel Era, Atlanta has always seemed like a team that was trying to “get by,” without resolving persistent issues with perimeter shooting, point guard defense and floor leadership, and free throw shooting. Atlanta finished in an all-too-familiar last place spot in free throw (73.3 FT%) and three-point (30.3 3FG%) accuracy, despite the emergence of third-year guard Tiffany Hayes (121.0 offensive rating, 1^st in WNBA) and the introduction of rookie guard Shoni Schimmel (34.2 3FG%).

 

Without a defensively capable point guard that could also hit jumpshots, the ball routinely found its way to point-forward McCoughtry (18.5 PPG in 2014, lowest since 2010), the sole WNBA player last season to compile over 100 turnovers.

 

Despite a trademark blistering pace and an ability to thrive in the regular season on turnovers and transition baskets, Atlanta lurched once again through the second-half of the season in 2014, failing to match its franchise-best 20-14 mark from 2011 despite a promising 16-4 start. The overreliance on pure grit, and the lack of fundamentals and poise, emerged at the most inopportune time, in the closing minutes of the decisive Games 1 and 3 at home against the Sky.

 

Throughout the years, a more youthful McCoughtry, when emotionally balanced, served as the band-aid for many of Atlanta’s ills. Her scoring, her ability to draw extra defenders, and her own dogged defense will continue to keep the Dream in the hunt for another trip to the WNBA Finals, at least for this season.

 

Angel had a tumultuous time in Turkey during the WNBA off-season following the announcement of her engagement, leading (according to her) to a voluntary early departure from Istanbul power Fenerbahce in February, then had to deal with the frustrating strife in her hometown of Baltimore. The silver lining is that McCoughtry is well-rested for the WNBA season, primed for an MVP race that should last a little longer in 2015.

 

The rightful attention by opponents on Angel opened things up for the continued rise of Hayes, who is growing DMC-style into one of the best two-way threats in the league. Her two-point shot percentage ballooned in 2014 to 52.8% (up from 41.9% the prior year), and she may have had the best offseason of any Dream player.

 

Playing alongside center Erika de Souza and Nadia Colhado in Brazil, Hayes led that league with 66.7% shooting from two-point range (just ahead of De Souza’s 58.4%), and her three-point marksmanship seems to have improved as well (45%), exactly what Atlanta needs out of its shooting guard spot. If Tip continues to diversify her game in her fourth WNBA season, and can stay healthy given her signature wrecking-ball attitude on the floor, she can become Atlanta’s newest showcase star.

 

Atlanta “got by” in 2014 without fully plugging up the hole at the point guard position. General Manager Angela Taylor thought she had this issue covered by bringing Euro-star Celine Dumerc into the fold, and Cooper was sold on Schimmel’s passing abilities and Jasmine Thomas’ defense as sufficient to fill in the gap. But Dumerc arrived late from French League play and looked lead-legged on the court, never really getting comfortable and steering control of Atlanta’s Angel-heavy offense.

 

After spraining her knee in Game 1 against Chicago, Dumerc was done for the postseason, and while she’s technically still under contract, all indications to this point suggest Celine has bid “adieu” to the balance of her WNBA contract.

 

Despite her occasionally dazzling passes, Schimmel looks the part of a pass-second small-ball shooting guard, ideal as a top-flight Dream bench option but not so much as a two-way floor general. Despite a nationwide fanbase push to get her into the 2014 All-Star Game, where she won MVP, Schimmel was left off the 2014 All-Rookie Team, and needs to come to training camp in shape (one that’s not round) to improve her game.

 

Did someone say something about rookies? Taylor used the 2015 WNBA Draft to replenish the point guard depth chart, particularly critical since Dumerc does not appear poised to come back across the pond anytime soon. With the first-round pick, Atlanta acquired, arguably, the best collegiate talent at the 1-spot in Iowa’s Samantha Logic, college hoops’ active assists leader who’s also an academic All-American.

 

Suffice to say, in a good way, Samantha likes to mess around. She’s the only NCAA player with 1500 career points, 800 boards, 800 assists, and 200 steals, while her six career triple-doubles rank her second all-time among college players. If Atlanta’s Logic prevails, her BBIQ and strong-willed presence could instantly vault the Dream back into championship contention. If Atlanta’s Logic proves faulty, Atlanta’s woeful halfcourt offense and suspect perimeter defense will remain the norm until she further develops.

 

Taylor wasn’t done. After teasing Dream fans with the offseason re-signing of Thomas, she shipped her to Connecticut on draft day and picked up the rights to second-rounder Brittany Hrynko, a Dawn Staley Award finalist from DePaul and a Philly native (like Staley) with a touching coming-of-age backstory.

 

Hrynko (pronounced “RINK-o”) already has herself a pretty huge follower in rapper Drake. Drizzle was so impressed with her play versus Jewell Loyd and Notre Dame that, in January, he Instagrammed a photo rocking a hoodie with the Big East Player of the Year’s name and uni number on it.  Move along, Skylar?

 

Hrynko’s got some strong Iverson-esque qualities, and how she’ll fit into a lineup featuring McCoughtry or Schimmel remains to be seen. But she presents good change-of-pace potential behind Logic. With third-rounder Ariel Massengale (4^th all-time in Lady Vol assists; makes threes and, unlike Hrynko, free throws) missing this season due to knee surgery, Hyrnko should have little problem securing a roster spot. Her roster status may become fluid, though, if Dumerc indeed returns to Atlanta after Eurobasket ends in late June.

 

The flop of two 2014 preseason trades really did a hackjob to Atlanta’s depth. 2013 All-Rookie Alex Bentley went to the Sun in a three-way deal, and the return (Matee Ajavon) proved to be something less than awful. The additional point guard depth and the free agent acquisition of swing player Roneeka Hodges, it’s hoped, will make up for the lost production that Bentley could have provided in 2014 (had she improved the way she did with the Sun).

 

Taylor needs not be reminded of that Bentley deal, or the one that brought Swin Cash to Atlanta. That deal looked great on paper (oh, where have you gone, Courtney Clements?) but proved spectacularly disappointing once the high-profile Cash got on the floor. The Dream tried salvaging that deal, sending Swin to New York in mid-season in exchange for Delisha Milton-Jones. Unfortunately, the effervescent and now-40-year-old Georgia native got sidelined for the season with an ACL tear shortly thereafter.

 

Oddly enough, both Ajavon and DMJ (a part-time Hawks sideline reporter with a bright broadcasting future, as yet unsigned for this season) are likely to suit up for preseason hoops, but their roster prospects are slim (DMJ) to none (Matee). At best, their chances are at par with those of former Houston Comet swing player Sequoia Holmes and bucket-per-minute guard Chucky Jeffery.

 

With April’s Thomas deal, Taylor proved she’s not averse to wheeling-and-dealing with teams that burned her recently. It is therefore intriguing to see if she’ll try another go-round with Chicago to pry loose yet another player who, rumors suggest, is unhappy with her “cored” status under coach/GM Pokey Chatman.

 

Sylvia Fowles has been one of the top two pivots in the league for years. The “cored” designation means a team has sole rights to re-sign an otherwise unrestricted free agent to a one-year maximum-salary contract. But if the “cored” player is unhappy or can’t come to terms, after the deadline to re-sign passes, she can request a trade or even elect to sit out the season.

 

Fowles’ camp isn’t leaking out any information, but the rumor mill suggests the 29-year-old wants to have a more surefire chance at a WNBA title – specifically, with Minnesota. While the path to the Finals is conceptually a bit easier in the East with the defending conference champs, Fowles’ confidence in going any further with Chatman, her former college coach, may be strained. The other rumor suggests the former LSU star desires a WNBA homebase that’s closer to her home digs in Miami… and with the Sol and the Miracle being mere distant memories, the Atlanta Dream is the only option in SEC country.

 

Taylor may not be gun-shy about playing poker with Pokey once again. But she isn’t getting away with Big Syl, not without giving up a future first-rounder and one of Atlanta’s two frontcourt mainstays, De Souza or Sancho Lyttle.

 

Lyttle joined McCoughtry on the league’s All-Defensive 1^st Team and at the top of the WNBA charts in steals last year, and just won her second-straight Turkish league title with Galatasaray. Her international play has always been more impactful than her performance in the States.  Weeks after the Dream was ousted in the 2014 playoffs, Lyttle led Spain to the FIBA World Championship final, leading the tourney in scoring while second in rebounding and joining Team USA’s Maya Moore and Brittney Griner on the All-Tournament team.

 

Sancho is likely going to help Spain defend its Eurobasket title next month, and whether she’ll stay in Europe or first begin with WNBA play is unclear as of now. Her early-season absence could give Aneika Henry a chance to shine as a starter, particularly if Cooper wisely avoids shifting Angel back to power forward. The durable six-foot-four Henry, more of a shotblocking big than Lyttle, was recently re-signed and will be ready to make strides in her fourth season.

 

No one took the playoff collapse harder than our last remaining member of the original Dream team. While Fowles quietly expresses her reservations about returning to Chicago, All-Star center De Souza has remained as True to Atlanta as anyone, re-signing with the Dream this past February. Her personal bond with McCoughtry makes it unlikely she’d be part of a Fowles deal, barring a major multi-team shakeup.

 

Erika averaged a career-high 13.8 PPG last season and finished third in the league in blocks, but showed clear signs of wear-and-tear after the All-Star Break. Now at age 33, she’ll need someone (perhaps, her fellow countrywoman Colhado) groomed to reduce her minutes as a starter. De Souza has averaged almost 30 minutes in each of the last three seasons.

 

Third-round rookie center Lauren Okafor (pre-med student out of James Madison, same school as 2008 Dream first-rounder Tamera Young), 2015 undrafted free agent Martha Alwal (SEC’s blocks leader all four years; passed 2010 Dream first-rounder Chanel Mokango as Mississippi State’s all-time blocks leader), and free agents Monique Oliver (Greek League leading scorer and double-double machine with Panathinaikos) and Ify Ibekwe (Spanish League star) will each have chances to impress and stick with the roster, at least up until the return of Lyttle from Eurobasket.

 

If Hodges’ name sounds familiar to you as a Dream fan, then you have a darn good memory. Back before the Houston Comets folded in 2008 (bringing Lyttle to the Dream via dispersal draft), Hodges played with Lyttle, Ajavon, and Holmes under current Dream assistant Karleen Thompson. The WNBA held an expansion draft for the Dream, and Hodges was the player Atlanta selected from the Comets, along with DeSouza from the Sun. Roneeka was then flipped to Seattle on draft day for Seattle’s first-round pick (Young) and Izi Castro-Marques. So, she never got a chance to suit up for the Dream, until now.

 

Arriving from Tulsa after starting all season at small forward, the 5-foot-11 Hodges is a well-traveled veteran (Atlanta will make it six WNBA teams over 11 seasons) who will allow McCoughtry to get more of a breather this season. She’s had an up-and-down career offensively, but is a career 37.9 3FG% shooter, and back in 2011, she led the WNBA in threes made per-48. Primarily a gunner, Roneeka doesn’t put the ball on the floor enough to produce turnovers. Anything else she can provide off the bench is gravy.

 

Cooper and Thompson return on the sideline, the only newcomer being former 80s/90s NBA player Tellis Frank, who replaces women’s basketball legend Teresa Edwards.  The Dream’s second-half nosedive in 2014 had not so much to do with Cooper’s sudden hiatus to address his health scare, but moreso the intersection of older bodies with a breakneck season-long tempo.

 

Cooper’s challenge in 2015 is to moderate the energy expenditures of the veterans while infusing reliably productive floortime from their younger teammates. While Taylor and Cooper were criticized for not making big splashes in free agency, this lightly re-tooled roster should be capable of going neck-and-neck with Chicago all season for the Conference title.

 

Reaching the WNBA playoffs, for a seventh-consecutive season, remains a low bar to clear. Even without the top-seed, Chicago, and prior editions of Atlanta, illustrated that the team that’s growing and building momentum at season’s end is the one that usually pushes through to the Finals. We will have to wait and see if Atlanta can be that team.

 

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

WNBA Preview

 

Given the need to merely outdo two of the other five Eastern Conference teams in the standings, Atlanta’s 2015 postseason prospects are again pretty stout. They’ve brightened a little more, due to a couple unfortunate circumstances that befell a couple conference rivals.

 

At one point this winter, the defending conference champion Chicago Sky looked like they were building up a juggernaut. Epiphanny Prince was dealt to New York in exchange for legendary six-time All-Star Cappie Pondexter, a better fit in Chicago’s backcourt and a more vocal leader. But Sylvia Fowles’ impending departure from the Second City will have implications on the Sky’s ability to repeat as WNBA Finalists in 2015.

 

If GM/Coach Pokey Chatman seeks multiple veteran talents, particularly an adequate replacement at center, the Sky should be primed for a much stronger campaign than last season’s illness-and-injury-marred 15-19 finish that preceded their late charge into the Finals. If she goes instead after future picks and young prospects, the title chase for Elena Delle Donne and company may be more arduous.

 

Delle Donne’s best defense is her offense, and Chicago will have issues if they’re relying on All-Star forward Jessica Breland and Markeisha Gatling to hold the frontcourt down all season. Of course, if Fowles concedes and re-signs, Chicago will be the team to beat in the East.

 

The other major misfortune in the East involved last season’s Rookie of the Year. Chiney Ogwumike needed microfracture surgery on her knee in January, making it unlikely she’ll play for the Connecticut Sun this season. She may come back in August, but the Sun is more likely to preserve her for the long haul rather than try to contend this season.

 

WNBA legend Katie Douglas retired recently, creating a vacuum of veteran leadership on Anne Donovan’s Sun squad. One can expect more growth from ex-Dream guard Alex Bentley and Alyssa Thomas, an upgrade in defense thanks to free agent signees Shekinna Stricklen and Camille Little, and meaningful contributions in the post from rookie Liz Williams. But getting to .500-ball would be a coup for Connecticut.

 

Lin Dunn retired after seven illustrious seasons coaching the Indiana Fever, and Stephanie White has been groomed to take over a seasoned group that’s reached the conference finals in each of the past four seasons, just one win away from the WNBA Finals in 2014. The venerable Tamika Catchings plans to play just one more full WNBA season, retiring after Rio in 2016.

 

Indiana’s postseason contention will brighten if second-year forward Natasha Howard has improved her conditioning enough to take over as a frontcourt scorer. After sitting out last season with an ACL injury, 2014 draftee Natalie Achonwa may have a bigger role for Indiana in the second half of the season, when the Canadian returns from the Pan-Am tournament. While getting acclimated to a head honcho, may be a challenge for the Fever to get out of the gate strong, especially with shooting guard Shavonte Zellous leaving early for Eurobasket.

 

The New York Liberty relieved Bill Laimbeer of his GM/coach duties in October, and after an exhaustive three-month search for a new coach, the team trumpeted its new hire… Bill Laimbeer. That proved only to be the second-most head-scratching move involving an ex-Piston by MSG’s James Dolan this year. Laimbeer’s the de facto GM as well, and Trader Bill wasted no time living up to his WNBA infamy.

 

After the blockbuster Prince-Pondexter swap, the Liberty made a flurry of draft-night trades to add up to four roster-worthy rookies to the roster, one of whom may have to fill in as a starting point guard while Prince plays in Eurobasket.

 

Free agent vets Tanisha Wright and Candice Wiggins bolster the depth at the wing positions for New York. A strong MVP-quality season from Tina Charles will be enough to return the Libs to the playoffs for the first time since 2012. To go far, they’ll need an upgrade at power forward over the current options (ex-Dream Swin Cash, Avery Warley-Talbert).

 

No more slow-ball in the Nation’s Capital? Armintie Herrington joins her fellow ex-Dream player Ivory Latta in D.C., to help the Washington Mystics pick up the pace. Continued growth from guards Bria Hartley and Tayler Hill should give Mystics coach Mike Thibault the East’s most fascinating backcourt rotation.  Forward Emma Meesseman will make a nice All-Star run, but center Stefanie Dolson will need to become an impact-maker if the Mystics have designs on the regular-season conference title.

 

You may know by now, but when it comes to women’s hoops, the WNBA is not the biggest show in town – and by town, I mean the planet Earth. The money on multiple continents (particularly in Asia, Australia, and Europe) has been too good for female pro basketball players to pass up.

 

No hoops enterprise offers the ability to expand one’s international profile quite like the WNBA... so long as it sustains the media and sponsorship backing of the NBA. Still, American-citizen players are offered far more money to play overseas, and many international players find that home is not only where the heart is, but where the better contracts are.

 

As a result, veteran players with leverage are forgoing the whole WNBA season to rest and recover from other obligations, rather than continue playing around the calendar. Some of those major decisions are shaking up the Western Conference in 2015, and the most momentous implications involve the defending WNBA champs.

 

The iconic Diana Taurasi accepted a compelling reque$t from her Russian team to skip the entire WNBA season. The Russian squad offered the 32-year-old Taurasi incentive pay that’s greater than her current WNBA salary – a league-maximum with the Phoenix Mercury that’s less than a tenth of what Taurasi earns by playing in Russia.

 

All indications suggest Phoenix is also moving on without Penny Taylor, the soon-to-be 34-year-old Australian who remains Down Under to rest her knee in advance of the Opals’ quest for Olympic Gold in 2016. Their absences gut both the leadership and the quality of the backcourt rotations for the Mercury, although the free agent signings of Monique Currie and Shameka Christon help soften the blows. Coach Sandy Brondello has her work cut out to reestablish the cohesion Phoenix enjoyed in 2014.

 

All eyes will turn to the league’s most imposing player, newlywed Brittney Griner, to lead the Merc back to the top of the WNBA West without the on-floor guidance of Taurasi.  The frontcourt remains strong with DeWanna Bonner and Candice Dupree, but Griner will have a harder time getting dunks without Taurasi around to spread the floor. Brittney will have to demonstrate maturity on (and off) the court, and be exceptionally dominant, for Phoenix to claim a second-straight conference title.

 

The team the Mercury dethroned in 2014 appear to have the inside track to get their WNBA title back. Most of the core of the Minnesota Lynx will return, including do-it-all MVP forward Maya Moore and All-Stars Lindsay Whalen and Seimone Augustus. But the recent decision by starting center Janel McCarville to sit out this season throws a bit of a wrench into Minnesota’s title plans, particularly if they don’t land Fowles.

 

The Lynx responded by acquiring a big Asjha Jones, a former All-Star who missed the past two seasons in Connecticut due to injury. It remains to be seen what condition Jones, who did play overseas recently, is in and how quickly she’ll mesh into the Lynx gameplans.

 

Previously, the Lynx acquired Anna Cruz from New York to shore up the depth at guard. Barring injury, there should be enough star-power and veteran know-how on coach Cheryl Reeve’s team to retake the WNBA mantle. But how ready the options are at the 5-spot remains to be seen.

 

Two-time league MVP Candace Parker is Taurasi’s teammate in Russia, and while she’s not getting incentive pay, she has been granted an unspecified amount of time off from this WNBA season to rest up. It’s a setback for the biggest addition to the Los Angeles Sparks – coach Brian Agler, who jumped ship after several successful seasons in Seattle.

 

In addition to Parker’s indefinite leave, several Sparks players (most notably, guard Kristi Toliver) will be unavailable for much of the season’s first half to prepare for Eurobasket.  The diminished depth will put a lot of pressure on Nneka Ogwumike to lead, and for first-round gem Crystal Bradford to mature quickly. Acquiring former conference rivals, veteran guards Erin Phillips and Temeka Johnson, will help keep L.A. afloat out West for as long as Parker rests.

 

The Tulsa Shock has amassed quite a stable of young star power over the years, and now is the time to start cashing in on all the talent. Skylar Diggins and Odyssey Sims grace the backcourt, and while Liz Cambage still refuses to come to America to play for Tulsa, the Shock had the good fortune to draft Amanda Zahui B. (that’s her name), an Swedish-born early-entry big with a multitude of talent and potential.

 

That’s a literal toy chest for former Dream head coach Fred Williams. He’ll build on Tulsa’s best-ever season (albeit a losing one) in 2014 to make a playoff charge, relying on a lot of returnees and continued growth from Diggins (last year’s Most Improved Player) and Sims. Defensive-minded free agent Karima Christmas will serve as the Shock’s glue player, replacing Atlanta’s Roneeka Hodges at the wing.

 

The 2015 draft helped Tulsa, but it was even more kind to the Seattle Storm, who held the top pick. They traded players to get the #3-overall pick then benefitted from the windfall when Zahui B. and scoring guard Jewell Loyd left college early. In addition to #1-overall pick Loyd, who now gets to enjoy some tutelage from legendary guard Sue Bird, Seattle drafted the most prolific shooter coming out of college, UConn’s Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis.

 

Under new Storm coach Jenny Boucek, KML will need to improve her conditioning to endure the rigors of the WNBA game. It’s hoped that down the road, the KML-Loyd duo will have the same imprint on Seattle’s success as Lauren Jackson and Bird had over a decade ago. Jackson hasn’t played a full season in a Storm jersey since the 2010 championship season, and she will sit out the WNBA for a third-straight year to rest. So, title contention for Seattle will remain on the back burner while the rookies mature.

 

The San Antonio Stars are moving on without their retired franchise face, guard Becky Hammon, but they have a strong starting lineup, featuring guards Danielle Robinson and All-Rookie honoree Kayla McBride, plus veterans Jia Perkins and Sophia Young-Malcolm at forward.

 

The quality of veteran depth behind the starters remains subpar, so barring tremendous performances by draft-day acquisition Alex Montgomery and first-rounder Dearica Hamby, coach Dan Hughes’ club will be hard-pressed to fend off Tulsa for the final playoff spot in 2015.

 

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Season Predictions

 

Eastern Conference

1.       Chicago Sky

2.       ATLANTA DREAM

3.       New York Liberty

4.       Washington Mystics

5.       Indiana Fever

6.       Connecticut Sun

 

Western Conference

1.       Minnesota Lynx

2.       Phoenix Mercury

3.       Tulsa Shock

4.       Los Angeles Sparks

5.       Seattle Storm

6.       San Antonio Silver Stars

 

Conference Semifinals – Chicago over Washington (2-1); ATLANTA over New York (2-1); Minnesota over Los Angeles (2-1); Phoenix over Tulsa (2-1)

 

Conference Finals – Chicago over ATLANTA (2-1); Minnesota over Phoenix (2-1)

 

WNBA Finals – Minnesota over Chicago (3-1)

 

MVP – Maya Moore, Minnesota

 

Rookie of the Year – Crystal Bradford, Los Angeles Kiah Stokes, New York

 

Most Improved Player – Tayler Hill, Washington

 

Sixth Woman of the Year – Allie Quigley, Chicago

 

Defensive Player of the Year – Brittney Griner, Phoenix

 

Peak Performers – Elena Delle Donne, Chicago (Scoring); Tina Charles, New York (Rebounding); Lindsay Whalen, Minnesota (Assists); Brittney Griner, Phoenix (Blocks); Maya Moore, Minnesota (Steals)

 

Coach of the Year – Pokey Chatman, Chicago

 

~lw3

Edited June 4, 2015 by lethalweapon3

[lethalweapon3]

Dream Schedule

 

As usual, the Dream will have a home-friendly start to the season followed by an arduous road-heavy stretch, one extended this season by the All-Star Break. Following the season-opener at MSG, Atlanta will play eight of the next ten games at home. In mid-July, the Dream head west for a four-game road trip that begins at defending-champion Phoenix and concludes in Chicago. Then they’ll play four teams on the road in the first five games after the All-Star Weekend in Connecticut. 

 

The initial preseason game will return Angel McCoughtry and Shoni Schimmel to their collegiate stomping grounds. The team established an “Atlanta Dream Classic” that convenes four WNBA teams for a pair of games, allowing Louisville Cardinals fans a chance to cheer on some of their favorite professional basketball players.

 

The local preseason game will be at North Atlanta High School (home to some Warriors you’ll actually want to root for) against the Chinese national women’s team. Team practices will be held at a new fitness/entertainment venue near Six Flags in Cobb County.

 

This year’s WNBA schedule shifts back to a normal timeframe without the need to accommodate international play, but there will still be two sets of contests for the Dream on back-to-back nights, one pair during the opening week and one in late August.

 

**All Times Eastern**

**All Home Games at Philips Arena, unless noted in brackets**

 

PRESEASON (2 Games)

Saturday, May 23 – vs. Washington (Atlanta Dream Classic, at Louisville, Kentucky), 7:00 pm

Wednesday, May 27 – @ New York, 11:30 am

Sunday, May 31 – vs. Chinese National Team (at North Atlanta High School), 3:00 pm

 

REGULAR SEASON (34 Games)

Friday, June 5 – @ New York, 7:30 pm

Sunday, June 7 – vs. Connecticut, 3:00 pm (SportSouth)

Thursday, June 11 – vs. San Antonio, 7:00 pm (Fox Sports South)

Friday, June 12 – @ Washington, 7:00 pm

Sunday, June 14 - @ Connecticut, 3:00 pm (ESPN 3)

Tuesday, June 16 – vs. Indiana, 12:00 pm (Fox Sports South, NBATV)

Friday, June 19 – vs. Chicago, 7:30 pm (SportSouth)

Sunday, June 21 – vs. New York, 3:00 pm (SportSouth, NBATV)

Wednesday, June 24 – @ Chicago, 12:30 pm

Friday, June 26 – vs. Washington, 7:30 pm (SportSouth)

Sunday, July 5 – vs. Seattle, 3:00 pm (SportSouth)

Tuesday, July 7 – vs. Tulsa, 8:00 pm (ESPN2)

Sunday, July 12 – vs. New York, 3:00 pm (SportSouth)

Tuesday, July 14 – @ Phoenix, 10:00 pm (SportSouth)

Thursday, July 16 – @ Los Angeles, 3:30 pm

Saturday, July 18 – @ Seattle, 9:00 pm

Tuesday, July 21 – @ Chicago, 8:00 pm

(ALL-STAR BREAK: Game in Uncasville, Connecticut on July 25)

Wednesday, July 29 – @ San Antonio, 8:00 pm

Friday, July 31 – @ Minnesota, 8:00 pm

Sunday, August 2 – vs. Phoenix, 3:00 pm (SportSouth, NBATV)

Friday, August 7 – @ Indiana, 7:00 pm (SportSouth, NBATV)

Sunday, August 9 – @ Tulsa, 4:30 pm

Friday, August 14 – vs. Minnesota, 7:30 pm (SportSouth, NBATV)

Sunday, August 16 – vs. Connecticut, 3:00 pm (SportSouth, NBATV)

Friday, August 21 – @ New York, 7:30 pm (NBATV)

Sunday, August 23 – @ Connecticut, 6:00 pm

Tuesday, August 25 – vs. Connecticut, 12:00 pm (Fox Sports South, NBATV)

Friday, August 28 – @ Indiana, 7:00 pm

Saturday, August 29 – vs. Chicago, 7:00 pm (SportSouth, NBATV)

Tuesday, September 1 – @ New York, 7:00 pm (NBATV)

Sunday, September 6 – vs. Washington, 3:00 pm (SportSouth, NBATV)

Wednesday, September 9 – vs. Los Angeles, 7:00 pm (Fox Sports South)

Friday, September 11 – vs. Indiana, 7:30 pm (SportSouth)

Sunday, September 13 – @ Washington, 4:00 pm (NBATV)

 

~lw3

Edited June 13, 2015 by lethalweapon3
updated with revised NBATV schedule

[Randy]

Wow lw3 - great analysis and I love your sly humor.  Predictions are so tough in the WNBA.  The Mercury, for example, reigning champs could be with a little bad luck, a lottery team this year.  Or they could be tough as nails.  The whole Eurobasket, star sitting out, Griner/Johnson suspension and Fowles dramas have yet to play out or be resolved so this season is almost a pure wildcard.  The one team that has most everything intact is the Lynx, but if they don't get Fowles, they will probably miss McCarville.  Brunson is not getting any younger, and Jones is a wildcard.  An injury to one of their big 3 and they are no longer a clear cut favorite.

 

Injuries are so key and we obviously can't predict which ones happen once the season starts.  Angel's strife in Turkey is sad, but it will be nice to see her get a chance to play for the Dream after having had a break to rest before the season starts and be available for the entire training camp.  A lot depends on whether Shoni can step it up, or, goes into the dreaded sophemore slump.  Logic seems like a very good pg candidate, but are Angel, Erika, Sancho and Tip going to listen to a rookie in the huddle?  Lots of questions this year and the answers will only come on the court.

 

I really don't like the Dream schedule.  They frontload the home games, which builds momentum, but then hit the road for long stretches and, at best, just lose the momentum, while at worst they go into a tail spin.  If they don't get off to a really hot start, this could be a very long season.

Edited May 17, 2015 by Randy

[lethalweapon3]

Totally out of it the past couple days, and while I haven't missed much (WNBA.com site is down, one would hope for maintenance), there was this news coming out of Dream camp.

 

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Atlanta re-signed Jasmine Thomas, then traded her for a second-rounder, then waives that rookie just a couple days into training camp. Hmm.

 

This wipes out any notion (mine. specifically) that Matee Ajavon is only here as window dressing. Save us , Chucky Jeffery!

 

The move also disabuses me of the sense Coach Coop finally moved beyond the concept of Shoni as an everyday point guard. Quite the opposite!

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/wnbas-dream-looks-learn-devastating-playoff-loss-070849463--wnba.html

 

The only starting position that will be new is at point guard, where second-year player Shoni Schimmel will get first crack. Schimmel was named a WNBA All-Star as a rookie (where she won the MVP award) and averaged 8.3 points and 3.6 assists coming off the bench. 

Now she will have to direct an offense that has a veteran frontcourt of Erika de Souza and Sancho Lyttle in addition to McCoughtry. 

''My first year, I didn't know what to expect,'' Schimmel said. ''I have a year under my belt and I know what I'm doing this year. I want to bring leadership. Last year, I didn't know what my role was. Now I know what I'm doing.''

 

 

We shall see! All I can say is, good luck, Shoni!

 

~lw3

[Randy]

Chucky is not coming to the rescue lw3 - she got waived.  Unless Brazilican Erica Wheeler (signed today) can do the job, no one is coming to the rescue.  

[Randy]

Looks like Erica (with a c, not a k) is the wheel deal.  Led the Dream to victory over the evil Liberty at NY's pres-season "Kids day" today.

 

Angel has an ankle sprain but based on her tweet doesn't seem too serious.

Edited May 28, 2015 by Randy

[Gray Mule]

Well.  This didn't take a lot of time from the Hawks final post season loss

until the anticipation of a great WNBA season for the Atlanta dream!!

 

[Randy]

I guess the good news is we won't have to choose between watching the Hawks or the Dream play on a given night in June.  Would have rather we did have to make the choice though.  

[lethalweapon3]

I guess the good news is we won't have to choose between watching the Hawks or the Dream play on a given night in June.  Would have rather we did have to make the choice though.  

 

When I saw the Dream schedule, I hoped there would be no conflicts that send the Dream up to Gwinnett or Midtown or somewhere. Had the Hawks played the Warriors (Games 3.4,6) the schedules would have meshed perfectly, but had it been the Rockets (Games 1,2,5,7) it might have been tricky!

 

~lw3

[Randy]

As an aside, the Sun now have 3 former Dream guards - Bentley, Thomas and Inga Orechova, with Alex and Jasmine starting the pre-season.  Inga was the draft pick that was part of the Bentley deal, so a bit of irony there.  Also, Hyrnko is now on San Antonio and played in a game yesterday.  

 

Sunday the Dream face the Chinese National team at North HS.  Suppose their team color is red?  I wonder what their official team name is "The People Liberation Women's Basketball Team?"  Anyway, autograph session with both teams after the game.

[lethalweapon3]

A nice write-up by Mechelle Voepel (ESPN) of Angel coming into this season.

 

(EDIT: I forgot the link)

 

http://espn.go.com/wnba/story/_/id/12971110/atlanta-dream-star-angel-mccoughtry-now-living-my-own-life

 

If I said this were a story about a WNBA player who talked about doing yoga and feeling refreshed ... who said she is learning to appreciate sunsets, cookouts and walks in the park ... who uses terms like "relaxed" and "lightness" to describe her current state of mind ... whom might you guess it was?

 

Probably not Atlanta's Angel McCoughtry, right?...

 

She's begun to feel the freedom to discover more about who she really is beyond being a basketball star. The freedom to not feel the weight of the Dream is all on her shoulders. The freedom to let go some of the past bad feelings or disappointing times. Entering her seventh season in the WNBA, the former No. 1 draft pick thinks her best days are ahead.

 

"Honestly, I feel like this is my fresh start," McCoughtry said.

 

 

~lw3

Edited May 29, 2015 by lethalweapon3

[Randy]

Today was the Dream v. China game.  It was not very close, but fun if you were a Dream fan and wanted to see all the plays that would probably never work in the regular season.  Erika and Tip led the way with 21 each, Shoni knocked down 5 - 3's for 15.  Several players may be awaiting news on cuts.  It looks to me like it comes down to 2 from Alwal, Holmes, Wheeler and Ajavon will be cut.  We don't really need Alwal, a 6-4 post, but Holmes doesn't look that good.  Wheeler and Ajavon failed to impress, but Ajavon has the experience.  Another possibility could be the return of Courtney Clements - waived today by the Sky.  Not that she is that good, but she would probably be better than any of the 4 named above.  

[lethalweapon3]

In the aftermath of the Dream season concluding last September, Coach Coop told FoxSports:

 

"We need a physical, physical big down low. We need that beast in the post in that four spot or five spot and we'll definitely be looking to shore up there."

 

 

Unless there's a last-minute play for Chicago's Sylvia Fowles, the Dream will go into the 2015 season with the exact same players at the 4/5 as they did at the end of 2014, the arguable exception being a healthier DeLisha Milton-Jones. Center Martha Alwal was cut on Monday, along with guard Sequoia Holmes.

 

The only hope is that we'll see significant improvement out of Aneika Henry (particularly for however long Atlanta will miss Sancho Lyttle due to Eurobasket) and Nadia Colhado, making them worthy of expanded playing time.

 

~lw3

[Randy]

To me Colhado looked better than I remembered against China the other day, but then, if you don't look pretty good against China, you don't really belong in the WNBA.  China did have one big gal who seemed to be their best player that actually looked like a W prospect at times.  Next year the Dream make a play for her?  China didn't have names or numbers on their uni's so it may be hard to figure who was who. LOL

 

DMJ has not even played yet, so I don't know if she is still injured or what, but the main change in the team is replacing Thomas with Logic and adding Wheeler in place of Dumerc (who may show up sooner or later.)  Shoni is our starting PG - for now.  Logic looked ok, but was making her shots.  Wheeler looked sort of nervous, but now that she has a job for at least a while maybe she will calm down.

 

I don't see Fowles coming here, but stranger things have happened.  All reports say her heart is set on playing for the Lynx or taking the summer off.  

Edited June 2, 2015 by Randy

[lethalweapon3]

You gotta love any player whose Twitter address is "EWeezy_For3eezy". Congrats to Erica for making the squad. Since we have an already established EriKa, I'm going to just call Wheeler "EWeezy" for now.

 

And yes, welcome back, too, DeLisha and Matee! Miss Slim and Miss None! ;-)

 

Celine Dumerc got a full-season suspension today, so she'll stay across the Atlantic all season.

 

One notable addition to the Dream staff is Miles Cooper. Yes, that's Michael's son. The recent USC grad and manager for the Women of Troy now serves as "Assistant Scout and Player Development Coach" under his pops.

 

http://dream.wnba.com/news/dream-announces-opening-night-roster/

 

~lw3

[Randy]

I think this is au revoir for Celine.  Next year is the Olympics - she will likely once again be with the French National team going for the Silver (that's Gold for the rest of the world). 

 

So if Erica got the Dream to close to door on Celine - good for her. 

[lethalweapon3]

Gameday! The Dream tip off tonight in Gotham against the New York Liberty (7:30 PM Eastern, no local TV but a team-sponsored watch party in South Cobb, MSG Network). And while the Dream may have 99 problems, the front office ain't one.

 

Outside the World's Most Famous Arena Not Named Philips will be dozens of protestors, peeved over the questionable co-ownership of Isiah Thomas (with Knicks and MSG don James Dolan) and his hiring by Dolan to serve as the Liberty's Team President. Zeke's status remains in limbo as the league has not formally voted on whether to accept the ex-Knicks GM, once found guilty of sexual harassment, into the WNBA fold. Still, none of the hullabaloo either inside or outside the Garden should distract the participants in today's contest, where another Bad Boy, Bill Laimbeer, will match wits with Atlanta's Michael Cooper.

 

Sancho Lyttle is likely to contribute both today and on Sunday in the Dream home opener, before packing her bags and flying out to join Team Espana in time for the Eurobasket Women tourney which begins on June 11 and continues through June 28. Lyttle will have a great tune up, as she and Erika DeSouza will have their hands full against the mighty Tina Charles (three-time WNBA leader in RPG) and a pair of energetic rookies.

 

Australian forward Becca Allen and former UConn center Kiah Stokes have each had impressive preseason outings, including against Atlanta back on May 27. Stokes blocked four shots and snared nearly a dozen boards, while Allen came off the bench to score 11 points in 17 minutes. Centered around Tina, Laimbeer is designing some Bad Girl ball where the offense is initiated from the inside out, and there will be enough frontline depth to risk a little foul trouble while gambling on D.

 

Cooper may want to limit floortime for backups Aneika Henry and Nadia Colhado, resting them up at least until Lyttle departs. And there's no telling what DeLisha Milton-Jones will contribute in her 17th WNBA season, coming off an Achilles injury. So it will be important for DeSouza and Lyttle to avoid foul trouble against Charles and company.

 

Laimbeer has been rotating two veterans at starting small forward, "We Need to Talk" co-host Swin Cash and seventh-year swing player Candice Wiggins, but he may need to adjust to some fresher legs when Angel McCoughtry and the Dream turn up the tempo.

 

Trader Bill swapped his former star Cappie Pondexter to Chicago in the offseason for Epiphanny Prince. But while he needs a pacesetter tonight, Piph has already set sail, assisting Team Russia in advance of Eurobasket. Essence Carson and newcomer Tanisha Wright will be counted on to set the table for a team whose top returning assist-maker (Charles) was the only one who averaged more than two assists per game in 2014. The Libs, second to high-paced Atlanta in turnovers last season, cannot afford anything close to the 20 turnovers committed against Atlanta during the dress rehearsal last month.

 

Named in 2014 to the WNBA's All-Defensive 1st Team for the fifth time in 10 WNBA seasons, Wright arrived in the offseason from Seattle and will be roving the perimeter, trying to keep Atlanta's shooters cool. McCoughtry will do well to avoid living on the three-point line and creating havoc for New York on drives into the paint.

 

Angel can leave the long-range shooting responsibilities to Tiffany Hayes, Shoni Schimmel, and Roneeka Hodges, all of whom must be ready to come off off-ball screens for catch-and-shoot opportunities. Even as volume shooters, Atlanta should have enough offense to offset New York's top-returning three-point gunner, Sugar Rodgers.

 

At some point in tonight's game we may be treated to a matchup between Atlanta rookie Samantha Logic and the point guard selected one spot ahead of her in the 2015 draft, New York's Brittany Boyd. Logic's 10th-overall selection was sandwiched between those of Boyd and Stokes.

 

Let's Go Dream!

 

~lw3