2015 Atlanta Dream and WNBA Previews

[lethalweapon3]

No worries, Dream. You were only the SECOND-worst WNBA-related flop today!

 

~lw3

[Gray Mule]

Not nice.  Too many missed shots.  We missed.  They didn't.

 

Home opener this afternoon.  Time for that first win of the season.

 

GO DREAM !!

[lethalweapon3]

It’s home opener time, as the Atlanta Dream face the Connecticut Sun (3 PM Eastern, SportSouth... welcome back, Bob and LaChina!), both teams on the hunt for their first win of the season. After New York’s Swin Cash burned Atlanta for 15 points on Friday’s 82-73 Liberty win, the Dream hope it’s not Alex Bentley’s turn to do the haunting. Or Jasmine Thomas’ turn, either.

 

While Shoni Schimmel provided decent output, particularly as a help rebounder (10 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 TOs), Atlanta looked like a team in desperate need of a table-setter. The Dream committed 9 first-quarter turnovers, too much to overcome as the Liberty raced to a 30-21 opening-quarter lead and fended off Atlanta charges in the second-half.

 

For the Liberty, Cash provided the kind of big-shot-making the Dream hoped to get when they acquired her prior to the start of last season. The same could not be said of Sancho Lyttle (1-for-6 FGs), who is likely to depart for Eurobasket after today’s affair, or Erika DeSouza (2-for-5 FGs), who was bedeviled by foul trouble (four personal fouls by the third minute of the second half). Atlanta’s ballhandlers must get the bigs involved in the offense early and often.

 

Angel McCoughtry (27 points, 8-for-19 FGs, 4 offensive rebounds, 3 steals) and Tiffany Hayes (17 points, 5-for-18 FGs, missed last 6 FGs in second half) tried to keep the offense humming, but their effectiveness waned as the lack of ball movement allowed the Liberty to clamp down on the pair in the clutch. With five minutes to go, Lori Ann drew her first obligatory technical of the season, as the chance to pull even with New York was slipping away.

 

Connecticut should be an ideal bounceback opportunity for the Dream. But the Sun (0-1) were led by Bentley (4-for-5 3FGs) to a 24-18 start in their home opener versus the Mystics, the former Dream guard scoring nine of her 17 points in the first quarter. Aside from center Kelsey Bone (7-for-12 FGs) and forward Alyssa Thomas (13 points, 7 rebounds), Bentley wasn’t getting much help in keeping the Mystics at bay, Connecticut scoring just 44 points in the final three quarters.

 

Jasmine Thomas didn’t help the Sun’s cause with her shot (1-for-10 FGs), but committed no turnovers in 30 minutes and will look to drive-and-kick more against her former team today. The Dream have to defend the pick-and-roll well in order to keep the Sun offense tepid.

 

Atlanta got very little bench production in New York as Roneeka Hodges, Aneika Henry, Nadia Colhado, Matee Ajavon, and Erica Wheeler were a combined 4-for-10 from the field, Henry and Ajavon committing three turnovers in under six minutes of floortime. This will be a good time for Michael Cooper to dust off rookie point guard Samantha Logic and see if she can better lead the bench corps.

 

Let’s Go Dream!

 

~lw3

[Randy]

Great write up, lw3.  Perfect day for the Dream to start their season over.  Let's get it right this time.  Shoni seemed to have gotten confused on her position last game.  She out rebounded our entire post core (Erika, Sancho, Nadia and Aneika) 8-7, and was frequently playing d on the opposing post.  Not sure why that happened, but I don't think it was by design.

 

Jaz v Shoni might be good.  I figure they both know each other's tricks.  Jaz can go off once in a while so look out Shoni if this is one of those days.  Meanwhile, Angle burned NY, now would be a perfect time for her to put out the Sun.  

 

The NY loss was a bummer, but pretty much the same problem as last year. At least no one from the Dream got arrested or a broken leg after a scuffle with the NYPD.    

Edited June 7, 2015 by Randy

[Randy]

It occurs to me the Sun have 1 big advantage on us - they have 2 former Dream players, both probably highly motivated to show everyone what a mistake was made by shipping them off the a casino in nowherevile CT.  We, have no former Sun players to counter that.  

[Dnice]

Soon as I check in the sun comes back from 12 down...so bye. Lol

[Randy]

Very strange - it seemed like we were pretty much in control the whole game, then suddenly the Sun were on top.  Seems like the basketball equivalent of 'rope a dope'.

[Gray Mule]

Dream were trying to force ball into holes that it wouldn't go.

Kinda like trying to put a square peg into a round hole, it just won't fit.

 

Also, the Dream didn't believe that the opponents were as quick as they were

and had pass after pass stolen.  Them MUST learn to hang on to the ball.

 

Where is it?  we need it right now!  What?  That 1st victory of the season.

Dream, who are favored to win the east are without a win.  Please!  Get us one !!

 

GO DREAM !!

[lethalweapon3]

Oh, NOW she tells everybody!

 

At least there's some good news on the stability front for Atlanta.

 

http://lovewomensbasketball.com/2015/06/07/spain-to-defend-their-title-without-2013-mvp-lyttle/

 

EuroBasket Women 2013 champions Spain has announced their roster for the 2015 tournament.

 

Only four days before the tournament Spain has finally confirmed that 2013 MVP Sancho Lyttle will not be coming over from the States this year...

 

Sancho Lyttle’s spot as naturalized post player will be occupied by another first timer – Astou Ndour.

 

 

Ndour plays as a backup center for San Antonio.

 

~lw3

[Randy]

Who we just happen to play on Thursday night.  Good find lw3.   Maybe this also means we won't have to lose her to the Olympics next year.   

Edited June 10, 2015 by Randy

[lethalweapon3]

I'd say Shoni's got more BBQ than BBIQ so far.

 

http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/basketball/schimmel-overcoming-conditioning-issues/nmZpY/

 

 

Schimmel, the Dream’s starting point guard, showed up to training camp in May out of shape. And heading into the Dream’s third game, Thursday night against San Antonio at Philips Arena, Schimmel is still working on her conditioning. Schimmel’s poor conditioning affects her play, but her basketball IQ helps her overcome some of those deficiencies, coach Michael Cooper said.

 

 

 

“The bottom line is she understands the magnitude of being a professional basketball player, a professional athlete now,” Cooper said. “It’s about keeping your body in tip-top shape all year around to where when you come to training camp, training camp shouldn’t be a time for you to get in shape, training camp is a time to take the shape you’re in and take it to another level with your teammates.”

 

Many young players struggle with offseason conditioning when they transition from a structured college environment to a more independent professional career, said Jackie Ansley, the Dream’s strength-and-conditioning coach. And Ansley understands why Schimmel took a break this past offseason.

 

“She was exhausted,” Ansley said. “That was a full year of basketball where she didn’t have a break.”

 

Schimmel plans to play overseas this year, and Cooper believes that will help Schimmel stay in shape. And an in-shape Schimmel is key to the Dream’s fast-paced offense.

 

“She has to push tempo for us,” Cooper said Sunday after a 75-70 loss to the Connecticut Sun. “We want to be a running team, and Shoni’s good as far as kicking the ball up the floor.”

 

 

~lw3

[Randy]

Doesn't get any easier for Shoni and the Dream tonight going up against Danielle Robinson, Jia Perkins and Kayla McBride on San Antonio.  The Stars didn't have a very good record last year, but they can hit the 3 and the may be better than people are thinking.  To make matters worse, this is the start of 3 days in 4 nights and 4 games in 6, as the Dream will face NY and DC on the road and then come home Tuesday for Kids Day at Noon.  None of the games will be easy, though Indy has not looked good so far, though they have been without Zealous in their first 3 games and Catchings in their first two.  C'mon Dream lets get this season going in the right direction!

[lethalweapon3]

The Stars are aligned for San Antonio as they come into Atlanta for tonight's tilt with the Dream (7:00 PM Eastern, Fox Sports South), and not just because the Dream (0-2) is struggling out of the gate.

 

San Antonio has two games each in the upcoming schedule against Tulsa and Phoenix, and all of those are without scorned lovebirds Glory Johnson (Tulsa) and Brittney Griner (Phoenix) due to their suspensions. They failed to capitalize in their season opener in Phoenix, scoring just 8 points in the second quarter against the Mercury in a 76-71 defeat. But Dan Hughes' squad did get six full days of rest and preparation coming into their second game, tonight at the Highlight Factory.

 

Further, the Stars are among the least-affected teams by either injuries or defections: while it would be nice to have center Astou Ndour, her absence for Eurobasket isn't likely to tip the scales in any game.

 

Aside from Shoni Schimmel, what won't tip the scales for Atlanta is the departure of Sancho Lyttle to Eurobasket. One of the few bright spots (16 points, 14 boards) in Sunday's flop at home versus Connecticut, Lyttle may have seen how hapless the Dream could look when she's not present or at least engaged (as was the case in New York), and elected to advise the Spaniards she's not coming across the pond with Ndour.

 

That's good news for Atlanta, but it remains to be seen what adjustments will be made to establish a well-organized offense. Going back to last season, including the 2014 Playoffs, the Dream have lost 13 consecutive games when they've finished with 80 points or less. The team's perimeter defense is no longer good enough to make up for sloppy execution and poor perimeter shooting at the other end.

 

The Dream committed an inexcusable 25 turnovers (including 7 steals by ex-Dreamer Jasmine Thomas) against the least-favored team in the East on Sunday, blown inbound passes and up-for-grabs lobs into the post the kind of things one would expect from a middle-school team. Atlanta's carelessness with the ball sounds good to San Antonio's crafty Jia Perkins, the veteran guard who ranks 8th all-time in steals and led the Stars with 20 points last week in Phoenix.

 

The over-reliance on rookie Erica Wheeler (two assists, four TOs in nine minutes) to make positive plays as a backup ballhandler seems to be weighing the offense down. Schimmel has been useful as a help rebounder (seven rebounds vs. CON) but not much else so far (2-for-10 FGs vs. CON, three assists and five TOs in 30 minutes). Shoni will need help to put pressure on Stars All-Star guard Danielle Robinson, who is looking to bounce back after a pedestrian season-opener (six points and two assists vs. PHX).

 

After watching rookie scoring-guards like Brittany Boyd and Chelsea Gray have field days in the first two games, will it be Dream draftee Brittany Hrynko making a name for herself in tonight's contest? In what will likely be a broken record, Dream coach Michael Cooper has to give first-rounder Samantha Logic more than an off-ball role in two-small-guard sets.

 

Another first-round rookie, ATL native Dearica Hamby has cracked the starting lineup, moving ahead of Sophia Young-Malcolm in Hughes' depth chart. The Dream bigs must come out of the lane to contest both Hamby and, when she's in the game, Danielle Adams. Adams is notorious for jacking up threes to keep her team in the game. When Adams is living at the three-point line, the Dream defenders must rotate inside to limit San Antonio's second chances. Given Shoni's momentary ability to mix it up inside and help Erika DeSouza and Lyttle grab defensive boards, Angel McCoughtry may be better served shifting more of her defense to the perimeter.

 

Let's Go Dream!

 

~lw3

Edited June 11, 2015 by lethalweapon3

[Randy]

Great write up lw3.  Close game - closer than it needed to be, I think.  Ajavon has replaced Shoni as the starting pg.  I don't think she got one assist all night, but neither Robinson, nor Perkins lite up the scoreboard, so I think it was mission accomplished for her.  As our friend Diesel on the Hawk board has pointed out - you are who you can guard.  So if Ajavon can guard PG's - I guess she's our PG.  Dearica Hamby (one of the players I really wanted the Dream to draft gave her large group of fans a lot to cheer about tonight.  And Kayla McBride had one of those nights that were a reminder of her great run at Notre Dame.

 

Angel pretty much carried the day, and Ajavon (the player I'm rooting for to make comeback player of the year) made some key baskets late in the game.  Shoni hit a couple of 3s and hopefully didn't get any splinters from sitting on the bench.

 

My hoped for encounter of Hrynko and Wheeler never took place - they both played but not at the same time - so we may never know which one is best (or is it which one is worst?). Anyway - a good win, and a needed one.

[Gray Mule]

DeSosa finally began to score!  Shoni came off the pine and brought

new energy and made some nice assist passes and scored.

 

Some nice steals and rebounds.  Still not hitting some rather easy

looking shots.  These gals do usually hit their free throws!

 

Great win !

[lethalweapon3]

The Atlanta Dream got off the schneid yesterday, and now they’ll try to get the Washington Mystics on it. On the back end of their first back-to-back set of WNBA games this season, Atlanta hits the road to tackle the unbeaten Mystics (2-0) in D.C. (7:00 PM Eastern, No Local TV, Monumental Network in the DMV).

 

The Dream used to make their hay as a team dependent on forcing turnovers and producing transition points. Now that Atlanta creates as many turnovers (12 assists, 15 TOs vs. SAS Friday) as their opponents (SAS: 17 TOs vs. ATL), the thing they’re hanging their hat on is the ability to crash the offensive glass.

 

In order to fend off Kayla McBride (29 points) and the Stars’ late rally last night, and win their first game without exceeding 80 points (a 71-69 victory) in 14 tries, Atlanta turned to their front line to create second chances. The Dream’s Angel McCoughtry, Sancho Lyttle, and Erika DeSouza combined for 15 of a whopping 20 offensive rebounds.

 

It’s not a new phenomenon: the Dream (11.8 ORPG) barely out-boarded Tulsa and Connecticut for the league lead last season, and was tied for the top with New York (10.7 PRPG) in 2013. But Michael Cooper’s gang is coming out of the early blocks going after their own misses like never before (WNBA-high 16.3 OPRG through 3 games), in hopes of compensating for anemic team shooting (36.5 FG%, second-lowest in WNBA).

 

To the surprise of many, Coach Coop turned to Matee Ajavon on Friday to run the point as a starter and a finisher. Ajavon simply brought the ball up the floor for her playmakers (no assists, one TO in 26 minutes), and was on the way to her obligatory 1-for-7 shooting day when the Stars’ defensive sea parted and granted her two crucial scores on back-to-back drives that nearly iced the game. Shoni Schimmel provided a more sensible offensive effort (three assists, one TO in 13 minutes), including two second-half triples to give Atlanta some breathing room.

 

Atlanta cutting down on turnovers (15 TOs; five by Angel McCoughtry, four by Erika DeSouza) committed by low-usage players helped to preserve the season’s first victory on Friday. Cooper may stick with this point guard rotation until he’s compelled to come up with something different. Samantha Logic was reported to have hamstring issues and was unavailable to play yesterday, while fellow rookie guard Erica Wheeler was limited in action.

 

While McCoughtry (four steals vs. SAS, three in the 1st quarter) and Sancho Lyttle had to help their perimeter defenders, leaving McBride (4-for-9 3FGs) and rookie Dearica Hamby (17 points on 7-for-11 shooting) to look quite cozy, the good part was Danielle Robinson and Jia Perkins (combined 5-for-20 FGs, Perkins 2-for-9 on threes) never could get it going for San Antonio. Atlanta will need to agitate the guard play of Washington, who has committed a league-low 10.0 APG through their first two contests while ringing up 16.5 APG (3^rd in WNBA).

 

Like the Stars yesterday, the Mystics come into tonight’s game after a six-day layoff. It’s taken some wizardry for Washington to pull off a 2-0 start. Coach Mike Thibault has to deal with the absences of guard Bria Hartley (out for weeks with a stress fracture in her foot) and center Kia Vaughn (hip injury), while ex-Dream guard Armintie Herrington has been hampered by a knee injury.

 

Ivory Latta (7-for-25 FGs) and Kara Lawson (5-for-16 FGs) haven’t shot the ball well from the field. So the Mystics have been riding behind Emma Meesseman (team-high 16 points and nine rebounds vs. New York last Saturday) and Stefanie Dolson (18 points and 12 boards at Connecticut last Friday) to help build leads so Latta and Lawson can help put the game away with clutch shots and free throws in the fourth quarter. The Dream will need to contest and limit the Mystics’ guards drives without fouling.

 

With Vaughn injured, Tianna Hawkins on maternity leave, and LaToya Sanders overseas for Eurobasket, the Mystics are very thin upfront. Washington will need more substantive production from rookies Kayla Thornton and Ally Malott to spell Meesseman and Dolson. Atlanta must continue to pile up points in the paint and try to get to the free throw line on the backs of fouls from the Mystics’ bigs.

 

Let’s Go Dream!

 

~lw3

[Randy]

Really good stuff, thanks lw3 - the hamstring may be the reason the lineups have had no Logic to them.

[Gray Mule]

WOW !!

 

I had given up on the Dream.  Then, they scored the final seven points.

Angel hit that game winning three plus two free throws.

 

This will make your nerves go if you're not careful.

 

Shoni hit two three point shots late in the game.

 

Great way to now be 2-2 for the year and hand our opponent

their first loss of the season.

 

GO DREAM !!

[Randy]

I had  given up to.  Kept thinking  - what's the use - we are going to lose again.  Fortunately our players don't give up so easily.  Looks to me like bringing Shoni off the bench was a really good move.  Ajavon seems to be one of those players that can't play worth a darn coming off the bench, while Shoni brings in a spark on the offensive end.  The main benefit though may be that Wheeler is not playing so many minutes.  

[lethalweapon3]

The Atlanta Dream can get back above .500 and establish an two-game road winning streak with a win this afternoon in Connecticut against the Sun (3:00 PM Eastern, No Local TV, ESPN3).

 

Connecticut spoiled Atlanta’s home opener last Sunday, prevailing 75-70 by playing old-school Dream basketball (is that a thing now?). The Sun leveraged Atlanta’s 25 turnovers into 31 points and outscored the Dream 16-6 on the fast break. Angel McCoughtry coughed it up six times, and as the close of the fourth quarter neared and Atlanta down 70-59, Michael Cooper elected to fight to live another day by benching his star player.

 

That other day came on Friday, in D.C. After the Dream offense crawled through the first three quarters (38 points), including just eight points in the second, McCoughtry came alive in the final eight minutes. Angel overturned a 52-41 Mystics lead with an assist to Shoni Schimmel for three, plus 10 points of her own, none bigger than a triple with 28 seconds left to grant Atlanta (2-2) a 62-61 lead.

 

Six of the Dream’s seven three-point makes came in the pivotal fourth quarter. With under ten seconds to go, Angel iced a pair of clutch free throws to top off a 64-61 victory. The Baltimore native loves to shine whenever she plays in the DMV.

 

The Sun (2-1) brought Chicago’s Sky-high-scoring offense back to Earth with a 67-65 nailbiter win in their home opener on Thursday. Kelsey Bone (14 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks) patrolled the paint as Connecticut withstood the onslaught of Elena Delle Donne (27 points, 10-for-17 2FGs) by containing her teammates (15-for-49 shooting). Leaning on Bone, Camille Little, and rookie Liz Williams, Sun coach Anne Donovan will continue to pack the paint, not only to try and force the Dream to settle for jumpers, but to eliminate second-chance points after giving up 17 offensive rebounds in Atlanta during the last meeting.

 

After losing 13 straight games without scoring more than 80 points, Atlanta has pulled two straight rabbits out of their hat. Without a steadying presence at point guard, getting to 70 is the New Normal. Matee Ajavon (three assists, three TOs @ WAS) continues to hold the fort as a starter, and will need to provide the kind of defensive pressure she provided against San Antonio on Thursday (3 steals) to curtail Alex Bentley (16+ points in all three games; WNBA-high 2.67 SPG), who has been quite steady thus far for the Sun.

 

Alyssa Thomas has struggled to gain traction but is just ahead of McCoughtry with 6.0 free throw attempts per game (5^th in WNBA). The Dream will continue to give Thomas different looks, hoping the challenge of guarding McCoughtry and Sancho Lyttle at turns will force her into foul trouble again.

 

Let’s Go Dream!

 

~lw3