Stevens among best bets for Most Improved Player
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NBC Sports
18 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Lynx getting along just fine while Collier recovers, with Carrington making seamless arrival
MINNEAPOLIS — After coming so close to the WNBA championship last year, the Minnesota Lynx have picked right up where they left off. They sure weren't satisfied with the status quo, though, as evidenced by their recent acquisition of DiJonai Carrington. The Most Improved Player award winner and All-Defensive First Team selection in 2024 has bolstered the league leader's depth, injected a dose of two-way energy into an already determined club and made a seamless transition after the midseason switch. 'She's been a great addition,' starting forward Bridget Carleton said. 'Playing against her has always been a challenge. She's just feisty, competitive, always wants to win, plays hard every single possession.' Even with superstar Napheesa Collier sidelined by a sprained right ankle, the Lynx haven't missed a beat. They're in first place by six games at 27-5, surging toward the No. 1 overall seed for the playoffs. 'You just want to feel like you're a better team when she comes back into the team, that you've figured some things out, that people are playing with confidence,' associate head coach Eric Thibault said. 'Our group's attitude is right about it. Nobody feels sorry for ourselves or anything like that. We just go out and battle.' Carrington was acquired from the Dallas Wings on Aug. 3 for backup forward Diamond Miller, injured guard Karlie Samuelson and Minnesota's 2027 second-round draft pick. Miller was the second overall pick in the 2023 draft, so Carrington came at a price. But president of basketball operations and head coach Cheryl Reeve, who's chasing a fifth title with Minnesota, has this team fully in win-now mode with Collier in her prime and an experienced lineup around her led by five-time All-Star shooting guard Kayla McBride, two-time All-Star point guard Courtney Williams and shot-blocking specialist Alanna Smith patrolling the post. 'I'm a winner, and this is a winning organization,' Carrington said. The 5-foot-11 native of San Diego, who played her first four WNBA seasons with the Connecticut Sun, was dealt to Dallas earlier this year. She averaged a career-best 5.1 rebounds in 20 games with the Wings. In three games since the trade, and coincidentally since Collier was injured, Carrington has 40 points, 12 rebounds and six steals. The Lynx take a five-game winning streak into their game on Saturday against the defending champion New York Liberty, whom they've already beaten twice this month in a measure of revenge for their overtime loss in New York last year in the decisive game of the WNBA Finals. In the previous round, when the Lynx beat the Sun in a five-game series, Reeve became enamored by Carrington, who had 17 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and one block in defeat in the decisive game of those semifinals. The chance this summer to acquire a defensive ace on the perimeter who could alleviate some of the burden on McBride as well as provide more scoring off the bench was one the Lynx couldn't miss. 'We felt like we could use a little bit more help as we made this run,' Reeve said. 'If you stay exactly the same, it's really hard to accomplish and get back and get over the hump, so we wanted to keep the group together — but we also thought we needed a little bit more.' Williams and Natisha Hiedeman played with Carrington with the Sun, so there was pre-existing chemistry. Smith was a teammate of Carrington's at Stanford, as well, so they were already close. 'It was like a friend coming home,' Smith said. 'That's kind of how it felt. I was excited. I think she's a piece that's really good for us and only going to help us get to the point we want to get to, which is a championship.'
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
The Las Vegas Aces are putting the rest of the WNBA on notice with their win streak
Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon didn't say much to her team after its 53-point loss to the Minnesota Lynx in early August. Having been run off the floor by the Lynx in the second-biggest defeat in WNBA history, Hammon knew she had few positives to relay. 'And my mom told me,' Hammon said, 'if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all.' Instead, Hammon immersed herself in game film. As she stewed over the historic drubbing, she ran through scenarios, trying to figure out what changes to make. She pondered which buttons to push and when. In a season in which players and coaches have routinely complained about the league schedule, Hammon was grateful Las Vegas played the Golden State Valkyries the day after the loss. She was adamant there was no better way to cleanse her palate than to take the floor the following night. At least for now, the Aces can point to the Minnesota loss as an inflection point. Las Vegas has won five consecutive games since the blowout, with its victory over the New York Liberty on Wednesday marking the franchise's first regular-season win over New York in nearly two years. The Aces have climbed to fifth in the standings. They sit just 2 1/2 games behind the No. 2-seeded Atlanta Dream. For as inconsistent as they have been — and their season has been plenty uneven — the Aces appear to be finding their stride. 'We're constantly getting better,' guard Jewell Loyd said. 'We know we're not done evolving as a team.' They've spent much of the season searching for answers. Now, after a string of successes, the question is whether what they've found is sustainable. Perhaps the Aces' past success set unattainable standards. In the fall of 2023, Las Vegas won its second consecutive WNBA championship, becoming the first team in two decades to repeat. The Aces slipped to fourth in last year's standings and were ousted in the second round of the 2024 playoffs. This year, with a reworked roster and subpar defense, they entered the All-Star break without a winning record for the first time since star forward A'ja Wilson's rookie season in 2018. The comparisons to past triumphs are natural. Wilson, a three-time MVP, is still arguably the WNBA's best player. Jackie Young, an Olympian and four-time All-Star, is a perennial All-WNBA candidate. Though Chelsea Gray's WNBA production has slipped this summer, she starred at Unrivaled against the sport's elite. But much has changed around them. Loyd, a six-time All-Star with the Seattle Storm, was one of six newcomers on their opening-night roster. Hammon's two top assistants left for head coach opportunities in the offseason. 'The expectation people have on us, I don't think we'll ever match them. I think we are brewing a whole different team,' Wilson said. 'But are we capable of winning a lot of games and championships? Absolutely. We have more than enough in our locker room to execute.' Those inside the organization point to the changes as part of why the group struggled to click throughout the first half. Too often, Hammon said, she felt her team was focused on running plays and not playing freely. 'We've had to do so much teaching, and I think some of that teaching kind of bogged down that energy a little bit and made it slower at times,' she said. Since Aug. 3, the Aces have the league's best offensive rating. And Loyd looks more at ease. She moved to the bench beginning July 27, appearing to find comfort with the second unit. Although she's averaging nearly five fewer minutes, Loyd's scoring has increased from 10.4 points per game as a starter to 15.5 as a reserve, with her field-goal percentage jumping from 36.3 percent to 47.1. The Aces have also committed to punishing opponents on the offensive glass. Since their Minnesota loss, they have a 41.3 percent offensive rebound rate, best in the league. Against New York on Wednesday, the Aces had eight offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter alone, with Wilson finishing the win with 17 points and 16 boards. Amid the team's struggles, Wilson has still been a dominating presence. Last weekend, she became the first player in WNBA history to score at least 30 points and record at least 20 rebounds in a game. She means more to her team than anyone else in the league, as her plus-27.3 net rating on/off split is the most of any player who has played more than 200 minutes with their current franchise. 'I'm really hoping to make it easier on her,' Hammon said. Even with Wilson's production, the swings of the season have pushed her as a leader. She has found herself being more vocal. During a timeout in an early-season game against the Washington Mystics, Wilson took the seat typically reserved for Hammon and implored her teammates to look themselves in the mirror and play with greater self-belief. '(Wilson) is the best leader I've ever played with,' guard Dana Evans said. 'She knows what each and every one of us can bring, and she just makes sure to stay on us.' Said Hammon: 'She always walks the walk. This year, she's had to do more talk.' Still, motivational pep talks haven't erased duds. In her previous seven seasons, Wilson lost only five games by 25 or more points. That has happened four times this year alone. Hammon has reflected on their inconsistent effort. 'I like self-starters,' she said. 'I want you to come with your engine revved. I want the gas pedal. Let me pump the brakes.' Too often, Las Vegas has looked like it is running on empty. 'We did everything at a grade F,' Hammon said after the Lynx loss. 'You can't put things in if you can't get the basics right. We haven't been able to get the basics right in some of these games.' Throughout the trial and error of the season, Hammon has tinkered with her starting lineup more than ever before. In the 2023 championship season, the Aces used only three starting groups. This year, they've tried seven combinations. Center Kiah Stokes opened the first 17 games, but Stokes, Wilson, Gray, Loyd and Young recorded a minus-1.7 net rating at the time of the change. Tiffany Mitchell and Elizabeth Kitley had spot starts before getting waived. Seldom-used reserve Kierstan Bell has started seven of Las Vegas' last eight games, with Evans sliding into the first five against New York for matchup reasons. Forward NaLyssa Smith has been a critical midseason addition, joining the Aces in a June trade from the Dallas Wings. The lineup with Smith, alongside Las Vegas' four All-Stars, has recorded a plus-17 net rating. Smith has often been in the Aces' closing group in recent games of consequence. Her fit has helped make up for the institutional knowledge lost when Kelsey Plum, Sydney Colson, Tiffany Hayes and Alysha Clark moved to different teams. In a season of change, the Aces are no longer being chased. Instead, they are chasing. With a win Friday against the No. 4 Mercury, they would move into a tie with Phoenix in the league standings. Maybe afterward, then, Hammon will have more nice things to say. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Las Vegas Aces, WNBA 2025 The Athletic Media Company
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
The Atlanta Dream are now the only WNBA team without a mascot. We have a few ideas for them
A lot is going on across the WNBA right now. The Minnesota Lynx are surging to a historically good winning percentage, even while superstar Napheesa Collier is sidelined with an ankle injury. The Las Vegas Aces are finally back on track, shuffling up the standings and priming for a playoff run. Midseason trades are in, and the inaugural 'rivals week' is underway. Oh, right, and the egg … that inexplicably large amethyst egg laid in Mission Bay last week. It finally hatched on Monday and birthed a brand-new mascot for the W's latest expansion team. Violet, the protector of 'Ballhalla,' now soars with the Golden State Valkyries. Ca cawww, we think? This is a great look for the nascent franchise, especially as it racks up home wins and continues a legitimate playoff push in its first year of existence. Violet's arrival means there's now just one mascot-less WNBA team. The Atlanta Dream are absolutely balling out in 2025, yet they're still without an official costumed character. Star, a gray bird, was retired in 2020, and there's been precious little follow-up around potential replacements. The Dream visit the Valkyries on Sunday, and that got us thinking about how to right this injustice. How to watch Atlanta Dream at Golden State Valkyries Venue: Chase Center — San Francisco Time: 8:30 p.m. ET, Sunday TV: NBA TV and WNBA League Pass (national) | KPIX+ 44, KMAX 31 and PeachtreeTV (local) Streaming: Fubo (Save $20) Watching in person? Get tickets on StubHub. Meet the current mascots First, let's see where the rest of the league stands, just to know what we're dealing with. Our competition is as follows: Chicago Sky — Skye the Lioness, recalling the bronze lion statues adorning the Art Institute of Chicago. Connecticut Sun — Blaze, a dancing orange fuzzball that could get replaced as the team explores a Boston relocation. Dallas Wings — Lightning, a flying horse diva nodding to the city's neon Pegasus motif. Golden State Valkyries — Violet, the aforementioned purple raven. Indiana Fever — Freddy Fever, a red felt monster with blue eyes and yellow spikes of unknown origin. Las Vegas Aces — Bucket$, a good-luck jackrabbit bearing the incredible 'Hare Jordan' nickname. Los Angeles Sparks — Sparky, the dog currently making rounds for taking a backflip to the face. Minnesota Lynx — Prowl, a cat with piercing blue eyes. So, so piercing. New York Liberty — Ellie the Elephant. She's the mascot to beat right now. Come at the [queen], you best not miss. Phoenix Mercury — Scorch, a purple dinosaur-alien thing hailing from the planet Mercury (where else?). Seattle Storm — Doppler, maroon in color and meteorologist in practice. Washington Mystics — Pax, a panda bear bopping around by the Smithsonian National Zoo. So, the WNBA's dozen mascots break down into standard-issue animals (six), mythical creatures (three) and whimsical woolies (three). Accordingly, here's one Atlanta offering for each angle. Our suggestions for the Dream Large Mouth, the largemouth bass? Georgia has 13 different official animals. The white-tailed deer is its state mammal, and that would surely be our easiest hook for a family-friendly mascot. But the strongest soldiers command the toughest battles, and we are playing the game on expert difficulty today. How about Georgia's official fish, a record-setting largemouth bass reeled from Montgomery Lake in 1932? Listen closely and we'll hear a round of euphoric yelps from Atlanta marketing executives. Large Mouth would be the perfect antagonist for opposing free-throw shooters. It would thrash around, ya know, like a fish out of water. It would cast an empty, googly-eyed stare during questionable calls and ref reviews. Why go with the doey, instantly lovable Dream Deer (TM) when there's a scaly and littoral charmer flopping right in front of us? Party Peach, the basketball-alien-fruit hybrid? Who says no? The peach is Georgia's well-known state fruit. Peaches are orange and round … and so are basketballs! Latto has a Clayton County jam called 'Georgia Peach.' The extraterrestrial element is for the self-proclaimed 'ATLiens.' It's all coming together here. Party Peach would also be the league's only round mascot. It's nice to switch stuff up every now and then. Maybe it bounces? Maybe it rolls around behind the basket, riling up a new fan section called 'The Peach Pit?' Maybe Allisha Gray picks it up and swishes it from 30 feet out. Now is the time to dream bigger, Dream. Sleeper, the fluffiest pillow in all the land If we want to go way of the abstract fuzzy blob, there's definite potential in a sleep-themed Dream mascot. Kids can hug it; rowdier fans can squish it; exhausted players can lay their heads on it down the stretch. Sleeper would inevitably fetch a corporate partnership with some melatonin gummy brand. How would we commemorate such an awesome mascot debut? Norse mythology egg hatchings come and go, but arena-wide pillow fights are forever, you see. Rhyne Howard could show up pregame and set a massive alarm clock for the big unveiling. The walk-out could even be set to … that's right, Atlanta's own Sleepy Brown. Do not snooze on this vision. Will any of these mascots make it to Sunday's game and match up with Violet? Nope, we are not that powerful (yet). Are we onto something, though? Get Renee Montgomery (or Chopped Chin) on the phone. Ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Atlanta Dream, Golden State Valkyries, WNBA, Fubo Partnership 2025 The Athletic Media Company
