Atlanta faces Minnesota, seeks 7th straight home win
Associated Press
Minnesota Lynx (12-2, 11-1 Western Conference) at Atlanta Dream (10-5, 7-4 Eastern Conference)
College Park, Georgia; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Atlanta Dream will try to keep its six-game home win streak alive when the Dream face Minnesota Lynx.
The Dream are 6-1 on their home court. Atlanta averages 11.5 turnovers per game and is 4- when it has fewer turnovers than its opponents.
The Lynx have gone 5-2 away from home. Minnesota is third in the Western Conference with 34.1 rebounds per game led by Napheesa Collier averaging 8.5.
Atlanta scores 83.5 points, 9.9 more per game than the 73.6 Minnesota gives up. Minnesota has shot at a 46.5% clip from the field this season, 3.8 percentage points higher than the 42.7% shooting opponents of Atlanta have averaged.
The Dream and Lynx square off Friday for the first time this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Brionna Jones is averaging 13 points and 8.1 rebounds for the Dream. Allisha Gray is averaging 19.8 points over the last 10 games.
Courtney Williams is averaging 12.8 points and 5.8 assists for the Lynx. Kayla McBride is averaging 15.2 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Dream: 7-3, averaging 83.3 points, 34.8 rebounds, 20.6 assists, 6.4 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 42.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 76.2 points per game.
Lynx: 8-2, averaging 81.8 points, 33.9 rebounds, 22.3 assists, 8.4 steals and 6.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 72.1 points.
INJURIES: Dream: None listed.
Lynx: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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Denim is the best passer in this class, has a good feel for the game and has fantastic positional size as a 6'8" point guard. The question is his shot and ability to score in general, but if that part of his game can be developed then this is going to look like a steal. If not… well, the Nets are rebuilding and it's going to take time. Another gamble by the Nets. Traoré was the lead ball handler and shot creator for a French professional team at the age of 19 last season, and struggled at first in that role but improved as the season progressed. This is a good roll of the dice by Brooklyn. Advertisement Powell is an excellent defender, which will give Jordi Fernandez a reason to play him while Powell and the coaching staff work on his offensive game. Notice a theme here about drafting players who need help with their offensive games in Brooklyn? Saraf is a big guard with real creativity, the feel and skill to run an offense, and he plays hard on defense. That said, he has a funky shot and hit 29.4% from 3 last season. He fits the theme. Wolf is the most stable of the Nets' picks. He's not an explosive athlete or a good defender, but he has NBA center size, a great feel for the game, a good basketball IQ, and he's a quality passer. He can be a backup NBA big this coming season. Charlotte Hornets: A- Kon Knueppel (4), Liam McNeeley (29, trade from Phoenix) Advertisement It was a good day for the Hornets. First, you can never go wrong taking the best shooter on the board, which Knueppel was. It's an especially smart pick when he can spread the floor for LaMelo Ball and knock down 3-pointers. He is also a quality defender (which they need next to Ball). He's going to be a good fit with the Hornets between Ball and Brandon Miller on the wing. McNeeley is a steal at 29. He came out of Montverde Academy playing alongside Flagg and Queen, and he impressed by shooting well while playing off the ball. However, he was forced to be a primary shot creator for Dan Hurley and the Huskies, shooting 31.7% from 3-point range. The Hornets are betting he can return to his high school form, working more off the ball. Chicago Bulls: B+ Noa Essengue (12) Advertisement The Bulls played the long game here, which is a good sign for them (and is kind of what they did with Matas Buzelis a year ago). Essengue's fluid athleticism and high motor means he could be the guy in a few years where everyone says, "How did he fall to 12th?" The French native played for Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany last season and showed considerable improvement as the season wore on, which is a good sign for his development. He needs to add muscle and improve his shot, but it's good to see the Bulls thinking about the long term. Dallas Mavericks: A+ Cooper Flagg (1) Making this pick was a no-brainer, but when you get the best player in the draft, a guy who can help you win now — or, at least when Kyrie Irving gets healthy — and can be the bridge to the future, then you get an A+. It doesn't matter that it was an open-book test, the Mavericks aced it. Flagg is an elite defender, plays with a high motor, can shoot the three or drive the rim, has handles and… what else do you want? Great player, great fit. LA Clippers: A- Yanic Konan Niederhauser (30) Advertisement One of the standouts at the NBA Draft Combine, the Swiss native who played at Penn State last year is massive — 6'11" with 7'3" wingspan — and an impressive athlete for his size. He led the big 10 in blocks last season. He is a rim-running big who isn't giving the Clippers much offense outside of the restricted area, and there are questions about his hands. Still, for the last pick in the first round, this is a great roll of the dice by the Clippers. Memphis Grizzlies B Cedric Coward (11, via Portland) Coward is a bet on a player with all the tools but who is a bit raw. It's also a bet on the Grizzlies' player development program. Coward could grow into the replacement for Desmond Bane on the wing: He's 6-5 with a 7-2 wingspan, showed off a 32.5-inch standing vertical leap at the NBA Draft Combine, and shot 38.8% from 3 in his college career. He has all the tools to be a good fit next to Ja Morant. This was their guy, and the Grizzlies went and got him. Miami Heat: A- Kasparas Jakucionis (20) Advertisement This high grade is based on the fact that this is a quality pickup this late in the first round. The Lithuanian who came to Illinois via FC Barcelona is a strong floor general who understands how to run an offense and is a creative passer. He averaged 15.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists a game last season. He slipped down draft boards after a rough Big 10 season with concerns about his shot (32.6% from 3) and defense. That said, coming off the bench as a secondary shot creator alongside players like Tyler Herro, he could find a role where he thrives. Minnesota Timberwolves: B Joan Beringer (17) This was the Timberwolves picking the best player they saw on the board rather than thinking fit — Minnesota doesn't really have a need for another center right now. Beringer is a bit of a project, but he showed potential as a shot-blocking, rim-running big in the Adriatic League last season. He has good athleticism and the Timberwolves can play the long game with him and give him time to develop. New Orleans Pelicans: B- Jeremiah Fears (7), Derik Queen (13, from trade with Atlanta) Advertisement With Dejounte Murray out for at least half the season (torn Achilles), the Pelicans have been hunting playmaking and scoring. That's why they traded for Jordan Poole just before the draft. It's why they took Fears with the No. 7 pick — the Pelicans see his quick attack, quality handles and ability to get to the rim (with some spectacular finishes) and believe they have another scorer and playmaker. He averaged 17.1 points and 4.1 assists a game in his year at Oklahoma. However, he shot 28.4% from 3-point range, his finishing at the rim is inconsistent, and he turned the ball over on 18.3% of his possessions. Can Willie Green and company turn those bad habits around? Queen is the most skilled center in this draft, but after a rough Draft Combine (where his physical testing was unimpressive), the question was how far he would fall. Not past New Orleans. The Pelicans have Yves Missi but are looking for a backup and decided to give Queen a chance. Oklahoma City Thunder: B Thomas Sorber (15) Advertisement Anyone the Thunder picked here was going to have a hard time cracking the rotation next season, this is the deepest team in the league. This gives the Thunder some time to figure out how to maximize one of the more unique players in the draft: A 6'9 center with a 7'6" wingspan and a strong NBA build that will let him play in the paint at the next level. He's got a good feel for the game and touch at the rim. There isn't a better franchise in the league at finding and developing talent, maybe we're underestimating how good he can be. Orlando Magic: A- Jase Richardson (25) This is a quality pick this late in the first round and a good fit with the roster. Jase is the son of 13-year NBA veteran Jason Richardson, but nobody is going to confuse the two on the court. Jase is a smaller point guard who plays with pace, has a great feel for the game and can get into the lane and break down defenses. He's undersized, which raises defensive concerns, but he can be a quality reserve guard for the Magic and potentially develop into more. Philadelphia 76ers: A- VJ Edgecombe (3) Advertisement The 76ers decided not to trade the pick (they didn't get an offer Daryl Morey liked enough), and that may be the wise move. Edgecombe could be a good fit in Philly, starting next season. He's an elite defender and athlete, who has developed a shot (36.4% from 3 last season at Baylor).. He knows how to use his athleticism as a cutter or in transition to get buckets, which should be a good fit playing off Tyrese Maxey and Paul George. Phoenix Suns: A Khaman Maluach (10, via Rockets), Mark Williams (trade with Hornets) The Suns lined up two young centers in a matter of minutes on Wednesday night and did some good work with that. Williams' talent isn't in question, it's simply his ability to stay healthy (which is why the Lakers pulled out of a trade for him at the deadline). However, for what the Suns gave up it's a risk worth taking. Advertisement Maluach has NBA center size and a 7'6" wingspan, and he showed at Duke he could anchor their defense and moves his feet well. He's got a long way to go to contribute much of anything on the offensive end at the NBA level, but this is a good bet by Phoenix at 10. Portland Trail Blazers: D- Hansen Yang (16, traded from Memphis) The biggest head-scratcher in this draft. It's not that the 7'1" big bodied center from China doesn't have some skills, he is a terrific passer and shot better at the NBA Draft Combine than expected. However, most teams had him as a second-round pick, maybe a draft-and-stash player, because he's not an explosive (or even average) NBA-level athlete, not stronger than his NBA competition, not a great defender when outside the paint, and he's mostly been a post-up scorer in China, something that will not fly in the NBA. Perhaps he will develop into an NBA rotation player, but in the short term, there is a lot of work to be done to get him there. Can the Trail Blazers pull that off? Sacramento Kings: B Nique Clifford (24, from Oklahoma City) Advertisement Clifford is part of a growing NBA trend: Drafting seniors who can step in now and help teams. He is a plug-and-play guard who can score, pass, and defend, a player who averaged 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game last season and shot 37.7% from 3-point range. He can be a backup guard for the Kings next season. San Antonio Spurs: A Dylan Harper (2), Carter Bryant (14) With Harper, the Spurs did the right thing: Take the best player on the board regardless of position. It doesn't matter if they already have De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle — since when is having too much talent a bad thing? Harper receives many comparisons to Cade Cunningham, and with good reason, it's easy to see the similarities in their style of play. If Harper and Wemby develop a strong chemistry then this is a home run, the Spurs can figure the rest of the rotation out later. Advertisement Bryant is a classic Spurs pick — a good player who fits right into a role for them. Bryant fills the archetype of an NBA 3&D wing: He has good size for the position, was a defensive monster in college (largely off the bench) and shot 37.1% on 3-pointers. It's easy to see him spacing the floor while Harper and Victor Wembanyama suck in the defense with a pick-and-roll Toronto Raptors: C Collin Murray-Boyles (9) Another 6'7" wing in Toronto just seems fitting, they have quite the collection going (Grady Dick, RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, Ochai Agbaji are all between 6'6" and 6'8"). Murray-Boyles is the ultimate "if we can develop his shot" player in this draft. He's a good defender, both in the paint and on the perimeter because of his quick hands. He plays a high-IQ game. But if he can't shoot, there isn't much of a role. Utah Jazz: B Ace Bailey (5), Walter Clayton (trade from Wizards) Advertisement I like the Bailey pick for Utah. Who cares if it's what he and his camp want? Do what's best for your team (the buzz has been that Bailey and his agent wanted him to go to Washington and stay on the East Coast, although after the pick he said he was "blessed" to be drafted, period). The Jazz need talent. Bailey has the second-highest ceiling of any player in this draft, but this feels like a boom or bust pick — and good on the Jazz for taking that swing. At this point in their team building, the Jazz should take big swings. Bailey is a prototypical modern NBA wing: he has great size, is a freak athlete, has a high motor, can create his own shot, can shoot the 3 (36.7% last season), and is a tough shot-maker. The problem is that he made tough shots because of his questionable shot selection, something Utah needs to work on. The Jazz have a very good player development staff, if they can mold Bailey, this swing could be a home run. Clayton was a clutch player for the national champion Florida. He is an impressive catch-and-shoot guy, there's a lot to like (but enough to trade up a few spots for him?). He's also got serious defensive questions. But he should move into the Jazz's guard rotation and could be a quality backup for them (and maybe more eventually). Washington Wizards: B Tre Johnson (6), Will Riley (21) Advertisement Washington wanted to add some offense, it took some gambles trying to do that. Johnson plays with an undeniable swagger and the Wizards could use some of that. Johnson is arguably the best pure bucket getter in this class — if you need points, he can get them. At Texas last season he averaged 20.9 points a game shooting 39.1% from beyond the arc on a team with terrible spacing. The concern is he doesn't do much outside of scoring, he's not a great playmaker or defender. Still, the swagger is a good thing in Washington. Riley is a bit of a project, but the Wizards are in a position to take on projects. He has good size for an NBA wing and showed stretches where he looked like a guy who could be a knock-down shooter at the next level, but he shot just 32.6% from 3 last season. Still a good choice this late in the first round. Teams without first-round draft picks: Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, and Golden State Warriors.
