Allisha Gray had two of her best games of the season, and the former Gamecock bigs dominated. Catch up on all the Gamecocks in the WNBA.
Atlanta Dream (21-13)
Allisha Gray
34 games (34 starts), 33.0 mpg, 19.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.3 spg
vs Toronto (107-95 win): 33 minutes*, 15 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, block
at Connecticut (104-69 win): 28 minutes*, 29 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
vs Indiana (95-91/OT loss): 42 minutes*, 32 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists
Madina Okot
33 games (2 starts), 9.3 mpg, 5.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 58.4 FG%
vs Toronto (107-95 win): 2 minutes, rebound
at Connecticut (104-69 win): 16 minutes, 4 points, 7 rebounds
vs Indiana (95-91/OT loss): 18 minutes, 8 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, assist, steal
Te-Hina Paopao
25 games (1 start), 12.4 mpg, 3.8 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 1.5 apg, 34.8 3P%
vs Toronto (107-95 win): DNP – Right Leg
at Connecticut (104-69 win): DNP – Right Leg
vs Indiana (95-91/OT loss): 9 minutes, 3 points, 1-6 3PT
Against Connecticut, Gray scored a season-high 29 points. She topped that by tying her career-high with 32 points against Indiana. Her sense of timing was off, though. She only scored 15 on “Goggles Lish Night.”
Paopao returned after being sidelined for nearly a month with a right leg injury. She looked rusty and hesitant, but it was a major step back. Okot continued to be effective whenever she is allowed to play.
This week:
Tuesday, August 18 at Las Vegas (9:00 ET, ESPN)
Thursday, August 20 at Los Angeles (10:00 ET, Amazon Prime)
Saturday, August 22 at Phoenix (10:00 ET, League Pass)
Chicago Sky (13-22)
Kamilla Cardoso
34 games (34 starts), 26.5 mpg, 14.8 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.5 bpg
at Seattle (97-88 loss): 27 minutes*, 15 points, 13 rebounds
at Golden State (91-71 loss): 22 minutes*, 20 points, 6 rebounds, assist, steal, block
at Seattle (82-80 win): 30 minutes*, 22 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 assists, steal
Cardoso had a monster week, with two 20-point games and two double-doubles. It’s too little, too late, but she is giving Chicago something to build on for the future.
This week:
Tuesday, August 18 vs New York (9:00 ET, League Pass)
Friday, August 21 vs Golden State (7:30 ET, Ion/League Pass)
Sunday, August 23 vs Indiana (7:00 ET, NBC/Peacock)
Golden State Valkyries (24-9)
Laeticia Amihere
29 games (1 start), 11.4 mpg, 3.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.1 apg, 0.8 bpg
vs Chicago (91-71 win): 15 minutes*, 2 points, rebound, assist, steal
With normal starter Kiah Stokes in concussion protocol, Amihere got her first career start last week. She was matched up with Cardoso. Amihere frustrated her enough that Cardoso hip-checked her college teammate after a stop. So far, Canadian parliament has not called for an investigation, avoiding an international incident.
This week:
Monday, August 17 vs Dallas (10:00 ET, Peacock/NBCSN)
Wednesday, August 19 vs Minnesota (10:00 ET, USA)
Friday, August 21 at Chicago (7:30, Ion/League Pass)
Indiana Fever (23-12)
Aliyah Boston
32 games (32 starts), 27.6 mpg, 17.0 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.2 bpg, 1.5 spg, 43.2 3PT%
vs New York (106-92 win): 26 minutes*, 19 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, steal, block
vs Dallas (98-87 win): 29 minutes*, 16 points, 10 rebounds, assist, steal, block
at Atlanta (95-91/OT win): 37 minutes*, 18 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals, 3 blocks
Bree Hall (Developmental player)
2 games, 5.5 minutes, 2.5 ppg, 0.5 rpg
vs New York (106-92 win): Inactive
vs Dallas (98-87 win): Inactive
at Atlanta (95-91/OT win): Inactive
Tyasha Harris
30 games (4 starts), 14.2 mpg, 4.4 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 2.1 apg
vs New York (106-92 win): 11 minutes, 1 point, 3 assists, block
vs Dallas (98-87 win): 17 minutes, 15 points, 2 rebounds, steal, 5-5 3PT
at Atlanta (95-91/OT win): 14 minutes, 3 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Raven Johnson
32 games, 11.0 mpg, 3.3 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.3 apg
vs New York (106-92 win): 3 minutes, no stats
vs Dallas (98-87 win): 1 minute, no stats
at Atlanta (95-91/OT win): 3 minutes, no stats
Boston had three huge games to help Indiana gut out a 3-0 week. Johnson is out of the rotation, but Harris is making the most of her playing time. She has struggled with her three-point shot this season, but Harris came off the bench to knock down 5-5 from behind the arc and beat her former team.
This week:
Tuesday, August 18 at Toronto (7:00 ET, ESPN)
Thursday, August 20 at Dallas (8:00 ET, Amazon Prime)
Saturday, August 22 at New York (7:00 ET, Amazon Prime)
Sunday, August 23 at Chicago (7:00 ET, NBC/Peacock)
Las Vegas Aces (24-12)
Ta’Niya Latson (Developmental player)
5 games, 8.5 mpg, 5.8 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.8 apg, 52.9 FG%, 50.0 3PT% (with Las Vegas)
10 games, 5.0 mpg, 1.8 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.3 apg (with Los Angeles)
vs Washington (86-76 win): 10 minutes, 5 points, 2 assists, rebound, block
vs Washington (83-76 win): 3 minutes, no stats
vs Minnesota (92-87 loss): Inactive
A’ja Wilson
33 games (33 starts), 32.2 mpg, 26.1 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.0 bpg, 1.5 spg, 41.3 3PT%
vs Washington (86-76 win): 35 minutes*, 26 points, 13 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 assists, 2 steals
vs Washington (83-76 win): 35 minutes*, 15 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks
vs Minnesota (92-87 loss): 34 minutes*, 32 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, assist, block
The game between Minnesota and Las Vegas looked like a Finals preview, but let’s talk about Wilson’s accomplishments.
Wilson now has 62 career double-doubles with 25-plus points, a WNBA record and 20 more than second place. She has 11 30-point games this season, most in the league. Wilson also became the sixth player in WNBA history with at least 600 career blocks.
Wilson topped 800 points in a season for the fourth consecutive season. Nobody in league history has more than two 800-point seasons. True, there are more games in a season than there used to be, but through 300 career games, Wilson has almost 400 more points than Diana Taurasi, the all-time leading scorer.
After she scored 20 points last week against New York, Latson arguably was more impressive in the first game against Washington. In that game, she was effective in rotation minutes, taking over injured Dana Evans’ role. She didn’t play as much in the second game, and wasn’t active against Minnesota to preserve her availability, but Latson seems to have found a home.
This week:
Tuesday, August 18 vs Atlanta (9:00 ET, ESPN)
Thursday, August 20 vs Connecticut (10:00 ET, League Pass)
Sunday, August 23 vs Toronto in Vancouver (7:00 ET, League Pass)
Portland Fire (15-20)
Sania Feagin (Developmental Player)
3 games, 3.4 mpg, 0.0 ppg, 0.3 rpg, 0.7 apg (with Los Angeles)
Portland announced on July 9 that Feagin tore her left ACL and will miss the remainder of the season. She had successful surgery on July 22.
Seattle Storm (7-30)
Zia Cooke
37 games, 14.8 mpg, 7.5 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 0.9 apg
vs Chicago (97-88 win): 21 minutes, 16 points, 2 rebounds, assist
vs Portland (84-82 loss): 14 minutes, 4 points
vs Chicago (82-80 loss): 16 minutes, 10 points, assist, steal
Seattle’s season has been over for a while, but Cooke continues to play hard. We’re getting to the part of the season where she is playing for her next contract.
This week:
Sunday, August 23 at Dallas (4:00 ET, NBA TV)