The Atlanta Gamecocks had a big week, and Kamilla Cardoso was on the wrong end of a heartbreaker. Catch up on that and more in this week’s Gamecocks in the WNBA.
All-Star voting is in progress, and A’ja Wilson is leading all players in votes, as she should. Fans can vote here once per day.
Atlanta Dream (11-4)
Allisha Gray
15 games (15 starts), 33.4 mpg, 19.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.5 spg
at Indiana (108-101 win): 34 minutes*, 17 points, 3 assists, 3 steals
vs Indiana (113-96 win): 33 minutes*, 22 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, assist, block
Madina Okot
15 games, 8.3 mpg, 3.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg
at Indiana (108-101 win): 5 minutes, 4 rebounds, assist
vs Indiana (113-96 win): 4 minutes, 3 points, 2 rebounds, steal
Te-Hina Paopao
15 games (1 start), 14.6 mpg, 5.2 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 1.7 apg, 43.2 3P%
at Indiana (108-101 win): 14 minutes, 7 points, 3 assists, rebound, 1-2 3PT
vs Indiana (113-96 win): 16 minutes, 9 points, 2 assists, 3-4 3PT
Two weeks ago, Indiana beat Atlanta 83-71, and it appears, as the meme says, that Atlanta took that personally. In two games against the Fever last week, the Dream re-established itself as a title contender. Gray does a little bit of everything, Paopao knocks down some threes, and Okot shows promise in limited playing time.
This week:
Monday, June 22 vs Toronto (7:30 ET, League Pass)
Wednesday, June 24 at Golden State (10:00 ET, USA/CNBC)
Friday, June 26 at Golden State (10:00 ET, Ion/League Pass)
Saturday, June 27 at Seattle (9:00 ET, League Pass)
Chicago Sky (4-11)
Kamilla Cardoso
15 games (15 starts), 26.8 mpg, 12.9 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.7 bpg
vs New York (96-95 loss): 24 minutes*, 10 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, steal
at Dallas (93-92 loss): 29 minutes*, 26 minutes, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks
Chicago can’t catch a break. Cardoso broke out of a bit of a slump against Dallas, only to foul out on a phantom call that wasn’t even close. The blown call gave Dallas the go-ahead free throws, and then, with no Cardoso, Chicago missed three layup attempts (and got fouled on at least one). Cardoso finished one point shy of her career-high and is now third in the WNBA in blocks.
This week:
Monday, June 22 at Connecticut (7:00 ET, League Pass)
Wednesday, June 24 vs Portland (8:00 ET, League Pass)
Friday, June 26 vs Portland (7:30 ET, Ion/League Pass)
Sunday, June 28 vs Las Vegas (4:00 ET, CBS)
Golden State Valkyries (10-7)
Laeticia Amihere
13 games, 11.1 mpg, 3.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.2 apg, 0.8 bpg
vs Los Angeles (78-58 win): 2 minutes, no stats
vs Dallas (91-80 win): 3 minutes, assist
vs Minnesota (81-75 loss): 10 minutes, 1 point, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks, steal
at Las Vegas (92-73 loss): 12 minutes, 10 points, 3 rebounds, block, steal
Two weeks ago, Amihere was out of the rotation. Last week, she made her case to play more. She played mop-up minutes against the Sparks and Wings, but got substantial playing time against the Lynx and Aces. Amihere filled up the box score both times, and even blocked A’ja Wilson on a face-up jumper.
This week:
Wednesday, June 24 vs Atlanta (10:00 ET, USA/CNBC)
Friday, June 26 vs Atlanta (10:00 ET, Ion/League Pass)
Sunday, June 28 vs New York (7:00 ET, ESPN)
Indiana Fever (9-7)
Aliyah Boston
15 games (15 starts), 26.5 mpg, 17.2 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.3 bpg, 1.1 spg, 44.7 3PT%
vs Toronto (113-91 win): 26 minutes*, 18 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals
vs Indiana (108-101 loss): 34 minutes*, 23 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, steal
at Indiana (113-96 loss): 22 minutes*, 13 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists
Bree Hall (Developmental player)
Has not appeared in a game
vs Toronto (113-91 win): Inactive
vs Indiana (108-101 loss): Inactive
at Indiana (113-96 loss): Inactive
Tyasha Harris
12 games (1 start), 11.2 mpg, 2.0 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 1.6 apg
vs Toronto (113-91 win): DNP – CD
vs Indiana (108-101 loss): 14 minutes, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, steal
at Indiana (113-96 loss): 7 minutes, 2 fouls
Raven Johnson
16 games, 13.0 mpg, 4.4 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.3 apg
vs Toronto (113-91 win): 14 minutes, 6 points, assist
vs Indiana (108-101 loss): 3 minutes, 2 turnovers
at Indiana (113-96 loss): 21 minutes, 9 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists
Fittingly for one of the WNBA’s most dysfunctional franchises, Indiana can’t even get its official online stats right.
Playing time for Ty Harris and Raven Johnson varies from game to game. Boston is having another All-WNBA season, and she is fourth in the league in three-point shooting (behind A’ja Wilson). But until the Fever can do something about its perimeter defense, it won’t matter.
This week:
Monday, June 22 vs Phoenix (8:00 ET, USA)
Wednesday, June 24 vs Phoenix (7:30 ET, USA)
Saturday, June 27 vs Los Angeles (8:00 ET, CBS)
Las Vegas Aces (12-4)
A’ja Wilson
16 games (16 starts), 31.9 mpg, 25.7 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.2 bpg, 1.4 spg, 45.9 3P%
at Dallas (96-66 loss): 26 minutes*, 18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, steal
at Phoenix (86-76 win): 37 minutes*, 33 points, 10 rebounds, 5 steals, 3 assists, 2 blocks
vs Golden State (92-73 win): 31 minutes*, 19 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, steal
How great is the GOAT? She had 19 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and a steal against Golden State, and it was below her season averages in every category. Wilson is also third in the WNBA in three-point shooting.
This week:
Tuesday, June 23 vs New York (10:00 ET, USA)
Thursday, June 25 vs Dallas (10:00 ET, NBA TV)
Sunday, June 28 at Chicago (4:00 ET, CBS)
Los Angeles Sparks (8-8)
Sania Feagin
3 games, 3.4 mpg, 0.0 ppg, 0.3 rpg, 0.7 apg
at Golden State (78-58 loss): 1 minute, rebound
vs Minnesota (99-83 loss): 6 minutes, 2 assists
Ta’Niya Latson
8 games, 5.1 mpg, 2.0 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 0.4 apg
at Golden State (78-58 loss): 4 minutes, turnover
vs Minnesota (99-83 loss): 12 minutes, 6 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 6-9 FTs
vs New York (98-97 win): DNP – CD
Feagin was waived on Friday. As of Monday morning, she has not been picked up.
Latson got playing time in a couple of blowout losses, and she was productive against Minnesota. However, Los Angeles used the roster spot created from waiving Feagin to sign another guard, which doesn’t bode well for future playing time.
This week:
Thursday, June 25 at Toronto (7:00 ET, Amazon Prime)
Saturday, June 27 at Indiana (8:00 ET, CBS)
Seattle Storm (3-17)
Zia Cooke
17 games, 15.8 mpg, 8.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.1 apg
at Portland (94-89 loss): 23 minutes, 7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
at Phoenix (93-73 loss): 16 minutes, 10 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Cooke’s play has leveled off a bit. The good news is that it has leveled off at a productive level.
This week:
Monday, June 22 vs Dallas (10:00 ET, League Pass)
Thursday, June 25 vs New York (10:00 ET, League Pass)
Saturday, June 27 vs Atlanta (9:00 ET, League Pass)