Gamecocks in the WNBA: Week 12

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Destanni Henderson got another call-up and A’ja Wilson went scorched earth ahead of the Commissioner’s Cup.

Las Vegas and New York face off in the Commissioner’s Cup Tuesday night. The Aces are seeking their second straight Cup win after beating CHicago last season. Because of the game, which does not count as an official game, the rest of the league has a mini-break this week. 

Atlanta Dream (15-16)
Laeticia Amihere (15 games, 7.8 mpg, 3.2 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 0.7 bpg)
68-67 loss at Seattle: DNP-CD
85-74 loss at Los Angeles: DNP-CD
86-65 loss at Las Vegas: DNP-CD

Allisha Gray (31 games, 31 starts, 32.7 mpg, 17.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.1 spg)
68-67 loss at Seattle: 34 minutes*, 17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals
85-74 loss at Los Angeles: 30 minutes*, 8 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists
86-65 loss at Las Vegas: 33 minutes*, 19 points, 3 rebounds, block

Atlanta had another disastrous west coast swing. The loss to the Aces was acceptable, but losing to both the Storm and Sparks has the Dream spiraling. However Gray was credited with a block of A’ja Wilson Sunday, so she’s counting the silver lining.

Upcoming games:
Friday, August 18 vs Chicago (7:30 ET, Ion)

Connecticut Sun (21-9)
Tyasha Harris (30 games, 15.2 mpg, 5.0 ppg, 1.6 apg, 0.9 rpg, 42.0 3P%)
81-69 win at Seattle: 23 minutes, 4 points, 3 assists, rebound
90-84 loss at Phoenix: 21 minutes, 7 points, 2 assists, rebound
91-81 loss at Dallas: 3 minutes, assist

Connecticut is securely in third place in the standings, but the Sun have lost pace with Las Vegas and New York atop the standings. Still, all the winning must be nice for Harris.

Upcoming games:
Friday, August 18 vs Dallas (7:00 ET, Ion)
Sunday, August 20 at Chicago (5:00 ET, NBA TV)

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Indiana Fever (8-23)
Aliyah Boston (31 games, 31 starts, 30.8 mpg, 14.8 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.3 bpg, 60.1 FG%)
87-80 loss vs Los Angeles: 27 minutes*, 18 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 7-8 shooting
91-73 win vs Minnesota: 32 minutes*, 15 points, 13 rebounds, 3 blocks, 7-9 shooting
100-89 loss vs New York: 37 minutes*, 17 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, 7-10 shooting

Victaria Saxton (11 games, 3.3 mpg, 1.3 ppg, 0.7 rpg)
87-80 loss vs Los Angeles: DNP-CD
91-73 win vs Minnesota: DNP-CD
100-89 loss vs New York: DNP-CD

In three games last week, Boston missed a total of six shots. She leads the league in field goal percentage by a wide margin, and is seventh in efficiency rating. So Indiana is feeding her the ball and riding the hot hand right? Nope. Boston averages just 9.9 field goal attempts per game. That’s why Indiana is headed for another last place finish.

NaLyssa Smith returned from injury, knocking Saxton from the rotation.

Upcoming games:
Friday, August 18 vs Washington (7:00 ET, Ion)
Sunday, August 20 at Phoenix (6:00 ET, Fever Facebook, League Pass)

Las Vegas Aces (27-3)
Alaina Coates (5 total games, 4.3 mpg, 1.8 ppg, 1.0 rpg)
104-84 win at Dallas: 6 minutes, 3 points, rebound, 4 turnovers, 6 fouls
113-89 win vs Washington: 3 minutes, 2 points, rebound
86-65 win vs Atlanta: 1 minutes, no stats

A’ja Wilson (30 games, 30 starts, 30.2 mpg, 21.2 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 2.2 bpg, 2.0 apg, 1.4 spg)
104-84 win at Dallas: 24 minutes*, 28 points, 14 rebounds, assist
113-89 win vs Washington: 31 minutes*, 40 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals (career-high)
86-65 win vs Atlanta: 31 minutes*, 21 points, 9 rebounds, 5 steals, 3 assists

Wilson didn’t take too kindly to that loss to New York and she took it out on poor Dallas and Washington. She gets two shots at New York this week and it will be appointment viewing.

Now on her second seven-day contract with Las Vegas, Coates has had some moments for the Aces. The Dallas game was not one of them. That is an ugly stat line. Coates’ second seven-day contract expired Wednesday.

Upcoming games:
Tuesday, August 15 vs New York (9:00 ET, Amazon Prime Video) – Commissioners Cup
Thursday, August 17 vs New York (10:00 ET, Amazon Prime Video)
Saturday, August 19 vs Los Angeles (3:00 ET, ABC)

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Los Angeles Sparks (12-18)
Zia Cooke (29 games, 4 starts, 14.2 mpg, 4.6 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.8 apg)
87-80 win at Indiana: 15 minutes, 5 points, rebound
85-74 win vs Atlanta: 15 minutes, 6 points, assist

Cooke didn’t hit double figures this week, but she was solid in a pair of wins. She seems to have found her role.

Upcoming games:
Saturday, August 19 at Las Vegas (3:00 ET, ABC)

Minnesota Lynx (14-16)
Tiffany Mitchell (23 games, 11 starts, 22.0 mpg, 7.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 1.8 apg)
88-79 win at Chicago: 8 minutes, 2 rebounds, assist
91-73 loss at Indiana: 15 minutes, 4 points, 3 assists

Minnesota limps into the break having lost three of four. The loss at Indiana was a particularly embarrassing no-show. Mitchell remains a solid reserve, but the Lynx need to right the ship. 

Upcoming games:
Friday, August 18 at Seattle (10:00 ET, Ion)
Sunday, August 20 vs Seattle (7:00 ET, NBA TV)

Phoenix (9-21)
Destanni Henderson (13 total games, 1 start, 15.0 mpg, 4.4 ppg, 2.1 apg)
91-72 win vs Washington: 16 minutes, 3 points, 3 rebounds, assist
90-84 win vs Connecticut: 7 minutes, 4 points, assist, rebound
81-71 loss at Seattle: 3 minutes, no stats

Phoenix signed Henderson following an injury to Shey Peddy. Henderson signed a seven-day contract, which is up Monday. Phoenix will have to make a decision whether to sign Henderson to a second contract later today.

Upcoming games:
Friday, August 18 vs New York (10:00 ET, Ion)
Sunday, August 20 vs Indiana (6:00 ET, Fever Facebook, League Pass)

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