Gamecocks in the WNBA: Week 14

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Last week A’ja Wilson set the scoring record and visited the White House, but Aliyah Boston and Allisha Gray were sidelined by injuries.

Atlanta Dream (16-19)
Laeticia Amihere (17 games, 7.8 mpg, 3.2 ppg, 1.1 rpg)
112-100 loss vs Las Vegas: 11 minutes, 6 points, 2 rebounds, steal
83-78 loss vs Los Angeles: DNP-CD
83-80 loss at Indiana: 5 minutes, block, rebound

Allisha Gray (33 games, 33 starts, 33.0 mpg, 17.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.1 spg)
112-100 loss vs Las Vegas: DNP-Ankle
83-78 loss vs Los Angeles: DNP-Ankle
83-80 loss at Indiana: 36 minutes*, 13 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists

It was a no-good, very bad week for Atlanta. The Dream allowed A’ja Wilson to set the league scoring record and then lost a pair of games they should have won. Gray missed the first two games with an ankle injury, and the Dream are now 2-8 over the last ten games and just a half-game ahead of the Sparks for the seventh playoff spot.

Upcoming games:
Tuesday, August 29 vs Phoenix (7:00 ET, CBS Sports Network)
Friday, September 1 at Minnesota (8:00 ET, Ion)

Connecticut Sun (24-11)
Tyasha Harris (35 games, 15.7 mpg, 5.0 ppg, 1.7 apg, 0.8 rpg, 43.9 3P%)
68-64 win at Washington: 15 minutes, 6 points, assist, rebound
95-90 loss vs New York: 31 minutes, 5 points, 4 assists
83-68 win vs Los Angeles: 21 minutes, 6 points, 5 assists, 2 steals

Harris is going to give the Sun five or six points, that’s for sure. Connecticut continues to cruise along as the third-best team in the league, and Harris has become a major part of that success.

Upcoming games:
Thursday, August 31 vs Phoenix (7:00 ET, Amazon Prime Video)
Friday, September 1 at New York (8:00 ET, Ion)

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Indiana Fever (11-24)
Aliyah Boston (35 games, 35 starts, 30.8 mpg, 14.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.4 bpg, 58.9 FG%)
90-86 win vs Seattle: 34 minutes*, 12 points, 10 rebounds, 4 blocks
83-80 win vs Atlanta: 21 minutes*, 9 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 assists, block

Victaria Saxton (13 games, 3.4 mpg, 1.3 ppg, 0.7 rpg)
90-86 win vs Seattle: DNP-CD
83-80 win vs Atlanta: 5 minutes, 1 point, rebound

Indiana swept both games last week, giving the Fever as many wins this season as it had the last two seasons combined. Boston, who leads all rookies in scoring, rebound, steals, and blocks, and is fourth in assists, left the Atlanta game midway through the third quarter with a thumb injury.

Upcoming games:
Friday, September 1 vs Dallas (7:00 ET, Ion)
Sunday, September 3 at Dallas (4:00 ET, ESPN3)

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Las Vegas Aces (30-5)
Alaina Coates (9 total games, 3.2 mpg, 1.2 ppg, 0.9 rpg)
112-100 win at Atlanta: 2 minutes, 2 points
94-87 win at Chicago: DNP-CD
78-62 loss at Washington: 3 minutes, rebound

A’ja Wilson (35 games, 35 starts, 30.6 mpg, 21.9 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 2.1 bpg, 1.7 apg, 1.4 spg)
112-100 win at Atlanta: 33 minutes*, 53 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks
94-87 win at Chicago: 34 minutes*, 18 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks
78-62 loss at Washington: 32 minutes*, 14 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks

Against Atlanta, Wilson tied the all-time WNBA single-game scoring record with 53 points (matching former teammate Liz Cambage). Wilson set her previous career-high of 40 points earlier this season, and both games came in the aftermath of disappointing losses.

Las Vegas finally got its White House visit on Friday, but the schedule took its toll. The Aces had another disappointing loss Saturday, and have now lost to the Mystics twice this season. Both times it was the third game of a long road trip. Las Vegas has one more road game tonight at New York, which will be a difficult task for an exhausted team.

Las Vegas signed Coates to a rest-of-season hardship contract. However, Destanni Henderson can tell you how quickly those go away. 

Upcoming games:
Monday, August 28 at New York (7:00 ET, ESPN2)
Thursday, August 31 vs Washington (10:00 ET, Amazon Prime Video)
Saturday, September 2 vs Seattle (9:00 ET, NBA TV)

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Los Angeles Sparks (15-19)
Zia Cooke (33 games, 4 starts, 13.8 mpg, 4.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.8 apg)
91-62 win vs Phoenix: 17 minutes, 11 points, assist, rebound
83-78 win at Atlanta: 5 minutes, rebound
83-68 loss at Connecticut: 13 minutes, 4 points, rebound

Cooke has settled into an every-other-game pattern, alternating scoreless outings with productive games. Overall, she has still been one of the most productive rookies this season – Cooke is sixth among rookies in scoring.

Upcoming games:
Tuesday, August 29 vs Chicago (10:30 ET, CBS Sports Network)
Thursday, August 31 vs Seattle (10:00 ET, League Pass)
Sunday, September 3 vs Washington (7:30 ET, League Pass)

Minnesota Lynx (17-18)
Tiffany Mitchell (28 games, 16 starts, 22.6 mpg, 7.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 2.0 apg)
91-86 win vs Dallas: 31 minutes*, 7 points, 2 rebounds
90-81 win at Dallas: 27 minutes*, 11 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds
111-76 loss at New York: 15 minutes*, 2 assists

Mitchell tied her career-high with seven assists against Dallas and has been productive since returning to the starting lineup. Minnesota currently holds the fifth playoff spot, but just 1.5 games separate Minnesota and eight-seed Lows Angeles. 

Upcoming games:
Tuesday, August 29 at Washington (7:00 ET, NBA TV)
Friday, September 1 vs Atlanta (8:00 ET, Ion)
Sunday, September 3 vs Phoenix (7:00 ET, NBA TV)

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Free Agent
Destanni Henderson (15 total games, 1 start, 13.3 mpg, 3.8 ppg, 1.8 apg)

Unsurprisingly, Phoenix did not sign Henderson to another seven-day contract. With only a handful of games left in the season, Henderson probably won’t get another shot this year. Monday is the deadline to sign players and have them be eligible for the playoffs.

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