2025 WNBA Playoff Preview

Khristina is joined by friends of the show and analysts Terrika Foster Brasby and Myles Ehrlich to break down the revamped postseason format and explore the championship paths for several top contenders. The trio dives into the Minnesota Lynx's dominant regular season, the Las Vegas Aces hitting peak form at just the right time, and the Atlanta Dream’s impressive resurgence under rookie head coach Karl Smesko. They also examine the challenges facing the defending champions, the New York Liberty, and assess the playoff outlook for other contenders such as the Golden State Valkyrie, Indiana Fever, Phoenix Mercury, and Seattle Storm.

 

CREDITS

Executive Producers:

Nikki Ettore 

Jessie Katz

Tyler Klang

Jonathan Strickland

Producer:

Buffy Gorrilla

Producer & Editor:

Tari Harrison

Host:

Khristina Williams

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
In Case You Missed It with Christina Williams is an
iHeart Women's Sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports
and Entertainment.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Welcome back to another episode of In Case you missed
It with Christina Williams. Here on Iheartwomen's Sports Network, your
go to for all things women's basketball and WNBA. And
in case you missed a gang, guess what. The WNBA
season has wrapped, so you know, we got to talk
about the postseason because it's going to be a very

(00:33):
exciting postseason. You have some historic first some great storylines
to go over in a new playoff format. So joining
me today to break down all things twenty twenty five playoffs.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
You guys are probably sick and tied have coming on
the show, honestly, but I love them. They're friends my phase.
We have Turrika Bosta Brasby, and we have my good
friend Miles Erlich joining us. And you know they're half
of the brunch cruise. So I threw it one out
and Mite come back. Welcome back to the show. Guys.
They can forever be tired of me coming on the show.

Speaker 3 (01:07):
I got at least a good six seven mo times
before they're gonna be sick of me, is what it is.

Speaker 4 (01:12):
Yeah, and I'm always I mean, this is just basically
the group Chat come to life, so we're always talking
to Hoops twenty four to seven. Might as well put
a microphone in front of our faces and let other
people listen to I'm a little nervous.

Speaker 1 (01:23):
I'm a little nervous this week because it's three of us.
Usually it's just being one other. So I'm a little nervous.
But y'all know the deal when it comes to this show.
We open up every show with a win of the week.
So let's go down the line tease, starting with you.
What was a win for you this week?

Speaker 3 (01:38):
Win for me this week is the fact that I had.

Speaker 1 (01:43):
This is gonna be so crazy, y'all. I'm so sorry,
but I've been trying to.

Speaker 3 (01:46):
Purchase these sugar free Albanize gummy bears for like the
last month. Okay, for those who may not know, I
have been on a weight loss journey for the last
several months, lost over thirty pounds and I am a
gummy beer for neetic, but I can't have the sugar,
like I have to minimize my sugar, so I've been

(02:08):
trying to buy these these sugar free gummy beers, and
I have not had any luck, and finally Amazon had
some in stock, so I ordered mine.

Speaker 1 (02:17):
They should be here Thursday. That's my win of the week.
You actually put us onto those gummy beers like once.

Speaker 2 (02:24):
So every time we travel on trips and we go
into Tea's room, she has like all of these snacks
lined up on her night stand in the Albanese.

Speaker 1 (02:33):
Gummy beers is something that she put us all onto,
and now every time I travel, I make sure I
have a PAX. So if you guys are listening to
this podcast, sponsored Tea but also her friends, because we
love your gummy beers.

Speaker 3 (02:44):
Wow, that is probably also why I was over thirty pounds.

Speaker 1 (02:48):
But there we go. Listen.

Speaker 2 (02:50):
I've lot this weight loss Sturney with you too, you guys,
I've been on this weight loss starning for about eight
months now. I also lost about thirty pounds, so you know,
I'm with you, Sis, I'm with you, Miles.

Speaker 1 (03:03):
What was a win for you?

Speaker 4 (03:05):
Well, first of all, I was going to say, we're
always when we're in the same city and popping into
Tea's hotel room because she's the one that's got to
change and get ready between events. It's great that there
are snacks in the room. I am someone who partakes
in those snacks every single time, so I appreciate every
time Amazon's doing a restock so that you're good to go.

(03:27):
But for me by one of the week, Christina, you
and I went to the two K launch party last week? Well, yeah,
and that was super exciting. I got to do some
work with two K this year on the WNBA side,
So it was really cool for a video game that
I've played for most of my life to be able
to get all three of our names into that game,

(03:47):
which is a lot of fun, but also do some
of the writing behind it and help to tell some
of these w stories and yet another medium, because that's
really what the three of us are trying to do
is find as many ways to reach an audience and
share what these amazing athletes are doing. So that was
really cool to see launch and to play at you know,

(04:08):
weird hours of the morning because that's the only time
I get time by myself anymore. But yeah, two AM,
I'll be there play video games.

Speaker 1 (04:16):
What a flex? What a flex? Miles And first of all,
congratulations on the work that you did.

Speaker 2 (04:21):
NBA two K twenty six. Thank you for putting all
of us in the game.

Speaker 1 (04:27):
How are you, friends? I feel? Yeah, such a flex.

Speaker 2 (04:30):
My friend wrote the script for WNBA two K and
he put us in the game.

Speaker 1 (04:35):
So make sure I'll pick that up.

Speaker 3 (04:38):
People think I'm famous because of you now, Miles. Thank you,
Thank you very much.

Speaker 1 (04:42):
You've been famous. Thank you, Miles, You've been famous. What
was a win for me this week? Hmm, honestly, I
have no idea.

Speaker 2 (04:52):
I guess just supporting my friends, Miles, just being there
supporting you at the two K and then that was
a win. Just to see how far you've come and
the work that you put in, we should celebrate that.

Speaker 1 (05:04):
So that was definitely a win for this week. All right.
So let's set the stage for the twenty twenty five playoffs.
We have all new format this year.

Speaker 2 (05:16):
In Round one, we have the one to one one
format and for those of you who are new to
the w or new to basketball, but that means is
the higher seeded team will get to have home court advantage,
Play one on the road and then back home if
necessary for Game three, and then in the finals we
have a best of seven series, which is up from

(05:37):
best of five last year, so all new format, the
Minnesota Links. They finish number one overall on the WNBA standings,
which to no surprise. I don't think it was a
surprise to me that they would finish number one, given
how great they've been playing, consistent they've been throughout the season.
But the rest of the playoff field as of this recording,

(05:58):
seems like it'll be Las Vegas, Atlanta, Phoenix, New York,
Golden State, Indiana, and Seattle trying to sneak in in
that last spot. And so let's go over the format. Tea,
what was your reaction to the new format?

Speaker 1 (06:15):
Wow?

Speaker 3 (06:15):
As a fan, love it, right, absolutely love it. I
agree that everybody should have an opportunity to host a
play up game at home at these onces. Right, you
get the you work really hard to get your team
in a position to be in the postseason, and you
want to give your fans an opportunity to enjoy the

(06:36):
postseason atmosphere. And now that they have charter flights and
can get from city to city much quicker, it does
make sense for the first round to go back to
the one one one format, which is a format that
they previously implemented in the past, so I do like
that aspect. I also love a seven game series for
the finals. I mean, I think over the last couple

(06:56):
of years, you've all said, wow, is this really how
it ends?

Speaker 1 (06:59):
Is this really the last day?

Speaker 3 (07:01):
So certainly being able to have a seven game series
in the what has been over the last few years
really great matchups.

Speaker 1 (07:10):
I love that now as.

Speaker 3 (07:12):
A reporter them seven games, it's gonna kick us in
the butt, right because we're literally going from city to
city and by the time we get to the fifth game,
we're already like, Wow, this is exhausting, right, So I
can only imagine what those two additional games will do
from a travel aspect, from a body aspect, and I
think the players are probably gonna feel the same way.

(07:33):
If it does indeed become an extended series, it'll be
the first time that they'll have to play this many
games in a season, and that war and tear is
certainly going to play a role, I would imagine.

Speaker 1 (07:44):
But I like it. I love it.

Speaker 3 (07:45):
It's great for the sport, it's great for the fans,
and it's honestly probably gonna make the postseason a bit
better this year.

Speaker 4 (07:52):
Tee. I agree with like ninety percent of what you said,
and I like that you came at it from a
fan perspective first. For the one one one format, because
as we saw last year, a lot of fans were
upset that they didn't get an opportunity in that best
of three to have a home game and to really
just appreciate their team and get to experience that. On

(08:12):
the other side of things, though, I think that there
should be a competitive advantage to being that top four seed,
and I liked that they were able to get those
first two games. The problem with that was one game
three meant that they had to go on the road.
So I think I've made the parallel to these first
round wildcard series in the MLB, where the higher seed

(08:34):
gets to host the entire best of three series. And
while that could be a problem for Gate and everything
like that, as this league continues to get larger and larger,
I would think that there should be a separation between
the high seeds and the low seeds. I also do
hope that one day we get to the five to
five seven format so that maybe it's not an issue

(08:55):
at all, but with how long the season is, I
think that there should be that little competitive advantage to
those top fours. Now with the seven game series in
the finals last year, do you guys remember Game five,
how gassed both of those teams looked, and that was
a forty game season. Yes, there was the Olympic break

(09:17):
built in, so that's why it was so condensed. But
at the same time, the attrition that these players deal with,
it's really difficult to be in this same footprint and
just keep squeezing more and more games on and then
expecting that you're going to get the best basketball at
the end of the day. And I think that's another
reason why travel should probably be limited somewhat. Yes, there

(09:41):
are chartered flights, but and obviously I'll be bringing the
team that I know closest into it here. But if
New York and Phoenix end up being the four or
five matchup, and you potentially have two days to go
back and forth cross country for a best of three series,
and then you're just adding more games in later rounds
after that for whichever team moves on. That even with

(10:03):
the charters, even though it's better travel than it used
to be, is still going to be a problem because
you want these players to be as healthy as possible
and playing their best basketball as rested as possible. So
I think as we continue to expand this season, it's
got to be with the mindset of those postseason games
need to be front of mind. If you're going to

(10:23):
have a forty four game season, then you can't continue
to expand the playoffs. But if you could settle on
a forty then you could make sure that those games
that are really what we want to see are what
the emphasis is on.

Speaker 3 (10:36):
One thing that I had in a conversation a couple
of months back with Kathy Engelberg, the commissioner, was the
potential idea of the season being longer in terms of
the time frame, right, and because there are games being added,
because there are teams being at it, the possibility and
because there are still international competitions that are happening in

(10:58):
between seasons, there is a possibility that the season won't
continue to end in mid October. Even as soon as
next year, it's very possible that the season will be
extended into early November. And so to your point, Miles,
I think that if they're able to extend the season
on the back end, because we know that it's not
possible truly to extend the season at the beginning that

(11:21):
if they're able to extend it on the back end
and not necessarily, you know, to be frank, nobody's caring
about NFL. I mean that we care about NFL, but
like the numbers have shown that NFL doesn't stop the
viewership for the WNBA postseason, MLB postseason does not stop
the viewership for WNBA postseason, So you don't really worry

(11:42):
about conflicting with those two sports. But maybe it's a
situation where we will see the season a little longer
in terms of going into more early November to try
to battle that fatigue factor. Because I remember when we
were playing chicag when we all of us were traveling
between Phoenix and Chicago and twenty twenty one, and by

(12:03):
the time we got the game four, we were like, Chicago,
y'all better do something because I'm not trying to try
I'm not trying to go back to Phoenix.

Speaker 2 (12:11):
So but even in twenty twenty, twenty twenty three three
with the Las Vegas Aces and Liberty, it was like, damn,
do I have to book a hotel across the country.

Speaker 1 (12:20):
I'm in New York, Like, what's going to happen?

Speaker 2 (12:23):
You know what I mean, So I agree it's very
taxing for us as media travel and coast to coast.
I can only imagine for players who have very little
time in between these heightened games that mean everything in
terms of wanting to win a championship. And you bring
up an interesting point about what Kathy said in terms
of extending the season. On the back end, I just

(12:45):
think about the arena availabilities around this time, especially with
NBA preseason happening. You have other leagues starting up their
preseason as well. I mean Golden State they won't even
play their first game at Chase Center this year for
the postseason. They have to go out to what San Jose.
So I think that's going to become an issue should

(13:08):
the league continue to extend the regular season games, because
last year there's forty This season you got forty four
games plus an extended postseason. So something has got to
give when it comes to these games and where they're scheduled.
But it's not favorable for the defending champions and the
New York Liberty to be in a predicament where they
are currently as this recording the number five seed. And

(13:32):
I want to talk about the defending champs for a
little bit, Miles and the format as well. One of
the most fascinating things about their situation is you know
where they fall in the bracket, beeting in the five
seed possibility facing a Phoenix team where they lost this
season series to this team.

Speaker 1 (13:51):
In the regular season. So I'll start with Miles, right.

Speaker 2 (13:55):
We talked about the one one one playoff format and
how it's not favorable I guess, two teams coast to coast,
But when you think about it in the context of
those lower seeded teams, does it still ultimately favor those
top seeded teams?

Speaker 1 (14:09):
Do you think that the one one format will give
them the advantage? I guess yeah.

Speaker 4 (14:14):
I still think it does favor the top seeded teams
because they get to set the tone and that then
if they drop one on the road, they still have
the opportunity for that winner take all game three. So
I do still think that they have that advantage. In
terms of just also being comfortable as you're starting your
playoff run in your own facilities and in your own beds.
I think that that's really great for them too. But

(14:38):
when you have this coast to coast series, there's an
element of disadvantage that's going to happen for both teams
in these series. And that's true for we can talk
about New York and Phoenix here because that's the most
likely one that we can pencil in now that both
of those teams are going to be traveling. And the

(14:58):
way that Sundays Starts arts is that the games are
at one, three, five, and ten, and we don't know
which series land where. Honestly, because the Indiana Fever, even
without Kitlin Clark are still the biggest draw. That probably
means that they're going to get that three o'clock ABC timeslot.
So there are two potential West Coast teams, it's Vegas

(15:19):
and Phoenix. So if Vegas and India is that matchup,
they probably get that three o'clock time slot, and that
means that New York and New York and Phoenix, sorry,
it will be the ten o'clock game that night. And
then if you're talking about finishing that game and then
either playing on Tuesday or Wednesday, they'll probably get bumped
to Wednesday for that game too. They're already nine hours

(15:41):
behind whoever plays at one o'clock that day, So that's
kind of the problem with the one one one, and
if you had the two games, you could have spaced out,
you know, and as needed and given an extra day
to the teams that do need that tie breaker. But
still that being said, I still think this is probably
the fairest way to have some kind of home court advantage,

(16:02):
but give everyone an opportunity to.

Speaker 1 (16:04):
Host to I would say that the single game elimination
was more favorable to the top seeded team. Well, yeah,
for sure. For sure in the first round. They probably
should have just only this year, extended the files until
there was more teams or whatever, just give the single
elimination in round one.

Speaker 4 (16:21):
I think I like the league.

Speaker 1 (16:23):
I hated that's so bad.

Speaker 4 (16:24):
I hate it.

Speaker 1 (16:25):
Oh my god, I hated it. So it's a single game.

Speaker 3 (16:28):
I love the idea of giving the top seeds of
a one week break, but I actually, and I don't
say this often, love it more the way the NBA
is doing it, where they have the playoffs so like
the nine and ten are kind of fighting, and then like,
it still gives the top seeds a break, but it
also makes the bottom seeds interesting. Can you imagine the

(16:49):
LA Sparks having an opportunity to kind of fight for
that AF seed versus like having to deal with the
regular season.

Speaker 1 (16:56):
So I think that's a great way to do it.

Speaker 3 (16:59):
But as a as a person who covers Connecticut that
the last time they did that, Connecticut lost in the
first round, So stop it.

Speaker 1 (17:08):
But also to your point, with similarities to the NBA,
the play in term, and do you think they should
then switch the Commissioner's Cup to make it more worth
it more of an incentive because you're already having incentive
with winning the five hundred thousand dollars prize. Should they
then add that little extra onto the Commissioner's Cup? And

(17:31):
I don't think so.

Speaker 2 (17:33):
I said I was gonna say, And when there's more teams,
hopefully they can go to back to conferences and make
conferences actually matter, because that's I mean. Right now, it's
the top eight teams and it's like, you know, whoever
makes it makes it.

Speaker 1 (17:47):
Once there's more teams, you can split it up to
conferences and make the playoffs more interesting. This is my speculation.

Speaker 3 (17:53):
I don't know how true this is, but this is
just what I've always assumed that it went to the
top eight seeds because was for a very long time
the Eastern Conference were not as strong as the Western Conference,
and the two best teams that we had seen in
that middle part of this of this switch were at
the time.

Speaker 1 (18:13):
The Minnesota Links and the La Sparks. It was the
Maya War years.

Speaker 3 (18:17):
It was the Kansas Parkers and the Chelsea and the
Chelsea Grays, and like the Western Conference was just a juggernaut,
and then Phoenix was doing was was at the height
of its of its of its time. It just the
Western Conference was just dominating on all fronts and it
started to kind of be uninteresting when you get down
the conference and you knew that, you know, as good

(18:39):
as Indiana, as good as Tamika catchings had been, it
just outside of twenty twelve, they just were not strong enough.

Speaker 1 (18:46):
Atlanta just was not strong enough.

Speaker 3 (18:48):
Right.

Speaker 1 (18:48):
So it feels again I don't know if that's the.

Speaker 3 (18:51):
Case, but it feels like that was part of the
reason that they switched to the top eight to make
it more competitive and less conference because it was a
very lopsided conference. If if you think about the finals
over the last few years, it's actually been East versus West,
Like New York has been holding it down in the
East and teams in the West have switched. Chicago in

(19:11):
twenty twenty one held it down for the East, Phoenix
held it down for the West. So in the last
few years the conference the alignments have been a bit
more balanced to where it feels that it would be
a more fun and more interesting to go back to
conference play. Now the seas are an even, right, because
once you add in a couple of more teams, I

(19:33):
think we'll be at fifteen and not necessarily at like
an even fourteen or even sixteen just yet.

Speaker 1 (19:40):
So it may be a bit more difficult to.

Speaker 5 (19:42):
Do an even conference alignment, but it just it does
feel like we're kind of in the direction of going
back that way because the parody across the conferences have
become a bit more bald.

Speaker 4 (19:53):
I mean, I'm I'm anti conferences just because I feel
like you always run the risk of what happens, Like
you said a decade ago, and if you look again,
sorry to make another NBA comp but at Lebron making
it to you know, ten straight Eastern Conference finals or
representing the East ten straight times, that meant that nobody
else in the East had a chance at a ring.

(20:15):
And that's something that could happen in the W if
you go back to conferences, so like, why do it
if you don't have to just because there's parody now?
Because that might not be true in a couple of years. Obviously,
who knows how long with this next CBA, like how
long contracts are going to be and how much player
movement there is once things settle, so it might end
up being even. But you also do open yourself up

(20:37):
to the possibility of one team really running a conference
for a long time. And I would understand, like, why
do we want to potentially strip away that parody as
it exists with just anyone having the opportunity to advance.

Speaker 2 (21:03):
How would you assess the New York Liberties ability or
potential to run it back?

Speaker 1 (21:09):
Given how their regular season went.

Speaker 3 (21:12):
I think if you asked me this question back in
June May June, I'd have probably felt like, Hey, this
is a veteran team, experienced team.

Speaker 1 (21:21):
You know they're the defending champions.

Speaker 3 (21:24):
Nothing less than ninety five percent right, Because the truth
is anything can happen, right, anything can happen to any.

Speaker 1 (21:29):
Team, no matter how good you are.

Speaker 3 (21:30):
So one hundred percent no, but ninety six percent absolutely
signed me up right. I probably even would have said,
just sign me up for Minnesota and Liberty rematch, right, like,
let's just run it all the way back. And then
injuries happened, and then life happened, and this New York
Liberty team looks nothing like that team in June. And

(21:53):
because of that, I cannot be oblivious to that fact
and say that they have the largest chance of going
back to the finals. I think that that ninety five
percent is probably looking about fifty to me now, with injuries.

Speaker 1 (22:08):
Being the most.

Speaker 3 (22:09):
And the thing too, is that you know, while this
is a veteran team, while this is a team that
has played together, and while this is a team that
now has their stars back, and there is still a
level of chemistry that has to be formed that might
sound wild to some people, but when you've missed time,
when you've added new pieces, I mean, we've not seen

(22:29):
this entire team play with em amisamen, now we're about to, right,
And so there is a level of chemistry that has
to be formed. The problem is you don't have time
for that, right Like, you kind of got to get
it together immediately. And so while I do think that
they have it and the same opportunity as most to
get and make a deep postseason run. I just think

(22:50):
that the meter has moved down significantly since the beginning
of the season, giving the injuries of them actually being
able to repeat.

Speaker 4 (22:57):
Yeah, super brave saying that they're not as good as
they were when they started out in ten and zero
or whatever, But I'll I'll let you off the hook
on that one. This has been I think chemistry is
really the biggest thing that you're talking about there, and
that I agree with is that when you have the
players in and out of the lineups, it's hard to
get that continuity. But we are now a couple of
games before the playoffs, and this Liberty team has really structural,

(23:23):
fundamental things that they are not doing well. And when
you say this is a veteran team, they should be
able to figure it out, they should be. They haven't.
And that's something that we can look on paper and
say that this is top to bottom, especially adding m
mesum in midway through the season, the most talented roster,
but that has not turned into the things on the

(23:44):
court that you need to be a championship team. And
I'm not going to say that they can't get there
because we saw the sky in twenty twenty one deal
with this exact same thing, where these injuries happened and
they got healthy at the right time and they were
able to win a title. We also saw the Las
Vegas Aces last year knocked out in the semifinals after

(24:04):
two straight titles because they had some of this same
injury trouble. So I'll just say, like, yes, you can
make a case in either direction, but the New York
Liberty need to be focused internally, and I think they
have been on getting better, getting back to themselves and
not worry about their draw because you're going to have
to face whoever you have to face. That is the

(24:27):
hand that you've created for yourself at this point. Some
of it, obviously, the lack of controllables is the amount
of those injuries. But they also have not played strong
fundamental basketball. They haven't boxed out, they haven't gotten stops,
they haven't stopped turning the ball over. It's that kind
of stuff that they really need to tighten up, which

(24:47):
is hard to do when you don't have those reps
together on the court. And yeah, they're healthy now and
hopefully they can stay healthy throughout. Hopefully all of these
teams can get healthy for this stretch run. But as
of today, they are not playing championship level basketball, and
every single one of those players knows it themselves. I
don't think that they're under an illusion anymore. They might

(25:08):
have been earlier that they could just flip a switch
when they all get out there, but the self accountability
has reached a point where they have identified these errors
and are trying to fix, especially defensively. This West Coast trip,
we saw them get back to a lot of better
principles on that end of the floor, and that's what
they're going to need. But they've got to put it

(25:29):
all together, and the runway is gone at this point.
So it's either it's going to work now that they're
all together and they're going to learn on the fly,
which is wild in the playoff environment, or this is
just a curse season that feels doomed because they haven't
had these reps together.

Speaker 2 (25:46):
Oh and you bring it up a very good point,
and I think that I tended to practice a couple
of weeks ago and so Bernia Escu, who you know,
she kind of echoed that same sentiment of it doesn't
matter our straw or who we play. That's like the
least of our worries. We need to get back to
playing New York Liberty basketball. And you know, Brianna Stewart
has been a leader and her comeback in the second

(26:08):
half of the season and saying like, we're not playing
championship basketball. So all the pieces are there, it's just like,
how are you going to execute when it really matters?
And so hopefully this team they can turn it around.
All right, let's do a team by team breakdown. The
Minnesota leagues finish the season number one overall in the standings. Tee,

(26:28):
do you think that this is a team that has
the clearest path to the championship.

Speaker 1 (26:33):
Yes, I think they have the clearest path.

Speaker 3 (26:36):
Yes, Minnesota just has proven that they can literally compete
with any team in the WNBA like they've you know,
they've beat the ass by a fifty burger. I mean,
I know that there is just recently a matchup between
the two in which the Aces were the better team,
But I mean, I'm not going to ignore the three
other matches that they add against each other where it

(27:00):
was very clear that Minnesota was the very was the
better team. So I just I feel like, you know
the same thing that I just said about New York
about a veteran team having chemistry.

Speaker 1 (27:11):
This is a team that absolutely has chemistry.

Speaker 3 (27:14):
And the pieces that they added, specifically a dj N
Carrington understood her role in how to, you know, respond.

Speaker 1 (27:21):
To what she needed to do for this team.

Speaker 3 (27:24):
So she's fit seamlessly into what chemistry this team already has.
And then there's Fee right, the potential MVP. There's just
so much that goes right for Minnesota, and they've also
shown that they know how to win when their MVP
is not on the floor. Cheryl Reeve is such an
incredible coach for situations. She's such an incredible coach of personnel,

(27:46):
and she understands the team that she has and so
I think any team in the WNBA is going to
find difficulties beating Minnesota in a series.

Speaker 1 (27:55):
That is key for.

Speaker 3 (27:57):
Anybody listening who was not familiar with a playoff format.
It's not just a one off, it is a series.
And so Minnesota to me, certainly has the clearest path. Yeah,
and Cheryl, she's a front of the show. She came
on and she said, our goal isn't to avenge last
year's loss, and she talked about what brought this team
together or what rather separates them from the rest of

(28:19):
the league is the continuity piece, the chemistry of having
most of the same group from last year together and
then just taking it up a notch, as you mentioned,
with a player like Nafisa Collier at the helm of it,
but also Natisha Heideman is.

Speaker 1 (28:33):
Playing out of this world coming off the bench. K
mac is, you know, clicking, finding her rhythm, and so.

Speaker 3 (28:39):
This is at Atlanta's past defense just goes next level,
like I didn't think you could be an even better
defender than you already were, Atlanta, and then twenty twenty
five comes along like it's it's it's tough to say
that they don't have the clearest path to the finals.
I'm not saying they'll win it all, but to get there,
I could certainly see them there.

Speaker 1 (28:59):
I don't think there's another interesting piece that I wanted
to say too. In addition to having the same sort
of the same roster, they added new personnel to the
coaching staff Lindsay Wylin. They added Eric Tebow, so I
think that that also made a difference in the level
of play that we've seen, just the extension of who
else is on the bench working with these players, developing

(29:21):
these players. I think that's what separates this new Snnesota
Lakes game this season, Miles where you're going to say something.

Speaker 4 (29:28):
Yeah, I was going to say, I think it's two
different conversations. Where the Minnesota Links are objectively far and
away the best team this season that we've seen from
start to finish, but with the conversation of do they
have the best path to the finals? I think there
are five teams if we're including Atlanta, Vegas, Phoenix, and

(29:50):
New York, that can push them in that next tier,
and Minnesota is guaranteed to face in the second round
and then the finals if they get that far two
teams of that four. Where I think if you're looking
at the two and three path, if you're looking at
Atlanta and Vegas, they can play Golden State, Indiana or

(30:12):
Seattle in the first round and then they play each
other in the next round before getting to Minnesota.

Speaker 1 (30:17):
I don't know.

Speaker 4 (30:18):
I don't think it's so I don't think it's necessarily
the easiest path. I think they're also going to have
to face two of those top five, so it's similar
there and the attrition of if you're looking second round,
if you're in Minnesota at a New York with that
physicality or the physicality that you're going to get from Phoenix,
it might.

Speaker 1 (30:39):
I don't know.

Speaker 4 (30:40):
I think that Vegas might end up with an easier
potential path than the Links would, although what's waiting if
you get to the finals is the Minnesota Linx, which
is the hardest matchup of all. So I don't know
if it's so cut and dry just because of the
math of how these top five teams play out and
that you're guaranteed to play a couple.

Speaker 3 (30:59):
Of them, I guess I would all feel add to
that too, just really quick. If I think the difference
in maybe our arguments, Miles is that you think that
these two and three seeds will actually like win their matchups,
whereas I believe that the lower seeds can absolutely knock

(31:20):
out like a Golden State is a dangerous.

Speaker 1 (31:22):
Sea for sure.

Speaker 3 (31:23):
Sure in the postseason, so I could see a six
seed overtaking a three, and to me, that's what where
I think the balance would.

Speaker 1 (31:31):
Be for sure. I want to move along to the.

Speaker 2 (31:46):
Las Vegas Aces, who are the number two seed as
of this recording. This team has Championship DNA again with
Asia Wilson at the Helm. She's has led this team
to a winning streak towards the end.

Speaker 1 (32:00):
Of the season. But also now the team has activated
Cheyenne Parker Tias as well, bringing in bringing in another
All Star. But I do think that the activation was
just a formality, uh, due to needing to have a
certain roster set before you head into the postseason. And Miles,
please correct me if I'm wrong, But I think it's
more of a formality thing. But Calli Finn was on

(32:23):
this show and she did talk to us about Cheyenne
Parker Tias. She mentioned that Chyenne had given her a
date where she felt that she would be ready to
be activated and reworked into the Las Vegas Aces lineup.
But becking him in kind of saw that a little
bit different in terms of the timeline and her readiness.
So I'm gonna throw it.

Speaker 2 (32:43):
To you, Miles, if and when Cheyenne Parker Tias gets
some burn in this postseason, how do you see her
fitting back into the mix with this Las Vegas Aces
team at this point?

Speaker 4 (32:56):
So, yeah, there's a lot of qualifiers there right that
if in the way, and it can she get up
to speed because she is just a couple of months
post childbirth. It's incredible that she is even at this point.
But there are a couple of things. Obviously, she was
an All Star two years ago with Atlanta, a career
fifty one percent shooter from two. But what I was

(33:17):
focusing more on was her six years in Chicago because
there she was utilized a lot off the bench, and
that's the role that we would see her in here
as she's building up just a lot of that on
court stamina. And she started just twenty five of one
hundred and sixty six games with Chicago, and in those
six years, she was asked to do something very different

(33:37):
than she was in Atlanta. She was asked to crash
the glass and really just try to She wasn't. They
weren't initiating an offense through her like they were in
her years with the Dream. So in every one of
those seasons her offense, her offensive rebounding percentage was elite.
She was between ten point nine and thirteen point three percent.
And this is a Vegas team that struggles in offensive

(33:58):
rebounding ninth in O boards per game and they are
eleven in offensive rebounding percentage, So that could be an
area of focus for Cheyenne. They could say, we only
have you for twelve minutes tonight. We want you to
just cause hell on the glass. And she's six' four
and playing off Of, asia there's going to be a
lot of attention On Asia, wilson AND i think that

(34:19):
even though that's not something we saw in her game
as much In, atlanta that is fundamentally the type of
player That. Cheyenne she's going to make that extra, Effort
she's going to fill the lanes and, Transition she's going
to be up and. Down AND i think with this
newfound depth front court depth that The aces, have which
is something we have not been able to say for
some years, now but with the emergence Of Melissa, smith

(34:42):
that gives them the luxury to Have cheyenne in that
reserve role and in those couple of minutes she could
really make a difference for this team just in terms
of being that that physical. Rebounder see what's your.

Speaker 2 (34:55):
Read on how The aces are, peaking especially as the postseason.

Speaker 3 (34:59):
Starts, yeah to bring up a point That miles made,
earlier this is exactly What chicago did Right in twenty twenty,
One chicago ended their season fourteen and. Fourteen they were
only twenty eight games being played that, season but they
ended that year fourteen and. Fourteen they were like a
four seed or something around that, Nature like they were
not six.

Speaker 1 (35:19):
Seed, yep they were a six. Seed like they had
to go on the road and.

Speaker 3 (35:23):
Play but it was the chemistry coming together at the right.
Time colleague Of copper started to shine. Everywhere Kandas parker
found the fountain of youth. Again like everybody played their
part and this team became unstoppable in the. Postseason and
that is what has happened With Las. Vegas Las vegas
has figured out that switch has finally Gone dean and

(35:47):
winning fourteen straight matchups heading into the postseason is exactly
what you. Need and to be, FAIR i was one
that was, like, hey they got a week. Off they
had a week, off like a couple of weeks. AGO
i was, like this might not be the best thing for.
You when you are on into the. Postseason you want to.

Speaker 1 (36:01):
Be, hot y'all are. Hot having a week off is
probably not the thing you want to. Do but it
just continues to grow for this.

Speaker 3 (36:09):
TEAM i love That Jewel lloyd has honestly Taken she
has accepted the coming off the bench, scenario which has
panned out wonderfully for, her and not a lot of
people would be willing to come off the bench and,
scenarios but she's.

Speaker 1 (36:24):
Doing it and it.

Speaker 3 (36:25):
WORKS i feel like it's giving her an opportunity to
play more. Free Chelsea gray has remembered she's the Point.

Speaker 1 (36:31):
God Jackie young is continuing to be The Jackie young
that we all knew she could. Be and so it's
like the opposite effect of what we were.

Speaker 3 (36:39):
Saying earlier About New, york about a veteran, team an
experienced team who's been here, before who understands you can't
just click it on and click it.

Speaker 1 (36:46):
Off, well they have clicked it on and it has stayed.

Speaker 3 (36:48):
On and then to your, point the addition Of Melissa
smith Giving asia an, extradition an extra layer of not
only comfort in the, paint but actually a.

Speaker 1 (36:57):
Score no shade the kids, thops you need some additional
offense down. There she gives you. That she's also a
great rent.

Speaker 3 (37:04):
PROTECTOR i like that This vegas team has turned it
on now because now is the time you need it.

Speaker 1 (37:10):
Most, well there it.

Speaker 2 (37:11):
Is let's talk about The atlanta's dream who has taken
a huge leap forward in a regular.

Speaker 1 (37:15):
Season the big story here Is Alisha.

Speaker 2 (37:18):
Gray she's having a standout season AN mvp, candidate but,
yeah she's been really the anchor for This atlanta's dream
team and the reason that they've elevated to a legit,
contender especially under first time head coach In Kyl, smesco
who has made W ba history with the most wins
for first time head coach in the history of the.

(37:41):
League SO t throwed it to you when we look At,
atlanta what do you think is finally clicking this year
for them to be able to break through and make
a deep run in the.

Speaker 3 (37:52):
Playoffs, well for, one will certainly be if they are
able to secure and remain in the number two, seed,
right if they're able to stay at the number to
see that would give them a chance to See indiana
in the first, round and that they should be able
to win against Me indiana to move them into the semi, finals,
Right and SO i think matchups and how how the

(38:13):
seeding falls is number one the first. Thing but, secondly
WHAT i really adore is That Carlo mesco has honestly
got this team to play into their strengths, Right AND
i don't think we realized that that was their strengths
BECAUSE i think coming in we were, Like, wow he's going.

Speaker 1 (38:26):
To turn this into a shooting. Team but when you
look at, it it kind of always has been a shooting.

Speaker 3 (38:31):
Team they just didn't have the right coach at the
time to play in to the strengths of their.

Speaker 1 (38:36):
Shot Alisha gray Has we talk about how she has.

Speaker 3 (38:39):
This season really overwhelmed everybody with the way that she's
dominated all statistical. Categories But Alisha gray has always been
this type of. Player she's just finally in a system
that is allowing her to thrive and too Shy Ryan
howard has always been this type of, player has always
brought this layer of, defense but we've never seen her

(39:00):
play in the system that allowed them the freedom.

Speaker 1 (39:02):
To have this kind of.

Speaker 3 (39:03):
Chime and SO i believe that they have what it
takes to continue to be a. Contender they have just
truly embraced the system That samesco has brought and, again to,
me it's just been the most impressive team this w.
SEASON i, mean we talk a lot about What Golden
state is doing is being a team that has really
set a bar for expansion. Teams but WHEN i think

(39:24):
about a team that has completely turned it around from
one season to the, other This Atlanta Dream team probably
by far.

Speaker 1 (39:32):
It seeds any other team in the league with.

Speaker 3 (39:33):
That so, YEAH i think that they absolutely have really
bought into the system that allows them to shine off.

Speaker 1 (39:40):
Insigree, sure this is.

Speaker 2 (39:42):
A franchise that Be terrell has been praying for for
some time. Now football's thrown it to.

Speaker 1 (39:51):
You what makes it difficult for teams to sort of
plan against a player Like Ali.

Speaker 4 (39:58):
Shagray, YEAH i mean you said it earlier where you
said she's the anchor of this, team and it is
career highs across the, board, points, rebounds, assists true, shooting
points per, possession all while being on the most successful
team that she has been on as a. Pro it's
just a remarkable. Year and the fact that for the
last month and a half she's been a shoe in

(40:21):
for first team all w just goes to show how
hard it is to scheme against. Her but what to
kind of just back up What tarika, Said she is
taking and making more threes than she ever has. Before
Only Ryan, howard her, TEAMMATE. Kylea, McBride And Kelsey mitchell
are making more threes per game Than Alisha. Gray and
if you have to stay honest against somebody who is

(40:45):
one of the best downhill finishers in the league and
is a lefty in a league where still that is an,
Advantage she's just impossible to. Guard she's so athletic and
dexterous and kind of finding those, gaps but also is
just calling her own number so much and the ball
just flies around. There and it's, because LIKE t, said

(41:07):
everyone's a, shooter so you have to keep. Honest and
that means if you're playing that second, side third side
action and if you're initiating stuff from the middle sometimes
With breezy or with or WITH bg and just kicking
around the, perimeter someone's going to be. Open AND i
love That leish has been taking the most threes in her.

(41:28):
Career and, yes it helps that she's been making a
whole bunch at thirty eight, percent but it just comes
down to that philosophy and she is really excelled here
and she's all season. Long given the credit To Coross
mesco and his staff for just implementing this philosophy that
she's thriving.

Speaker 2 (41:45):
In, Yeah i'm with atl is really it's us the
process kind of, situation given how they didn't really have
the right coach at the, home But call came in
and he really changed everything for the better for his.

Speaker 4 (41:59):
Team we have to shout Out Nas, hillman who in
college would not shoot threes and in the pros took
six in her first three, seasons and to this, point
she has taken one hundred and sixty three threes this
year at thirty two, percent which is around league. Average
so it's not like, she's you, know blowing the doors

(42:20):
off of, teams but with her being someone who can
crash the glass week side and everyone thrown up these
shots and you need to stay honest with her out
on the, primer that just gives her more of a
head start when she's tracking down those long. Rebounds SO
i wanted to just shout her, out as it's not
just a personnel, thing it's a buy in. Thing and
you might not have been the player that was being

(42:43):
asked to do this, before but the confidence that this
staff has showed was matched by the willingness of the
players on this, team including AND i would say shout
out especially To nas for just upping her. Game so
that she can be the most useful player on this.

Speaker 2 (42:58):
Team, yeah And nas is a candidate for Most improved
and Sixth player of The. Year So Charlton Nas. Hillman All,
right we talked about this earlier four and Five phoenix
And New, york AND i guess.

Speaker 1 (43:11):
We can kind of clump them, together BUT i think
in round.

Speaker 2 (43:14):
One this is going to be one of the best
series if they end up facing each. Other te do
you think That phoenix's dominates over The liberty in the regular?
Season do you see that tearing over and what separates
This phoenix team From New.

Speaker 1 (43:30):
York, yeah that's a great.

Speaker 3 (43:32):
QUESTION i, MEAN i think it's difficult for any team,
to you, know beat a team more than four times
three times like that feels like a. Lot, HOWEVER i
do think that This mercury, team while maybe not on,
paper has a bit of an advantage Over New. YORK
i think that they've shown and even in games that

(43:54):
they aren't Playing New, york that they have one advantage
Over New, york and that's the ability to play. Together
and that says a. Lot given that this is a
team that has completely revamped its. Roster there are only
two players that have returned to this team from last,
year and That's kali A copper and one more who's
the other?

Speaker 1 (44:12):
ONE i can't the.

Speaker 3 (44:15):
Other person's, Name Natasha. Meck that is exactly what. Is
those are the only two players who have come back this.
Season everyone else is brand. New Brittany briner left to
go To, Atlanta Diana tarazzi. Retired everyone else either a
rookie or they came in via. Trade and so it
is honestly quite impressive for you to be able to
go from one of the lower, seeds one of the

(44:37):
lower teams in the, league to being one of the
top teams with a brand new.

Speaker 1 (44:40):
Roster and that's exactly what they're. DOING i think a
part of that.

Speaker 3 (44:43):
Is Nate tibbets and how he has honestly got this
team to buy. In but other than, THAT i also
think it's the way that they share the. Ball AND
i DARE i Say Alyssa. Thomas Alyssa thomas is quite
literally the, engine and then by THAT i mean that
her versatility is.

Speaker 1 (45:01):
Ridiculous she's leading the league.

Speaker 3 (45:03):
Currently in, assists so she's the catalyst that continues to
help get other people. Opportunities Kaleiah copper and our Friend
owen is gonna love. This But Kalia copper has played
incredibly well over the last month after starting this season
on the bench because of injuries and having to sit
out games because of. Injuries SO i, MEAN i just
think that from a size, perspective they're not afraid.

Speaker 1 (45:24):
To shoot the.

Speaker 3 (45:25):
Ball they have played incredibly well defensively over the last
three months of the, season and again they have found
the ability to find their chemistry with playing with each.
Other With Alissa thomas leaving the charge at the helm
and then the addition of The Wana bar something that
they didn't have the first few matchups Against New. York
that adds another piece of offense from their, bench but
also adds another layer of defense in the. Post and

(45:47):
SO i do feel like there is an advantage that
This phoenix team. Has not to say That New york
can't get a winn or two for, sure but it
is certainly going to be a challenge if these are
the two teams that have to face with in the first.

Speaker 4 (45:58):
Round the time that we saw these teams at full
strength was that one game that The liberty did, win
and that was the last time that we saw the
Full liberty starting five, together so that these teams are
going to be evenly. Matched but that's that's gonna be.
TOUGH i think For phoenix the game plan because they
haven't Seen New york healthy And phoenix at their, Credit,

(46:21):
yeah to their, credit overcame.

Speaker 3 (46:23):
As well as true like them in piece you got.

Speaker 1 (46:29):
It you definitely have to add. That although never, Mind
i'm not gonna stay it BECAUSE i don't Need New
york or. Fans man At meat will go, ahead hey
with your, jazz ty say with your. Chest i'm not
gonna say. It i'm going. Wait i'm gonna. Wait so
the next time you bring me on the. Show but
you know, what you know WHAT i do want to.

Speaker 2 (46:45):
Say phoenix definitely surprised, us right d BECAUSE i remember
in our preseason and now we're in a playoff, preview.

Speaker 1 (46:52):
YES i was.

Speaker 3 (46:54):
BEHIND i definitely did not put respect On phoenix's name
in the, preseason and for the reason because it's a
completely new roster AND i was, like there are. ROOKIES
i don't know these. People what in the world is going?
On and lo and, behold they're one of the top
four teams in the.

Speaker 1 (47:11):
League they shut me right.

Speaker 2 (47:13):
Up But, Miles what do you think defines This New
York liberty team this? Season what will be the key
factors for them to have a successful playoff?

Speaker 4 (47:23):
Run, well what has defined them to this point has
been the injury, Narrative AND i don't think that IT'S
i think it's a disservice to some of these other
teams that have also dealt with. Injuries Because, phoenix like
t like you, said the first what six, weeks they
did not get their big three on the. Court at

(47:44):
the same, time it was just revolving door of players,
in players. Out we've seen what and we're going to
talk about What indiana's dealt with this. Year and they're
still a playoff team. Too there's been big losses In Golden,
State femus, Time Asian Miss time's been lost, everywhere but
no one has worn it as publicly or seem to

(48:05):
have struggled as much As New york and right now
that's the defining characteristic of this. Team they can still
overcome that and hopefully have a healthy. Run but it's
hard to know how much of their lack of success
is because they haven't had that continuity or because they
need that complete puzzle together in order to. Work and

(48:30):
we're seeing it first WHEN jj was out and that's
when they cratered and, rebounding and we were saying at the,
TIME jj is the most important player on this. Team
Then stewie goes out and all of a, sudden nobody's
weak side helping. Anymore and then we're, like, wait, wait,
wait Maybe stuwie is the most important player on this.
Team Then sabrina goes out and they can't generate an

(48:52):
outside look anymore because they have no players on the
perimeter with that kind of, gravity and all of a,
sudden you see what happened to them Against Golden state
where they had three or four bodies just clogging the
paint because they're, like we're not afraid of the rest
of you. Shooting and we're, like wait a, second Maybe
sabrina is the most important player on this. Team and
that's just to go to show that just goes to

(49:13):
show how important every member of the big three of
This liberty team. Is and when they're, together the stats
bear it. Out when they start and finish a, game
they are ten to. Zero so that is clearly a
formula that has. Worked in twenty twenty, five we just
haven't seen it, consistently so there's still time to kind
of rewrite what that narrative. Is but at this, point

(49:34):
it's those injuries and now with everyone, together they have
to make sure that they're boxing out like Laone fevish
talks to us about all the time and shout out
To lao one of my favorite Players i've ever, covered
because she will tell you how it is like it
is every single. Time she'll call out when people are
switching too much because they're not fighting over screens and

(49:57):
how that makes it hard for them to find bodies
and buy out, show call out how the scheme is
an issue and she's not getting as many looks because
she doesn't know where her role should be in a
free flow. Offense with so many superstars around, her she
doesn't know when it's kind of her turn to take the.
Shot AND i think like all of this together has

(50:19):
just gone to show to show that this team hasn't
had an opportunity to really cohesively come together because they
haven't been together and veteran. Team like we've said over
and over, again they can turn it, on they can
turn it around if they play to the back of
their basketball. Cards this is not a team that anyone's

(50:41):
going to want to, face but right now they're not
the team on the back of those basketball.

Speaker 1 (50:46):
CARDS i want to say.

Speaker 2 (50:47):
SOMETHING i want to say, something And liberty. Cans you
probably won't get mad at. Me but at what point
do we stop giving excuses for this? Team they are
the defending. Champions you add A Natasa cloud who was
A wnba, Champion i'm A Mesa Men FINALS MVP wnba.
Champion these are the top percent athletes in the, world
and it feels like this season they haven't found a

(51:09):
will to win like last YEAR i think was separated
The New York liberty was the, player the versatility of the,
team and obviously the death but you could change out
and swap any of the players and they all had
the same will to.

Speaker 1 (51:22):
Win and it feels like this season that same.

Speaker 2 (51:25):
Will is just not there and that's why they are
not playing championship. Basketball and on, paper you, know the
talent level is, there the depth is, there and it's
all about execution at this. Point SO i feel like
a lot of teams have dealt with injuries all season,
long but these are the defending, champions AND i feel

(51:46):
like we have to stop making excuses for The New
York liberty playing shady.

Speaker 1 (51:49):
Basketball, yeah AND i.

Speaker 4 (51:51):
Think that it's it's it's execution and it's also, accountability
and that's something that we need to see on the.
Court we're seeing a lot of it off the court
of this is WHAT i need to do.

Speaker 1 (52:01):
Better AND i.

Speaker 4 (52:03):
Can't Believe i'm saying, this BUT i think that there's
there might be a bad component to making a team
that is endlessly switchable that you put out a lineup
where everyone is six feet plus or you know you've
got four players out there at six, four because that
hurts the accountability players KNOW i can just hand off

(52:24):
my assignment to someone else and Then leoni Fhoevershod practice
just yesterday said we need to build that trust BECAUSE
i might not want to leave my man If i'm
not sure you're going to have my back IF i
come to help you. Out and because they're switching so,
much they're often left out of, position and that's affecting the,
rebounding that's affecting those fifty to fifty, balls that's affecting

(52:46):
any kind of, tenacity that's no one's crashing the glass
on the offensive. End so they're constantly backpedaling just five
together and it comes from just trusting each. Other and
it's like you, said like there's a point where we
are now basically through a forty four game, season and
that trust hasn't been, built and that's where that accountability

(53:09):
needs to.

Speaker 2 (53:09):
Live and it just fows a shame how important a
wing player Like bnia She Laney hamilton was to this
team and it's very unfortunate that they don't have her
because this is the type of player that this team
needs in terms of her.

Speaker 1 (53:23):
Ability to impact both sides of the.

Speaker 2 (53:25):
Floor we talk About John quall being that anchor b
had a great run through last year's playoffs for This
New York liberty.

Speaker 1 (53:33):
Team also we talk about depth at the point guard.

Speaker 2 (53:36):
Position you Have Natasha, cloud but you really don't have
someone coming off the bench who can necessarily fill that
role and playmake Like Natasha. Cloud so, YEAH i, mean this,
roster it's, good give and, take but it has its
holes in.

Speaker 1 (53:52):
It BUT i do think that it's time for us
as media to hold.

Speaker 2 (53:56):
Ourselves accountable and how we talk about This New York
liberty team and how they've been playing as of, wait.

Speaker 4 (54:03):
No we were holding them. Accountable we're not holding ourselves. Accountable, Ever,
No i'm good on.

Speaker 1 (54:08):
That, well someone had to come out and say that
they've been playing.

Speaker 2 (54:13):
Shitty and then the talent is, there, right we talked
about accountability and just the will to, win and you
said it, Best, miles in terms of having all of this,
talent it's what you do with.

Speaker 1 (54:26):
It.

Speaker 2 (54:38):
All, right let's talk about number Six Golden. State this
is the first time.

Speaker 1 (54:42):
IN W bay history that an expansion team has reached the.

Speaker 2 (54:45):
Postseason what does this say about this franchise and what
they're trying to?

Speaker 1 (54:50):
Build? Miles that they.

Speaker 4 (54:52):
Are all much smarter than we. Are that's what it
says because coming into this, season they were the consensus
last place, team that they they were the team that
was just picking up the leftovers from every other franchise
and that this was a multi year. Plan and some
of THAT i do think was coming from within the
organization where they were not happy with how free agency

(55:14):
was set up and how the expansion, draft sorry not
the expansion the W draft was set up in terms
of coming in behind those first four. Teams but when
we went into this, season even watching in, PRESEASON i
REMEMBER i asked, nikaias are we going to see this
team shoot thirty five times a night with a poor?
Percentage and he, said, no that's. Ridiculous we are not

(55:38):
going to see them shoot thirty five times a. Night
no team is doing. That so they've shot thirty thirty
times a night, Instead but they are leading THE wnba
with nine point nine free point makes per. Game they're,
like this is our, offense and we are going to
run our offense regardless of who's up against, us and
just the, gritty hard nosed. Play talk about creating an,

(56:02):
identity creating a. Culture good luck next year To toronto
and To portland and then in the years to come
to the other expansion. Teams in trying to replicate What
Golden state has, done we can't focus on, Everyone SO
i just want to focus On Veronica, burton, who for
for my, money is far and away the sixth, player

(56:23):
the most, improved, sorry the most improved. PLAYER i. Know
she gets conflated WITH nas in the most improved, category
AND nas gets six women And veronica gets most improved
because what she's, done we have not seen this development
as a linear growth because she was fighting to hang

(56:44):
on as a young player in this, league and she
has put in the. Work we saw her athletes, unlimited
we saw her, overseas we saw her struggle to make
a layup through contact in the, lane and now she's
hitting step back threes over. People she's got one of
the best assistant turnover ratios in the. League she plays

(57:05):
with absolute. Control she's putting up some of the some
of these games that at the, end it's, like here's
the first time IN wnba history this has ever. Happened
she's got the first thirty point game In valkyrie's. History
What veronica has done is she has stepped up in
every which way while still picking up ninety four feet
every moment she's on the. Court so she is just

(57:26):
this tenacious basketball player that has found a. Home and
spoke to her earlier this season before they really turned it,
on and she was just, SAYING i embrace all the
challenges here because for the first time in my, CAREER
i feel like we all have the same chip on our.
Shoulders we all feel like this is a place that

(57:49):
wanted us when we didn't feel, wanted and they're believing
in us to be that, foundation and we want to
put that forward and we want to establish there is
no culture. Here we want to be that. Culture and
we've seen that come through and in finding all of
the same kind of mentality, players they've just shown that

(58:12):
just through togetherness and through grit and, tenacity you can
hang with.

Speaker 2 (58:17):
Anybody so let's move on to The Indiana. Fever this
is another team that's been battle tested in terms of
not having their best players available due to. Injury no Kateln,
clark no Sick, culcid No sophie Cunning, Camp Chloe bibby's,
Out i'm Missing aarry McDonald is out as. Well so

(58:37):
this is a team that's coming into the postseason not
at full. Strength but then you Have Kelsey, mitchell you
Have Aliah, boston you Have Natasha.

Speaker 1 (58:44):
Howard so t how does a.

Speaker 2 (58:46):
Team Like indiana approach the postseason knowing that they're missing
so many key.

Speaker 3 (58:52):
Pieces, yeah this team has to approach the postseason the
same way they've approached every other game this, season because
it's not like.

Speaker 1 (59:00):
They are first time first timers dealing with this.

Speaker 3 (59:04):
Situation The fever has been through so many injuries and
they have added and subtracted so many players this. SEASON i,
mean it's kind of uncanny how one team has had
to deal with so many. PEOPLE i think the only
four people who have consistently played in every Game's Kelsey,
Mitchell Lexi, Hall Aliah, boston And Natasha.

Speaker 1 (59:22):
Howard and so that's that says a.

Speaker 3 (59:24):
Lot but at the same, time that's still a very
good and a very experienced set of, players and that's
the reason that they're able to continue to play at
such a high. Level i'm given all of the injuries
that they have to deal, With Kelsey mitchell and The
Leah boston are both averaging career highs and. Points they're
averaging career highs and, rebounds and at the end of the,

(59:46):
Day Lexi hall is averaging a.

Speaker 1 (59:47):
Career high and. Assists Natasha howard is An All, Star
she's a W nba.

Speaker 3 (59:52):
Champion like these are not random folks who can hold
it down for This indiana. Team so, essentially they have
to continue to do what they're. Doing even when you
talk about the pieces that they've, added, well they've added
In Aerial powers who is also an experienced. Player they've
added An Odyssey SAMs who is also an experienced player
with postseason.

Speaker 1 (01:00:12):
Experience does it take a minute for them to kind
of figure out how to play.

Speaker 3 (01:00:16):
Together, sure but overall With Kelsey mitchell being the catalyst
and the person that's leading this team at the helm
who also should be AN mvp consideration if folks aren't
realizing how important her.

Speaker 1 (01:00:27):
Role has been to this team in the absence Of Kaitlyn.

Speaker 3 (01:00:29):
Clark but at the same, time this team has played
more games Without kaitlyn than they have with. Her so
it's really not so much about how do they continue
to play in the. Postseason it's more so you've got
to ride this wave of. Momentum you've got to continue
this resiliency that you've had over the last couple of
months because you've had to deal with this Since. July,

(01:00:49):
AGAIN i think the good news is they know how
to do. This like they've done. It they know how
to do. It they just have to continue to ride
the wave that they've been on AND i think.

Speaker 1 (01:00:57):
That's how you approach the Post.

Speaker 3 (01:01:00):
And you're gonna get a chance to play at, home
something that you didn't have last. Year And i'm gonna
irritate them fans right now because you bitched about.

Speaker 1 (01:01:07):
It now you got, It so show up, right show,
up support this. Team that's gonna truly need, it given
the fact that of everything that they've been.

Speaker 3 (01:01:16):
Through but that's how you that's how they approach this
game the same way that they've approached every other game
this season without their star because they have.

Speaker 2 (01:01:25):
To all, Right moving right along to The Seattle storm
te this is one team that has the biggest question
mark for me because the talent is there and it's
going on With.

Speaker 1 (01:01:36):
Seattle what if they're upside. Tea they are so. Frustrating
they have all the talent in the. World The Nekka.

Speaker 3 (01:01:46):
Agoomakay is playing some great basketball even. Now Gabby williams
reminded us all why we missed her so much over
the last year.

Speaker 1 (01:01:57):
That she wasn't in THE. Wnba, defensively she is.

Speaker 3 (01:02:00):
Incredible Skyler digg And smith brought Vintage skyler to us
all this, year and yet they lost some games THAT
i was completely baffled.

Speaker 1 (01:02:10):
By like this team.

Speaker 3 (01:02:11):
Is it's like they win the games they should, lose
and they lose the games they should. Win and the
thing about This seattle team that actually might help them
in this scenario is if they do find themselves in
a position where they have to go on the.

Speaker 1 (01:02:24):
Road they're a better road team than they are a home.
Team help me get, That, like help me understand, That
like they're nine to twelve at. Home what are we?

Speaker 3 (01:02:34):
Doing so it actually might benefit them to play some
games on the road this postseason because that seems to
be the environment in which they thrive the. Most and
it calls into questions so many things that happen off the.
Court you talk about the investigations that happen in the.
Offseason there are people.

Speaker 1 (01:02:50):
Who are wondering Is Noel quinn on the hot seat
because the roster doesn't seem to match the. Production but
at the end of the, day this is The seattle
team that can turn in and around in terms of
they have the talent to fix the little things that
genuinely separates them and causes collapses late in. Games now
they do have to finally get you, know at the

(01:03:12):
time of this, recording they have not yet locked up their.
Position they have to do that in their last matchup
of the.

Speaker 3 (01:03:19):
Season AND i think that part of them having a
good stretch of Mid august has given them a little
bit more flexibility to be in this, position whereas you,
know had they continued that, slump that they were, on
this would be a very.

Speaker 1 (01:03:32):
Different scenario and a very different.

Speaker 3 (01:03:34):
Outlook SO i like That seattle has the kind of
roster that can propel, them AND i like the fact
that they have.

Speaker 1 (01:03:41):
To continue to play well on the.

Speaker 3 (01:03:42):
Road seemingly where they're standing and seating is going to,
be they're going to need to go on the. Road
but at the end of the, day if they want
to make a deep playoff, run they've got to figure
out what those little miscues are that they continue to
make late in the fourth quarter that causes them to drop,
games specifically against teams that they. Shouldn't and you ain't
got a lot of time to figure it out because
the playoffs start in.

Speaker 1 (01:04:03):
Photos all, Right Before i'll let you get out of,
here let's even up the score a little bit and
do bold. Predictions. Tea what's your bold?

Speaker 3 (01:04:11):
Prediction, Okay so my bold's prediction is THAT i think
The Golden Staate valkyries will win their first round, matchup
regardless of who it's.

Speaker 1 (01:04:19):
Against, Right Miles, bolt any bold?

Speaker 4 (01:04:23):
PREDICTIONS i MEAN i teased mine, earlier which is THAT
i think that the championship winner is going to come
out of that two to three matchup whether in my
mind it's Either vegas Or, atlanta But i'll give you
another one if things go the way that you two
think it, will and we Get minnesota hoisting the, trophy

(01:04:43):
redemption For Courtney. Williams Courtney Williams FINALS, mvp hitting big
shots to clinch that series for.

Speaker 1 (01:04:50):
Them, OOH i like. THAT i like that's. Nice that's.

Speaker 2 (01:04:55):
Nice, okay all, right well we'll end the show on that.
Note that's going to do it for this episode Of
In Case You Missed it With Christina. Williams make sure
you check Out tarrika's. Work she co Hosts levels To
this With Sheryl soups Hero iHeart O his, sports and
check Out miles's. Work he co hosts a Podcast Pull
up With Miles erlik And Owen pen so make sure

(01:05:16):
you check.

Speaker 1 (01:05:16):
Out their work and around the women's basketball.

Speaker 2 (01:05:20):
Universe THE Wnba playoffs kick off On september for, teenth
so make sure you tune in and tweet us throughout the.

Speaker 1 (01:05:29):
Playoffs that's going to do it for this. Episode we'll
see you next. Time In Case you Missed it With
Christina williams is An iHeart women's sports production in partnership
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