← No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show
No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show
WNBA semis preview + the league's hate speech issue:
01:02:46
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- [00:01]
Zena Keda
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- [01:18]
Ben Pickman
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- [01:44]
Chantelle Jennings
There to watch them.
- [01:44]
Ben Pickman
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- [02:52]
F
Love.
- [02:52]
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- [04:57]
Chantelle Jennings
For the athletic I'm Zena Keda and this is the Athletic Women's Basketball show brought to you by AT&T. Welcome back to the Athletic Women's Basketball Show. Or rather I should say welcome back to me. I've been missing a lot, but I've been enjoying the show, listening to Chantelle Ben And Sabrina break down the WNBA playoffs so far, and, boy, have they not disappointed the first round. I know there are tons of you that are either new to the space or have been watching this and are like, why are there only three games? And, of course, with all of the series going to only two games, why have there only been two games? These games have been phenomenal. I'm here with Chantelle Jennings and Ben Pickman, and we're about to break down down what's about to be the preview to the semifinals, which has some serious talent, some serious teams there. But first, I want to open it up with Chantelle, because, Chantelle, you were there. As the Minnesota Links closed out the Phoenix Mercury season and clinched their way to the semifinals. Set the scene a little bit about what you saw there out at Target Center.
- [06:19]
H
Yeah, I think as a Minnesota native, this is definitely, like, the most optimism I have felt in the state among basketball fans since the that 11 to 17 run that the Lynx went on when they won four titles. Like, you're just seeing more, like, Lynx T shirts and Lynx, like, the decals that go on the cars and stuff. You're just seeing more of that out and about. And this is probably also a product of just how women's basketball and women's sports have grown overall. And the fact that I now cover women's basketball. And a decade ago, I didn't, but, you know, 15 years ago, or, you know, from that 11 to 17, I was not that far removed from being a high school basketball player. And people weren't asking me what I thought about the Lynx or what I thought about, you know, Maya Moore and Lindsay Whelan. And now I have people who only sort of casually know me, who are like, oh, are you at the games? Like, how's Nafisa doing? What do you think about Atlanta Smith? Like, do you think Sheryl Reeves got this one in the bag this year? And so I think there's just a lot more optimism and excitement for women's basketball around the Twin Cities right now. And. And for good reason. They looked fantastic last night. Nafisa has raised her game to somehow another level. Like, she was so good on Sunday night, and then she was even better on Wednesday. Cheryl Reeve made a joke to the team ahead of the game, too, that, you know, Fee is not going to be able to get 38 again tonight. And then she scored 42, tying the playoff record for the WNBA for the most points ever scored. And Fee came out and she said, yeah, you were right. I didn't get 38. I got 42.
- [07:44]
Chantelle Jennings
There you go.
- [07:45]
H
Like, this team is just so fun to watch, and I think the city and the state is really falling in love.
- [07:52]
Chantelle Jennings
It's true. I mean, watching Nafeesa Collier yesterday was just magical. And what was so interesting about the way that she played, and I think this is very indicative of the Minnesota Lynx is that it wasn't flashy. It wasn't anything crazy. She wasn't, you know, doing yo yo moves and crossing people up. It was just like so technically sound. It was so fundamental. It was so Yukon of her. It was just a beautiful basketball. And, you know, as you mentioned, only she missed that last free throw, could have beat the playoff scoring record with 43, ended up with 42. She was 14 of 20 from the field, 12 of 14 from the line. I mean, she put on a. A master class for the Lynx. Now, there was also a lot of comments made about what Nafisa Collier mentioned in her press conference after the first win against the Phoenix Mercury, which had a little bit of buzz. But she made sure to clear things up online where Navisa said that she hopes to end Diana Taurasi's season on Wednesday night. Right.
- [08:52]
H
I just want to say, like, Diana would have said the exact same thing.
- [08:56]
Chantelle Jennings
Exact same thing. I agree.
- [08:58]
H
10 years ago, 15 years ago, like, to me it was another. I wrote a column about this, though. This is a very like, iconically D way to go out. But that felt like another element of this where it's like, you have this up and coming star in the league, sort of a quieter star whose game is incredible. Ds. Not really a quieter star, I guess, but like, you have this star coming up in the league whose, like, yeah, I'm going to call my shot. I'm going to end this icon's career. Like, Diana would have said that about the, like, about the vets when she was a young. And like, I. It was funny because, you know, Fee was asked, like, not about that directly last night, but I think Alana Smith made a comment about, you know, the team I got cut from isn't in the playoffs. And everyone joked like, oh well, there's the viral moment for this press conference. V had it Sunday and now Smith has it Wednesday. But it was just sort of, you know, it's all in good fun. It's all in this competitive nature. And I was like, diana Taurasi would have done the exact same shit 15 years ago. Like, no big deal. Let's move on.
- [09:53]
Chantelle Jennings
Agreed. I think it's a perfect ode to the landscape that Diana Taurasi helped build, Right? When you think about where women's basketball was when she got into the league, where it was a league of needing to be, for the use of TikTok words, demure and needing to be classy and professional in the way that they approach competitiveness. No, now these ladies are playing the way they want to play and also talking shit the way they want to play. I like it. I like the feistiness, I like the competitiveness. And I really think that is a perfect passing of the torch to see, you know, this is what Diana Taurasi really instilled in the league. It's if that it is okay to be competitive and talk a little crap on the court and off. And now you're seeing, like you said, one of the up and coming stars, I mean, really established stars of the league, and Nafeesa Collier following in those footsteps. The one thing I'll say about Diana, because I know you guys talked about this while I was out in a show or two ago, is, you know, this continues to be if this is it, if this is it, if this is it. And I just want to give the space for us one more time to say if this is it. Thank you, Diana Taurasi, because the levels of the basketball that you've given us, the inspiration that you've given the next generation, I'm just. I'm. I wanted to say that for my own levels of. Thank you. We appreciate you so much. All right, let's keep talking about what's about to happen with this next. This next round of games. Right? The semifinals are here. First round already done. All teams swept to get to the semifinals. And now the Minnesota Links are going to match up against the Connecticut sun, and the New York Liberty are going to match up with the Las Vegas Aces. We've talked a lot about the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty, and I'm going to put them to the side just a little bit. Just. We're going to get that. Get to them soon. Don't worry. But before we go into that, it is important to think about this team that the Minnesota Lynx are about to play against, the Connecticut sun, and some of the things that are happening to them more peripherally. Last night after their game, there was a press conference in which Alyssa Thomas was asked about the hate that their team and this league has seen throughout the course of this season. And Alyssa Thomas, I'm paraphrasing, said that in 11 seasons, she hasn't seen this level of hate that has been around this league. The bullying, the online bullying, the misogynistic comments, the derogatory comments. She's not seen this level of hate. Ben, I know that this is something that you've been talking to people in the league about all season long. It's something that's incredibly apparent. It's all up and down my timeline on social media. It's. It's getting scary when you look at some of the things that players are getting, media are getting, coaches are getting, and it was particularly loud in this matchup between the Connecticut sun and the Indiana Fever. Ben, talk to me a little bit about the sentiment that you're getting around the league, around what this year has been.
- [13:07]
F
Yeah, I mean, I think from the very beginning of this year, we have seen players, agents, coaches, you know, just stakeholders around the league more generally feel pretty open and discuss openly that they're feeling that they're the targets of more toxicity, more vitriol, more hate, more harassment. You know, they're getting hate as it relates to race and their sexuality, their gender identity. They get hate because of gambling. Right. I had a player earlier, earlier this week tell me that, like, they don't check their Instagram DMs after games because they know they're getting all these messages about how they blew a parlay. So there's such a spectrum that I think so many are feeling. It is just heightened this year. The WNBA is, you know, in a cultural zeitgeist. It is in the conversation in a way that it has never before. It has exploded. And we've talked and written so much about all these different things. Viewers, TV attendance, like popularity, just in casual conversation. But with it, I think we have also seen, you know, a downside. You know, this is a time in which social media can be especially intrusive when added attention has led to more digital harassment. And so I think players around the league have just been open about feeling that way, especially in a time, frankly, like, more generally in our country, where it is an incredibly polarized time. We have an election coming up. Like, that is all part of the subtext here. And for some, it's not subtext. It is explicitly comments that they're making that is, you know, fueling what is going on. And of course, Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, the conversations about race behind them, like, these are all, you know, reasons. It's a confluence of forces that have kind of led to, you know, the moment that we had on Wednesday night when multiple people. It wasn't just Alyssa Thomas, it was Christy Sides, the head coach. Of the Indiana feed for it. Was Stephanie White also talking about this. It was the WNBA putting out a statement that maybe we'll get into and some people think is much belated. All these things are going on and at play as we start to have this conversation.
- [15:06]
Chantelle Jennings
Absolutely. You talked about Stephanie White and her comments. Again, the head coach of the Connecticut sun also addressing this in the press conference last night, saying, we've seen a lot of racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia throughout the course of our country and sport is no exception, and it's unacceptable. To be quite honest, I think the thing that frustrates me the most is that we, and I say we because I worked in television as well, Stephanie White saying this. But we in the media have to do a better job of now allowing trolls on social media to become the story. I feel like we have allowed trolls in social media to frame the narrative of what the story is, and it's unacceptable. She went on. And to continue to say more, but this has been the sentiment that's been pretty loudly throughout the entire season, but particularly when it has to do with the matchup between the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun. We've seen in recent days the eye poke from dijonay Carrington causing fans to come to games with banned nails. You know, saying that she needs to cut her long nails, which, for the record, I've not yet seen a photo of dijonay Carrington with long nails. But correct me if I'm wrong, there's been a lot of vitriol. I appreciate you using that word because that's exactly what it is. I mean, dijonay Carrington posting an email that she received. I will not repeat the words of what it said, but you can go to her social media in which harm is wished upon her. Her, her partner, Melissa Smith, saying that she's been followed, claiming that on her social media that her girlfriend, dijonay Carrington has been followed and targeted on social media as well. It's, it's just, it's getting overwhelming. And one of the things that Alyssa Thomas said in her remarks was that she wants for the, the teams to step up and say something. And if not, the league and the league did end up saying something. Ben, can you give us a little bit of light as to what was said by the league and how this came about?
- [17:09]
F
Yeah. So the league actually, in the middle of Wednesday's press conferences, put out a statement that read in part that the WNBA is a competitive league with some of the most elite athletes in the world. While we Welcome a growing fan base. The WNBA will not tolerate racist, derogatory or, or threatening comments made about players, teams and anyone affiliated with the league. And that was the statement that they put out amid, you know, all the other things that we've just talked about. Xena, you mentioned the Carrington post. She took to her Instagram story to post this message just a few hours before Game two. This message that included a racial slur and the threat of sexual assault. You know, this statement is one that I think a lot of people around the league, and we've seen some players tweet about this too, feel is much belated that it is long overdue, that, you know, we've just talked about how players have been voicing some of their feelings on this topic since the beginning of the season. But really, we know that, you know, this kind of topic predates may certainly in women's basketball and in all other sports. But at least since the beginning of the season, this WNBA season, players have been voicing this. Then I think, you know, obviously it was brought up again just within the last two weeks when Kathy Engelberg went on CNBC and she was asked about the dark turn that conversations around the league had taken. And she had initially focused her response on rivalries. And while Kathy Engelbert did eventually put out a response apologizing for missing the mark in her initial comments, by that point tons of players had voiced their opinions. Terry Jackson, the WNBPA executive director, had said that, you know, Engelbert, you know, erred in not providing a more definitive response to the question. So the league statement last night, I think, was their strongest statement to date overall, but it was belated. It, you know, came after all these instances. And frankly, I think it put a lot of players in kind of an uncomfortable position, too, because it was released in the middle of a press conference. And so now suddenly you're reacting. It again, looks reactionary. And you might have to. You might have put players in the sense that they would have to react to a statement they haven't seen or they haven't processed in real time. So, you know, that is kind of where the league is at. And we don't know 100% what the driving force behind the statement was or why they pressed send when they did. But I think that is also a looming question that some people are curious about. The Carrington Post seems like it would be something to spark that, but we don't have a definitive answer there yet. As well as we record this on Thursday afternoon.
- [19:35]
H
Yeah, I think the Timing of that release from the WNBA was so interesting because I think naturally, all of our journalist brains were like, what happened that triggered this? Now, because we've seen reports of this, especially in arena fans, if we can call them that, saying racist, hateful things, derogatory things during games, where has the action been up until now? And if the only action that we've seen the league take thus far is this, it just felt really unsatisfying in a way. You want to see them doing something, don't just say something, do something about it. But I think the other part of this conversation that's important, and Steph White kind of addressed this last night in her statements where she said, it's a privilege, but I'm not going on Twitter. I'm not going on social media as much. I'm paraphrasing her there. But, you know, sort of taking a step back from that space where a lot of this hateful rhetoric exists and a lot of players don't have that privilege. When you think about what endorsement deals and opportunities for getting your brand out there and getting your name out there and sort of that extra revenue stream that some of these players need and want that requires them to be active on social media. And when so much hate speech is there, like, you have players who are being forced to make this, you know, exist in this space where it's like, I have to be here, where all this hate speech is because my salary is X or because I'm not making enough money doing, you know. And so it's just this extra layer of the pressures that these players are put under in. In the wnba.
- [21:06]
Chantelle Jennings
It's a really great point of in order to supplement their salaries, these players have to exist in this ecosystem and engage in this ecosystem. It's what makes the WNBA such a special league, is the way that they engage with their fan bases through these mediums. I think, you know, Ben, when you're talking about the aspect of it just being belated and the multiple occurrences that happened before this statement came out, the particular one that stood out to me was the use of Dijonay Carrington's face on an image that was the death of George Floyd and the fact that nothing was said from the league when that happened, and it was so visible and it was so apparent, and knowing what George Floyd's death catapulted in this country, with the WNBA really being behind that movement, it just felt so disingenuous for the league itself to not say something in that moment in all. And also in particular, in thinking about the timing of this whole statement, there's a lot of people that are frustrated that it's now, after the Indiana Fever are now eliminated and the conversation around Caitlin Clark essentially being forced out because she is no longer playing, that it is now that the WNBA has made a statement, this is going to be a conversation for a very long time. It's going to continue being a frustration point for a very long time. But I know there are a lot of fans that are happy that a statement was made and now they can focus on the semifinals, Xena.
- [22:47]
F
But like going back to that and the timing of the statement, I think the idea of platforming here is a really complicated topic, but one that is also important to mention, right, that Dijonay Carrington very publicly posted this message on her Instagram story yesterday. And suddenly a few hours later, the league puts out a statement, right? And you can say those timing is unrelated. You can say it's related. Like that's up for, I guess, some interpretation until we definitively know the answer. I've talked to players all year and so many of them have been open about facing more vitriol, hearing about more vitriol. And yet, you know, you try and respectfully, but learn more about some of the specifics of the messages. And so many players are cautious to share the specifics of messages that they receive. And some, for some, I think there is a fear, some very much grounded in reality, that posting a message like what Dijonay did on Wednesday afternoon will only lead to more messages like that times 10, though, with stronger language, with, you know, more phrases. That was a one line email. Maybe she gets a paragraph, two, three, whatever, or she gets sick constantly. Because now someone out there has an example, a specific example of what a, you know, message of harassment looks like when you're sending it to a player. So I think that is another dynamic that players are kind of wrestling with about how public are they in sharing the experiences that they've gone through. Along those lines, Brianna Turner, you know, of the Chicago sky, she made a really interesting point on Twitter amid all of this talking about that ignoring, ignoring the hate speech or tolerating it is part of the problem too, because it cultivates spaces in which people are enabled to continue the behavior. Because, you know, the silence is the silence and nobody knows what's gonna happen. And so it is important to call it out. But some people, like, you know, we wrestle in this show of how much do we talk about this versus the basketball? And so many people just wanna talk about the basketball. Like, those are all, some of the, like the very complicated, very nuanced and very personal questions that players and other people around the league are dealing with. How much to share, what to share, what will actually be productive. And I think that is kind of a big question right now that, like, how does this not happen going forward or how do you mitigate it going forward? I think, you know, that is kind of a big looming question to all of this.
- [25:04]
Chantelle Jennings
The aspect of personal is so real because this is, you know, a personal choice of how do you deal with conflict and how do you deal with wanting to talk about a sport that you love and you're trying to do what Steph White said in her comments, which is keeping the main thing, the main thing. This is something that we have talked about since the beginning of this season with fandom, with the explosion of visibility and, and engagement. Unfortunately, some idiots roll through too, right when the gates are open, everyone comes through the doors. And that filtration process is not as easy as it seems. I, I'm not sure what's going to happen, but I will say that if this is the beginning of the WNBA finally stepping up for their players and, and addressing this and trying to do something about this, I can only hope that that will help the situation. But yeah, it's. I mean, seeing some of the photos from people that were at the game last night for the Connecticut sun and the Indiana Fever, you know, people that were in the stands seeing, I still don't know what was said to Caitlin Clark that potentially got a fan excused from the game. I'm not sure if you guys saw that as well. Seeing that sort of stuff happen and seeing what I see on social media all the time. It does get very hard to try to keep basketball the main thing on my personal profiles and just in the conversation. But one thing we can't do is act as if this doesn't impact players, you know, act as if this doesn't impact the way that they show up to their place of work and in the way that they show up as players in general. But I appreciate you guys having this conversation with me and being able to provide that context as to what's going on around this statement and what's. And how this is going to continue to develop. Dijonay we are, we hope everything. I hope at least, but I know from the athletic, we hope everything in your world settles down and that you're able to continue to just focus on playing the game, because that's what we care about. We care about what is Dijonay going to do against the Minnesota Links. So actually, on that note, let's go ahead and pivot and let's talk a little bit about these semifinals and the preview of this games, of these games that are coming up. Because people, we are in for a treat. Okay. When you think about who's about to play in these upcoming games. 4. All four of these teams feature someone that was in the MVP conversation like that. That's what we're talking about. There's a most improved player that's in these, in these games. There are people that are going to be all WNBA team first and second in these matchups. This is going to be some really, really great basketball. So let's start it off with the Connecticut sun and the Minnesota Links talking about what to expect out of these two teams when they match up against each other. Ben, can you give me a little bit of context as to how these two teams played against each other throughout the season and what you're expecting out of this matchup?
- [28:09]
F
Yeah, the short answer is that they played three uber competitive games. Connecticut won the season series. 2. 1. One of those victories was in overtime. One of them involved Nafisa Collier going out late with an injury. And the other was just a few weeks ago that involved Bridget Carlton hitting one of the shots of the season in one of the most exciting games of the season that lifted the Minnesota Lynx to that lone victory in this season. I mean, in short, these are two teams that match up really well against each other and match up very similarly. Minnesota's offensive rating is 102.8. Connecticut is 102. Minnesota's defensive rating, 94.8. Connecticut 94.1. There's so much similarity between these two teams. Often they are overlooked franchises, frankly, compared to some of the other bigger name teams around the league. And you know, we will talk about those franchises later in this show. But overlooked franchises with, you know, stars who are experienced and productive but maybe don't get the credit that they feel like they deserve. In fan bases that feel like they aren't talked about as much. These are teams that, you know, can play a number of different styles and pride themselves, I think on connectivity. That is one word you hear in both contexts. The Minnesota Links play this defense in which they scramble around, they move on a string like they've been elite at that all year. Not just because of their individual talent, but more so because of how they play as a collective so often. That is a phrase that we apply to the Connecticut sun. That you know, Alyssa Thomas, Dewana Bonner, Bree Jones, like these are some players who, you know, very much play on one string, know how to play really well off of each other. So there are a lot of similarities here. It's why this series sets up to be really, really exciting, really competitive and on the whole, like you could pick, you know, any of these teams to advance from any of these series and make a reasonable case and it would be hard to disagree. That's how close the margins are in this series.
- [29:55]
Chantelle Jennings
Oh, I think the most exciting thing is that defensive aspect. Right. Because when you look at these matchups, whenever Connecticut is on the floor and Minnesota, I'm thinking transition, transition, transition, transition, mainly because they know how to stop teams and convert that in to offense. The main person running the floor, Nafisa Collier. So I want to know, Chantel, knowing someone dropped 38 points and then 42 points in their first two games of the, of the postseason. What can Connecticut do to slow down Nafisa Collier?
- [30:29]
H
And we should note that 80 points over two games in the playoffs is, is a WNBA record. So while she tied the single game record, she did set the, the two game record, which Cheryl Reeve made sure to point out last night in the press conference, as she should. I'm so excited for this matchup because Nafisa, like you said, she's so like Yukon, fundamentally sound player. Like she does the right thing at the right time. Last night, Cheryl Reeve called her an amoeba. Like wherever she needs to be and to move to be efficient and effective, that's where she goes. If it's going to be on the perimeter, she'll do it there. If it's going to be in the mid range, she'll do it there. If it's going to be in the paint, she'll do it there. And as she's grown at Minnesota over these last years, we've seen her range expand and become a better shooter from range. And like, I think the part that most interests me though is that you have the best defensive team by defensive rating in the league against the best passing team by assist percentage in the league. And there are times when you watch Minnesota and they're like sharing the ball on the outside and you know, very basically from a basketball perspective, you think like a good, better best shot. And you're like, okay, there's the best shot. No, there's the best shot. Like Minnesota keeps passing it like around the outside where it's like there's three players who have an open shot and finally the fourth Player who touches the ball takes it and you're like, oh, that's what they were moving for. And I think that is why these three games during the regular season were so competitive, because you have strength against strength. And I think, as Ben said, you have these two teams that are sort of overlooked and have a bit of a chip on their shoulder who've built not necessarily through the stars of free agency, but through the right pieces in free agency and through the right pieces and trades. You look at Maisha Heinz Allen coming into Minnesota midway through the season. You look at Marina Mabry coming in midway through the season. Like these pieces that just make sense for the identities of these teams and how they have instantly impact but impacted but also grown with the groups into the playoffs. Like, great coaching, great team mentality, you know, superstars, but kind of, I don't even want to say reluctant superstars, but sort of, you know, just these superstars that don't get as much ink, I guess, as the super teams of New York and Las Vegas that had, you know, half the Olympic team on their rosters. But, you know, just. Just how these two rosters were put together. And I think it's going to be a fantastic matchup. I think what we can say about the semifinals is that I don't think there's going to be a sweep like first round sweeps had happened. I think everyone sort of wanted a third game. Sabrina definitely did, though. It meant her travel schedule is going to be a little bit weird. I don't think there's going to be a sweep here in the semis. It just. These teams are just too tight.
- [33:10]
Chantelle Jennings
Okay. I'd actually agree with you with that. I also think the level of competition just. Just edges to another level in the semifinals, which you need when you think about the X factors that are going to step up and hit those big shots or be able to show up in those big moments. And I do want to talk a little bit about X factors because the funny thing is, Chantel, you actually mentioned the two that I think show up for both Minnesota and for. For Connecticut. I think Marina Mabry and her ability to knock down shots. I mean, you saw what she did to close out the game against the Indiana Fever. I think she is the Connecticut Suns X factor. And then Heinz Allen, unbelievable pickup. That was like, I think under the radar. I feel like not enough people really realize how much she added in terms of strength inside, size inside and just continuity for their offense for Minnesota. Those two, in my opinion, are the X factors. I wanted to ask You, Ben, when you look at Connecticut and for Minnesota, who are the X factors for each team to be able to elevate one above the other.
- [34:16]
F
Yeah, I mean, the first name I've circled on Connecticut is Dewana Bonner. I know a player that you are very fond of Xena and talk about often on this show. I think I'm just interested to see one. I think Dewana Bonner might be the opening matchup on Nafeesa Collier. Right. Because of her length and because of her size. I wouldn't be shocked if that's how Connecticut choose chose to open knowing that, you know, in theory Bonner can guard in various different areas of the floor, unlike say, Bree Jones, who I wouldn't expect on Collier right away just because Bree Jones is more of a traditional center. Dewana Bonner too. Like, it speaks to her versatility opening a series in game one, guarding Caitlin Clark and now potentially guarding someone like Collier. Like, that's when you talk about a Swiss army knife player who can fill a lot of different roles like Bonner fits that to a tee. So to me, she is player number one. I'm watching if I'm the Connecticut sun and that I really on the defensive end especially, I think needs to have a really good series. I would expect, you know, Connecticut to throw a lot of bodies at Nafisa Collier, someone like at I would expect some Carrington, even though she's undersized. Olivia Nestle, Nadota when she gets in the game. I think they're all going to get their cracks at Collier. But I'm interested to see if DB really picks up the primary assignment as the series progresses on the Minnesota side. You know, I like that the call out of Heinz Allen. I would also call out Chechy Zandalicini, someone else off the bench. And it's a lot of the same reasons because I think Minnesota, you know, in game one of that series against Phoenix, they actually went away from Alanna Smith. She normally plays around six and a half minutes in the fourth quarter. But down the stretch of that game, Heinz Allen was playing primarily on the floor alongside Collier. Alanna Smith played just three and a half minutes or so in the end of that game one. I'm interested to see. Does Minnesota try and counter and play slightly bigger lineups than they normally do, knowing that Connecticut has Bonner, Thomas and Jones? Or do they insert someone like Zander Lasini, who is a bigger wing who might be able to guard Dewana Bonner a little bit more comfortably and move around with her on the perimeter so, you know, Heinz Allen could also be an option because again, size, mobility and it provides some positional flexibility. So I think Minnesota, we've seen they have a number of different options that they can turn to. I think that's why strategically, it's such an interesting series to see. Does she play? Does Shery Reeve play Heideman more? Does she play Zander Lassen, Heinz Allen? Does she lean on Courtney Williams? There's just a lot of optionality there. That's why, you know, as I ramble through this answer, there are a lot of X factors you could pick because there are a lot of players that I think are capable of stepping up in this moment, just based on the chess match of these two coaches going up against each other, I think the.
- [36:46]
H
Benches are going to play really key in this game. And so I'll highlight like the one player that you didn't mention, Ben, coming off of Minnesota's bench, which is Natisha Heideman. She actually had the best plus minus of any player for Minnesota on Wednesday night, better than Nafisa Collier, believe it or not. Her assists per game have gone up from two and a half during the regular season to five and a half in these two games in the postseason. She's such a spark for them off the bench, which you can really say for, I guess, you know, the three or four players that do come off the bench for Minnesota in these games. The three players that come off the bench, I should say for Minnesota in these games. But I think Heideman is someone obviously also then an interesting storyline in terms of her path to getting to Minnesota, her history with Connecticut. The writers in the room will appreciate that. But I think benches, how they've showed up so far in the playoffs, and you've seen Marina Mabry, what she did for Connecticut in game one, especially in the first round, like benches are going to be huge in the Connecticut Minnesota game.
- [37:47]
Chantelle Jennings
I also think that of the four teams that are in the semifinals, these two have had more. The most impressive benches to me. New York Liberty probably up there too. But I would say looking at what Burton has done with the Connecticut sun, especially in these in, in the postseason, Veronica Burton has been phenomenal as a scorer and a defender, in my opinion. There's been a really great showing up of their benches, both between these two, these two teams. Now, Chantelle, you've already mentioned that you don't expect a sweep for either one of these teams. I would say I agree with you. Knowing that the Links have the home court advantage, I'm Going to ask pose this to both of of you before we get over to New York and Las Vegas. Do you think that the Connecticut sun have what it takes to steal a game in Minnesota?
- [38:43]
F
Yeah, I mean, I think absolutely. And I think history would show that they do. Right now, as we talk about this on Thursday, leading into the series, I think I'm slightly leaning Connecticut in five games. You know, I think it'll be a really close series, but I would pick Connecticut in five. And history would show that the Connecticut sun very comfortable playing in Target Center. Think back to these last two years. They have actually ended the Minnesota Links season. And if we go back to the 2023 postseason, specifically, they went on the road in a game three in the first round at Target center and defeated the Minnesota Links. Like, you can roll your eyes, you can raise your eyebrows as you folks did on this podcast, as I just made this prediction when I said that the Connecticut sun would win in five games in Minnesota. But I don't think like the thought of Connecticut going on the road intimidates them because they've done this before and they've done it against the Links. And yes, these two teams are very different than they were last year. Minnesota especially has improved in so many different ways. But like, if we're talking the Connecticut side of things, like, sure, I would expect a Minnesota crowd that is incredibly enthused and into it, but you know, sometimes home court can, yes, you get the comfort of your own bed and you get the comforts of home and all the things that go with it, but there is also potentially a tightness that comes with it. And I think we actually saw that a little bit. And Chantelle was in the building during Game 1 when the Phoenix Mercury were mounting their ferocious comeback. The arena seemed like it was getting really, really quiet, really, really quiet. And that came across on TV and we talked about it. So, look, home court matters. It is important. But I think for two experienced teams, it's not as deciding factor in my mind. And so, yeah, for that reason, I'm going to go with Connecticut slightly in a competitive five game series.
- [40:21]
Chantelle Jennings
Okay, okay, now guys, listen. The eyebrows were just like we had active eyebrows.
- [40:28]
H
Let's be honest.
- [40:28]
Chantelle Jennings
We had eyebrows. We had active eyebrows. Not necessarily doubtful eyebrows, just active. There you go. You know, now, Chantelle, I'm going to pass this off to you. You've been in Target center. You've seen what the Minnesota Links have given in terms of postseason energy. Because I do think postseason, the regular season are different energies. Right. In terms of how people show up. So what are your thoughts on the Minnesota Links potentially trying to make their way to the WNBA Finals?
- [41:00]
H
So I think looking at the past is a helpful guide. I'm not putting as much stock into it, at least this year. And part of that is because I have been in the arena these last two games watching Nafeesa Collier make history. This is a woman on a mission. This is a team that feels like they are also on a mission. And I just felt like with the defensive letdowns that Cheryl Reeve was so unhappy with after that first game, it wasn't a perfect four quarters in game two against Phoenix by any stretch of the imagination. But just sort of the looseness, but also the intensity of this Minnesota team gives me a lot of confidence in them. I personally think Minnesota and four, I think they could drop one at home, but then I think if they go on the road, they would. They would sweep Connecticut in Connecticut, in the village of the beautiful village, I should say of Uncasville, Connecticut. But yeah, I think Minnesota and four, this just feels like a group that is ready for the moment. This feels like their moment. They feel like a team that has risen to the occasion this year. And Nafisa Collier is a player who is rising to the moment right now. And I think even if she doesn't put up 38, even if she doesn't put up 42, you have other players on that team. I think Kayla McBride is. She's played really well, but, you know, she could pop off for 32 like she's due for a big game in these playoffs. So I just. I'm going with Minnesota on this one. Links and four.
- [42:22]
Chantelle Jennings
Yeah, I'm going to be on your, on your side over here, Chantelle. I think that there is a possibility that Minnesota drops the second game.
- [42:31]
H
That's what I was going to say.
- [42:32]
Chantelle Jennings
Just.
- [42:33]
H
Second game let down, Stephanie.
- [42:35]
Chantelle Jennings
Yeah, I think a second game let down. I think, you know, Stephanie White adjusts her team, you know, takes the lessons needed from the first game and. And then Minnesota goes and says, hey, we ain't got time to waste. We don't have time to waste. We're trying to get to the finals and they go clean up in Connecticut. So, yeah, that's my thoughts. We'll see where we're at. Because what's so lovely about this is we'll know very quickly if we're wrong or right, which is a lot of fun. All right, let's shift the conversation to the WNBA Finals rematch. But folks, not in the Finals, in These semifinals. Do we understand how crazy it is that after this round, the link, the Liberty, excuse me, or the Vegas Aces are not going to be in the playoffs? Like, this is crazy. This feels very premature that we're already about to eliminate one of these two franchises, but it is really, really special that we get to see these two teams match up against each other again. Now, Vegas Aces, New York Liberty, both swept their opposition, but both had some serious challenges. Right. I think both games, you know, in terms of the Atlanta Dream and that last game, Alicia Gray went off against the New York Liberty. She was a lot of fun to watch. Ryan Howard as well, gave a little bit of a challenge in that second game, but the New York Liberty pull it out. And the Seattle Storm, same thing came down to the wire a little bit with the Aces and the Seattle Storm, but the Vegas Aces were just having a ball out there. And I've said this all season long, anytime the Aces are just like smiling up and down the court, that's when you should be scared. That is when you should be concerned and particularly want to give a lot of shout out to Chelsea, Chelsea Gray for showing up the way that she did and really redeeming herself, I think, in conversations about the level of player that she is and helping the Aces elevate above the Seattle Storm. Now, Ben, I'm going to start with you because this has been a matchup that you followed pretty closely for the last few years, I would say the last two years particularly. And I don't know, do you ever get tired of talking about this matchup?
- [45:02]
F
No, I don't, frankly.
- [45:04]
Chantelle Jennings
It's fun, right? It's just constantly fun. Like, I don't. Asia Wilson versus Brianna Stewart is always going to be popcorn. Sabrina Unescu, with the improvements that she's made this season, has been so much fun to watch. I don't think there's been enough love given on Kelsey Plum. She has been the spark plug to start off the Aces in several games this season. Season particularly as other players around her are trying to get going and this matchup just gets more and more exciting every single time. So let's just. Let's just start it out and open it up with Asia Wilson and what the answer is for guarding Asia Wilson and trying to minimize her ability to get the Aces going and elevating them above the Liberty. What's the Liberty's answer for that?
- [45:55]
F
I'm actually not sure that New York is going to double off or do a lot to change their defense despite Asia Wilson's dominance I actually kind of am expecting New York to try and single cover Asia Wilson for much of the night. They're going to throw J.J. out there. They're going to throw Brianna Stewart, they're going to throw Niara Sabali, Kennedy Burke into the mix, and I think they might live with asia Wilson getting 30, getting 35 points and just clamping down on Young, Gray, Plum and whoever else is on the floor for the Las Vegas Aces. We've seen this year, New York has had a lot of success against the Las Vegas Aces. They won all three matchups in the regular season. Though, if I'm a New York Liberty fan, I'm not feeling very confident coming out of their third meeting, which Asia Wilson did not play. So, you know, I think it's a really good question, and I think Asia might put up unbelievable stats and she is the best player entering this series, but New York might say, I'd rather actually stop all those other players and let Asia just get hers and, you know, just kind of accept that she's going to get her points. And especially with a bigger lineup like New York has made this key switch in their starting lineup. They moved Leonie Fibich into the starting lineup, move Courtney Vandersloot to the bench. It was a lineup New York used third most in the regular season. It was plus 24 net rating in the regular season, plus 36.1 net rating, which is a crazy number in these first two playoff games. That lineup makes it so they could switch everything, but also that they don't need to do a lot of helping. Right. Sabrina Ionescu is the smallest player on the floor, but everyone else is kind of capable of guarding 1 through 5. Feebich is 6 4, for instance, but Nigel Haney Hamilton can guard multiple positions. So to me, that's an indication that New York is going to play bigger. And they might just single Asia for much of the series and say, we're just going to hope to outscore Las Vegas on the other end and we'll live with, you know, whatever she gets if we can stop the other guards around her.
- [47:50]
Chantelle Jennings
That makes a lot of sense. And usually when you have a star player like that that is just undeniable in their talent and their ability to score. You kind of have to shift your focus from them to how can we minimize the impact of everyone around them. I want to talk a little bit about particularly Jackie Young, because this has been a player all season that has had ups and downs in her ability to produce. You saw that even throughout the Olympics until that last game, she was phenomenal, particularly on the defensive end. But when you think about shutting down the. The peripheral players, is it just going to be a matter. It's going to be a matter of size. Is it going to be a matter of running, like, running them tired? Because New York has the benchmark that the Aces don't have. Like, what do you think is going to be their approach to trying to minimize those outside players, particularly a player that's capable of going off but has had some rough games or rough patches, like a Jackie Young?
- [48:49]
F
Yeah, I mean, I do think it starts with size, but I would also say that I think New York right now defensively has talked a lot about how when they rotate, they're not just rotating from one spot to the other, but they now have a much better sense of, like, how to go from one spot to the other to the other or to fill space when they might not necessarily be the space you would think about. Right. They just kind of rotate a little bit better this year just because they're playing together for a second year. So, you know, that might not be enough. And Jackie Young going off, she is capable offensively to score at any time, but, you know, I think it starts with length and physicality. That's something Atlanta talked about as well. But it might also just be like New York playing on a string and just scrambling around like we see in the Minnesota links. That could also be a way that they cover her and some of the other guards.
- [49:36]
H
If I'm New York, I think my mentality here, especially if I'm going single coverage on Asia, is nothing easy and nothing quick. Like, don't let them score baskets really early in the shot clock. And don't, don't give up the easy transition baskets. Don't give up the, you know, the. Where they slip a screen and you're caught, like, looking the other way. Like, nothing easy and nothing quick. And the big question mark in this one, though, we pointed out that the Aces got swept during the regular season. Chelsea Gray wasn't playing like Chelsea Gray during the regular season, even in early September. How she has looked in this playoff series or in the playoffs so far, Rather like, this is a different level. We're seeing so many players take their game to a different level, but especially someone like Chelsea, who is coming back from injury this season, rehabbing, missed the first 12 games, finally comes back. I don't even think was at 100% completely in the Olympics. You know, she was having limited minutes there as well. Like, she is Back now to a place where she does the things that feel impossible and makes them look easy, like these passes that she makes, the. The lanes that she sees. And so I think that's where, you know, it's easy to say, like, okay, New York needs to make sure they don't give up anything easy. Well, that's a lot easier for New York when Chelsea Gray isn't on the floor playing like she is right now. And so I think a big part of New York's mentality here has to be, how are you going to contain Chelsea? How are you going to make sure she doesn't get to that place where she's just clicking? Because when she's clicking, everyone's clicking. And I think we can talk about, you know, kp, we can talk about Jackie, we can talk about Kia, you can talk about all of these other pieces. But the truth of it is that when Chelsea is playing at her best or even close to her best, all of those other weapons are so much more dangerous for the Aces, and she completely changes how you look at this game.
- [51:23]
Chantelle Jennings
It's interesting that both teams kind of have characters in which, if they're doing well, the rest of the team is doing well. I absolutely agree that Chelsea Gray is that person for the Aces, and I think on the New York Liberty, Jonquill Jones is that person. There's been the conversation about if she has a double double, the Liberty can't lose. Like, it's. It's almost synonymous for their success for Jonquil Jones to go off. If I'm the Aces, that's a focal point for me. Chantelle, I'll start with you, and Ben, I'd love for you to follow up. How can the New York Liberty capitalize on this? Because there's been several games throughout this season we've seen where Jonquill hasn't been a focal point. Um, she, you know, whether it's because she's deferred to her other teammates that were going off, um, or maybe her shot just wasn't falling. We've seen those games, and we've seen it be capable that she not be the focal point where it should always be. Find a way to get the ball to John Quell, whether she's inside or she's picking and popping or whatever it is on a rotation. How can the New York Liberty capitalize on Jonquil Jones?
- [52:29]
H
I think it's just intention. You look at the players on New York, they're skilled enough, they're good enough passers, and they're good enough to be patient, that they can wait for Jonquill to be a part of their actions, whatever it is that they're doing. You want her to touch the ball as often as possible, because like you said, if she can get a double double, the Liberty are in good shape. And I think just what she means as a rebounder, especially if she can get close to the basket, second chance points, clearing things up on the other end. Like, they just need to decide, right? Like they just need to decide they're going to get J.J. the ball more, and then they need to do it and. And stick to that plan.
- [53:02]
F
Sandy Brandello often uses the phrase good to great, paint to great, or paint to great, good to great. She goes back and forth, depending on what mood she's in and what she remembers and what comes out of her mouth. And so that is kind of the cliche phrase that they preach. Does New York year after year and time after time to try and get JJ involved. You know, jj, to me, she is one of the rare players that has the ability to be the best player in the world on any given night. I think right now, entering the postseason, entering this series, Asia Wilson is the best player in the world. But JJ has certainly the potential to outplay anyone because of her size, because of her skill level, because of her strength. And we saw that, frankly, in a matchup against the Las Vegas Aces earlier this season when these teams met up for the first time in Las Vegas. Jonqual Jones scored 34 points on 12 of 16 shooting, had eight rebounds as well. Sure, Chelsea Gray did not play in that game, but Asia Wilson did, right? Like, and JJ still had, you know, the 30 piece and just was so dominant night in or during that night, throughout the entirety of that game, stretching the defense from the perimeter and also on the inside. You know, I asked JJ on, I guess it was Tuesday morning at Shoot around if she felt like she needed more touches. And she laughed at me. And then she kind of said, that's not a question for me. Next question. And you could tell I've been around JJ enough over these past couple years that you kind of know when she's locked in and she's focused and frankly, when she doesn't want to engage that much with the media. And so I didn't push her on that, but I certainly did make a mental note of that exchange. And later in the night, John Kwel Jones recorded a double double. And I asked her what the difference was. And she talked about how she came in with an aggressive mindset and how she was in past games thinking about what to do when she got the ball, before she even got the ball, and that she felt like she was giving away obvious tells about what she was going to do prior to even receiving it. So, you know, look for JJ to come out aggressive. Look for her to try not prescript what she's going to do. John's had actually gone a full month, more than a month between double doubles before getting one in game two. I think her last double double before that was August 22nd. So I certainly am glad we spent a bunch of minutes talking about her here because for me, like, Brianna Stewart has been awesome this postseason. Sabrina Unescu, so far in the postseason has been great as well. Seemed to shoot herself out of a little bit of a second half slump. But so much of New York's success, I think will rest on Jonquil Jones and what level of player they are getting because as I said, she can be the best player in the world on any given night.
- [55:35]
Chantelle Jennings
Ooh. Now when you first said that, my face was like, yeah, you're right. You're absolutely right. It's so impressive just how versatile she can be. I mean, I know Cheryl Reeves said this about Nafisa Collier, but I absolutely look at JJ as like an amoeba, as someone that can mold to the right, the right role in the right position in the right times. And she's a great passer just as much as she is a great offensive product production producer. Wow. She is just a great passer as much as she is an offensive producer. And she's tough inside. She makes things tough inside to score as a defender. So definitely very interested as to how New York utilizes her, but also how much attention the Vegas Aces provide her. Now, before we get to predictions, I'm happy you brought up Stewie. I'm happy you brought up Sabrina because both of those, those two, to me, when I look at the Aces and I look at the Liberty, I kind of look at it as Asia and KP versus Brianna and, and Sabrina and I, I don't know why that is, but I do pin those two up against each other, whether it's Asia versus Stewie or KP versus Sabrina. But I feel as if one of those two matchups, whether one player on the Aces side performs better than the Liberty side, will help determine the outcome of the game. It makes sense. The assumption being that the most impactful matchup is Asia vs Stewie just because they're both elite level players that can impact the game on both ends of the floor. But I also believe that KP and Sabrina being able to defend their player, whoever their assignment is, well, and also being spark plugs offensively can change the outcome of the game for their respective teams. So I would like to ask the both of you, which matchup of these two do you think will be more impactful on the outcome of the game? Asia vs Stewie or KP vs Sabrina?
- [57:53]
H
This is a tough one, Zena, because I feel like immediately in my head I go into like my college English major exam paper writing where I'm like, well, can we decide what the definition of impactful is in the context of this question? So I'm going to answer your question, but kind of sidestep it and say I'm going to go with KP and Sabrina because I think just as the benches are going to be the deciding factor in a lot of ways in Minnesota, you, you, Minnesota, Connecticut. I almost said Minnesota, Yukon. Just as the benches are going to be the deciding factor in Minnesota, Connecticut, I think the three point line is going to be such a huge factor in this game. And again, Chelsea Gray coming back into it sort of means that we need to look at the regular season games but not completely put a ton of stock into it. And so I'm leaning towards Sabrina, kp, but it's more like I'm looking at Sabrina and Phoebe and JJ and everyone who shoots, you know, four plus potentially threes a game for that team. And then I'm looking at kp, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray. So I'm going to say that duo, but only because of what maybe their success from beyond the arc means for the rest of the three point shooters for their team. Just because I think that is going to be such a deciding factor in the series.
- [59:09]
Chantelle Jennings
I like it. And I actually, I not only look at the three point line, which I like the way that you phrase that, I'm also looking at the mid range and the attack.
- [59:18]
H
So all of it.
- [59:19]
Chantelle Jennings
So all of it. Right, but, but basically like particularly those two though. Like those two, their ability to break down their defenders and get to their spots I think is going to be incredibly impactful in the pace of the game and just being able to put numbers up. Whereas I look at Asia and Brianna and I'm kind of like they're gonna get theirs. I feel as if Sabrina and KP will need to dictate if they're gonna get theirs more so against their defender. I don't know if that makes sense.
- [59:51]
H
But it feels like you've got this sort of like hot hand Theory, Right. Like, both of these rosters feel like they have multiple players on it, where it's like, damn, they could probably hit like three threes, three offensive possessions in a row and suddenly, you know, a one point lead becomes a four possession game, you know, before you've even had a chance to call a timeout. Hardly. So I completely agree with you.
- [60:10]
Chantelle Jennings
Ben, what are your thoughts? Asia versus Stewie or KP versus Sabrina? More impactful.
- [60:14]
F
Yeah, I mean, frankly, I kind of reject the premise a little bit, if I'm being fully honest here, Xena. But if I'm going to take a player of those four that, you know, I'm watching most closely, it is Sabrina Unescu. And it is, for a lot of the reasons you guys talked about, is just, you know, her ability to, like, make shots and create. Like, that can be so important to what New York has done. And yet, especially over the second half of the season, we have not seen a very efficient Sabrina Unescu. Whether that's because of fatigue, whether that's because, you know, she briefly had a neck ailment, whether that's just because of the basket, the basketball not going in. Sabrina Unescu has made more than 50% of her shots in a game just twice since the All Star break. It's a pretty remarkable stat for someone who is widely regarded as one of the best shooters in the league. You know, she's developed this whole part of her game over the off season, attacking the basket and this runner, that's something she goes to far more often than she ever did before. And yet her three point shot has not been nearly as good this year as it has been in the past. And so I say all that because, like, if she's, you know, if she scores 25, if she scores 30, if she scores 35, and New York gets the production that they do from Stewie and from JJ and they get the defensive help from Feebich and Laney, like, that is such a weapon. And I do think, like, the Sabrina outcomes I think are a little bit more varied, but I also think she's especially motivated coming after coming off of a subpar finals last year. So I think you're right to target her. As we talked about with Asia, Stewie, that might be Asia jj, Right? That might be Stewie Kia Stokes. Like, we just Stewie Alicia Clark. Like, we just don't know. I don't think that's as simple. And New York might mix up the matchups too, with the guard guard comparison, but Unescu is the player of those four that, that I'm watching.
- [62:04]
Chantelle Jennings
Well, I appreciate you guys engaging with my hypotheticals, you know, always for fun conversation. You never know. You never know. Of course we know that the matchups and the games are going to be a lot more nuanced than these, these sentiments that I'm putting out there right now. But it's just going to be so much fun being able to see this level and caliber of players and teams go up against each other in the most talked about and hyped up season yet. I mean, whoever ends up in the, in the finals, we know they have gone through quite the journey. So let's close out with New York in Las Vegas. What are your predictions? I'll go last.
- [62:46]
F
Yeah, I am slightly, slightly, slightly leading New York entering this series. It's what I said on our pods recently and I guess their series against New York has, or against Atlanta rather has not given me any reason to change. I think Las Vegas has been playing better of late. Of the two teams defensively, you know, Las Vegas had some slippage earlier this year, but now they're the number two defense over their last 10 regular season games. Like they're starting games better than they have and we obviously know that. I think, you know, they have the best player in the series, the unanimous league mvp. All that being said, I do think the home court makes a slight difference here. I think New York is especially motivated coming off of all the scars and the loss in last year's finals. And more than anything strategically, I do think like the feebic move into the starting lineup provides them with such size. They're going to switch a lot. It is just a new wrinkle that I'm not sure how Las Vegas is going to match. I think it's really interesting to watch. Will they play Kia Stokes? Because I think New York will then attack her. Will they play Tiffany Hayes? Because I think New York, you know, will then attack her on the defensive end. Will they play Alicia Clark, who, you know, doesn't provide the same boost as Hayes and we saw how important Hayes boost off the bench was in the first round series against Seattle. Like, I don't think Las Vegas advances in a sweep if they don't get the production that they did from Hay. So I think New York is able to dictate a little bit more in this series because of, because of the size and versatility. And so for that reason, you know, they've been the best team all year. I think they end up winning this series squeaking by Las Vegas in five games.
- [64:23]
H
I feel like that was a really good explanation. And when you hit on home court advantage, I was like, we've got to stop talking so much. And I don't feel like we. It's not like we get on the podcast for an hour and then record. I just feel like, you know, we all chat so much throughout the week and throughout the course of any game that I feel like we all share our opinions. And immediately when you asked that scene, I was like, oh, Liberty and five. I think each team wins their home games. I don't think any of these games are going to be blowouts, but I do think that the home court advantage is going to prove important because I think not necessarily anything beyond the fact that both of these teams are so motivated for different reasons. Like Ben said, sort of how one faltered in the finals last year and how one felt as though they haven't gotten the credit they deserve for going for a three peat. And so I think at home, in front of their home fans, in front of their cities, you know, they will win. And so Liberty in five.
- [65:16]
Chantelle Jennings
I'm, I'm with you. I'm with both of you there. And I would say that my thing that I'm particularly looking at is, Ben, you mentioned it, the addition to Leona Fibic into the starting lineup, that size aspect. And I'm gonna also be looking at the bench, the New York Liberty bench. I think that the, the defense that their bench provides will fatigue Las Vegas in comparison to what they have to offer. Just being able to have that continuity of their bench coming in and still being as aggressive. And I don't think that the Las Vegas Aces have the same level of depth as the Liberty. So. Same thing though. I think they both win their, their home games and it's going to be a buzzer beater type game in the last one. Who we'll see what happens there. Guys, don't beat us up with these predictions. And it's all fun and games, folks. And speaking of games, they all start this weekend on Sunday. You've got New York Liberty versus the Las Vegas Aces at 3pm Eastern. And then for the first lot and then the second slot, Minnesota Lane taking on the Connecticut sun at 8:30pm Eastern. Oh, I can't wait to get this going. This is going to be a lot of fun basketball, folks. Ben, Chantelle, as always, thank you for coming on and breaking down the game and giving us a little preview of what to expect. And thanks for like engaging all of my crazy hypotheticals. I know, I know people listening are like really, that's an interesting matchup? Or why are you pointing that out? Guys? It's fun. That's what we're trying to do. We're trying to keep the main thing, the main thing, and that's talk about basketball. So appreciate all of you tuning in today. Again, hit that subscribe button to our show. Leave us comments, write our stories. We read the comments, folks. We like the conversations that happen in the comments on our stories and on our show. So make sure you do. So let us know if there's anything else that you want us to cover as we go out and close the rest of these playoffs out again. Again, two shows a week. We're keeping you posted on everything that's going on for the rest of the WNBA playoffs. For now, on behalf of Chantelle, on behalf of Ben, on behalf of Sabrina, who's traveling, making sure that they get out to the right games for you, I'm Zena Kada thanking you for your ear and encouraging you to keep listening, keep learning, keep watching and keep loving the game because that's the only way we're going to keep growing it until next time. Foreign.
- [67:42]
G
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- [68:08]
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- [69:02]
Chantelle Jennings
Acast Powers the world's best podcasts. Here's a show that we recommend. Remember blowing into a video game cartridge.
- [69:12]
Ben Pickman
Or taping songs off the radio?
- [69:15]
Chantelle Jennings
How about Saturday Morning Cartoons?
- [69:17]
Ben Pickman
Hey, AOL chat rooms.
- [69:19]
Chantelle Jennings
Did we just age ourselves?
- [69:20]
Ben Pickman
Yep.
- [69:21]
Chantelle Jennings
We're Mike Fanoya and Charles McBee, two.
- [69:24]
Ben Pickman
Comedians getting nostalgic and asking that nagging question, are we old?
- [69:28]
Chantelle Jennings
Relive the laughs, the cringes, and the nostalgia.
- [69:32]
Ben Pickman
Are we old? Podcast right here on Acast. ACAST helps creators launch, grow, and monetize their podcasts everywhere.
- [69:51]
H
Acast.com.