May 22, 2022 

Daily Briefing — May 22, 2022: Cheer and gloating in Las Vegas

The Plum Diary, if you will

Happy Sunday! Welcome to The Next’s Daily Briefing, featuring the W Roundup, daily Watch List, and Yesterday’s Recap. Day 14 of the WNBA season is here, following Las Vegas once again pummeling a hapless opponent into submission. After seven games, the Aces sit 6-1 and the favorites for the Western Conference’s bid to the Commissioner’s Cup. Not only is this just the second time they’ve started 6-1, but it’s the ninth-best seven-game streak the franchise has ever had.

Continue reading with a subscription to The Next

Get unlimited access to women’s basketball coverage and help support our hardworking staff of writers, editors, and photographers by subscribing today. Join today

Becky Hammon’s squad isn’t just blowing out everyone in its path — with the exception of Washington, when Las Vegas was poorly rested after flight issues. Every starter has seen their play skyrocket in the new system:

  • A’ja Wilson has improved her true-shooting by 7.2%, her three-point rate by 10%, her free-throw attempt rate by 15% and increased her points per scoring attempt by 13.3%
  • Kelsey Plum has improved her three-point rate by 9% and her assist rate by 4.4%
  • Jackie Young has improved her true-shooting by 11.4%, her three-point rate by 27%, her assist rate by 2.2%, her free-throw attempt rate by 1.7 and increased her points per scoring attempt by 19.4%
  • Chelsea Gray has improved her true-shooting by 1.9%, her three-point rate by 3%, her assist rate by 2.8% and her free-throw attempt rate by 9%
  • Dearica Hamby has improved her true-shooting by 6.8%, her three-point rate by 4% and increased her points per scoring attempt by 13.3%

Seems good.

But first, read:

W Roundup

New York: Signed point guard Crystal Dangerfield to a hardship contract.

Watch List, Sunday, May 22

(All times in Eastern, Game Of The Day in bold)

Connecticut @ Indiana, 2 p.m., ESPN+ (Local: NESN+/Indiana Fever Livestream)

Chicago @ Washington, 3 p.m., ABC

Saturday, May 21 recap

Las Vegas beat Phoenix, 100-80. The Mercury led 21-13 in the late first quarter, then lost the next 19 minutes 60-33; the Aces scored a franchise-record 39 points in the third quarter. Vegas shot 6.5% better from the field and had 10 more free-throws; the Aces notched 10 steals, part of 15 Phoenix turnovers; the teams combined for 47 fouls.

Point guard Kelsey Plum led Vegas with a season-high 24 points on 8-for-15 from the field, 3-for-6 from three, and 5-for-7 from the line, five rebounds, and three assists against three turnovers; wing Jackie Young had 20 points on 6-for-13 shooting (1-4 3pt., 7-7 FT), three rebounds, five assists, and three steals; point guard Chelsea Gray notched 13 points on 5-for-11 FG (0-2 3pt.), three rebounds, five assists, and four steals in 27 minutes; backup big Theresa Plaisance recorded season-highs in points and rebounds with 11 points on 3-for-7 from three (1-1 from two) and nine boards without a turnover in 19 minutes.

The Mercury were led by wing Diamond DeShields’ 19 points on 8-for-15 shooting (2-5 3pt.) and two assists against three turnovers and four fouls in 30 minutes — she’s shot 50% over the past two games after shooting 37.8% across her first three in Phoenix; combo guard Diana Taurasi and center Tina Charles struggled to a combined 23 points on 8-for-29 from the field and 2-for-14 from three (Taurasi 5-6 FT), six turnovers, and seven fouls, with Taurasi adding seven assists and Charles seven rebounds and three assists. Combo guard Skylar Diggins-Smith missed her second-straight game with a non-COVID illness.

Dallas beat Minnesota, 94-78. The game was within one possession for most of the first 2.5 quarters, then the Wings went on a 14-1 run in the late third. Dallas took 16 more threes and won the rebounding battle by 15, including 15 offensive boards; the Lynx assisted on 20 of their 27 buckets; the Wings committed 26 fouls.

Dallas was led by off-ball guard Arike Ogunbowale’s 20 points on 8-for-18 from the field and 2-for-10 from three and season-high seven assists in 29 minutes; wing Marina Mabrey had a season-high 22 points on 9-for-14 shooting (3-5 3pt.), five rebounds (three offensive), and three assists against five turnovers; big wing Satou Sabally made her season-debut, scoring 11 points on 4-for-11 FG (0-4 3pt.) with five rebounds against three turnovers and five fouls in 19 minutes off the bench.

TDB Dallas center minutes distribution watch: Isabelle Harrison, 21:42; Charli Collier, 11; Teaira McCowan, 6; Satou Sabally, 1:18; Awak Kuier, 0:12.

Center Sylvia Fowles led Minnesota with 14 points on 6-for-9 FG, nine rebounds, two assists, three steals, and four blocks against four turnovers; combo forward Jessica Shepard had 14 points on 5-for-7 shooting, three rebounds, and two assists; off-ball guard Aerial Powers notched 12 points on 5-for-11 from the field (1-2 3pt.), four rebounds, and two assists against two turnovers and four fouls in 27 minutes.

Written by Em Adler

Em Adler (she/they) covers the WNBA at large and college basketball for The Next, with a focus on player development and the game behind the game.

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.