Monday WNBA Links: Roster Moves & Brief Weekend Review
By Nate P@NateP_SBN Jul 2, 2012, 3:00pm EDT
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Normally, I begin the week with a summary of game results, but with a few roster moves occurring just this morning - as well as the Storm finally making an expected signing - we'll start this week off with some roster moves.
The Indiana Fever and Tulsa Shock have announced a trade exchanging Roneeka Hodges and Karima Christmas. Quick analysis: after pointing out an insufficient defensive effort in the Shock's loss on Friday (see below), it's little surprise that coach Gary Kloppenburg would get a player that he thinks is a better defensive presence. But despite their shooting numbers thus far this year, Hodges is the better career 3-point shooter, shooting 40% percent from beyond the arc just last year. Read more >>>
The Los Angeles Sparks have announced the release of guard Coco Miller who they just signed less than a month ago. She averaged 2.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists for the Sparks in 14.1 minutes per game.
The New York Liberty announced that they have decided to waive guard Kelly Miller, who was signed this off-season but hadn't even played more than five minutes in a game since June 15. In 11 regular season games, the 12-year WNBA veteran averaged 1.0 points, 0.7 rebounds, 0.5 assists in 7.5 minutes for the Liberty.
Gonzaga women's basketball coach Kelly Graves tweeted earlier today that the former Bulldogs forward Katelan Redmon is on her way to New York from Spokane after signing a 7-day contract with the Liberty. The Liberty selected Redmon in the third round (36th overall) in the 2012 WNBA Draft but released her prior to the season.
Kevin Pelton of StormBasketball.com wrote that Seattle Storm coach Brian Agler's call to Svetlana Abrosimova about re-signing even before she knew she couldn't make the Russian National Team helped make her decision easier. Agler believes that Abrosimova can add help with getting transition baskets, getting to the free throw line, and getting second chance opportunities. Read more >>>
Sunday's games
Mike DiMauro of The Day recapped the Storm's 89-83 overtime win on the road against the Connecticut Sun yesterday, which was Abrosimova's first game back in action. He recounts the final four Storm baskets of regulation and reports that Sun coach Mike Thibault said, "I saw us go to sleep." Read more >>>
Terrence Thomas of the San Antonio Express-News reports that San Antonio Silver Stars forward Sophia Young felt that the Minnesota Lynx were being "overly aggressive" yesterday. But expecting a blow-for-blow battle with the defending champs, the Silver Stars remained poised and pulled off a 93-84 win. Read more >>>
Matt Breen of the Washington Post reports that a sign created by a couple of season ticket holders pretty much sums up what Washington Mystics fans might have felt about yesterday's 90-77 win over the Phoenix Mercury yesterday: "Can we just win?" The Mystics changed their starting lineup again, re-inserting Monique Currie along with Matte Ajavon, Shannon Bobbitt, Crystal Langhorne, and Michelle Snow. But defense late in the game was the key - although WNBA Rookie of the Month Samantha Prahalis scored 20 points in the game, the Mystics' defense held her to 4 points in the fourth quarter. Read more >>>
Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune reports that Chicago Sky center Sylvia Fowles took it upon herself to pick up the team's performance after a loss to the Phoenix Mercury on Friday and had 21 points and 12 rebounds yesterday. Fowles hit two clutch free throws with less than a minute left in the game to give the Sky a lead en route to 71-69 comeback victory. Read more >>>
Saturday's games
Evan Korn of Newsday reported that New York Liberty guard Cappie Pondexter thought that having a week to prepare for Saturday's game against the Seattle Storm made a difference in the outcome. With Vaughn leaving that game with a concussion, the Liberty are hoping that Kelley Cain might be able to take advantage of the opportunity to play more minutes. Read more >>>
Friday's games
Breen reported after the Mystics' 77-64 loss to the Connecticut Sun on Friday that coach Trudi Lacey had, "21 points because she is coming off the bench" and would continue to bring her off the bench, though it was something she'd consistently re-evaluate. Currie apparently had a different perspective about what helps her score. Either way, she ended up back in the starting lineup on Sunday anyway. Read more >>>
Mark Cooper of the Tulsa World reports that the Tulsa Shock's porous defense hurt them in their 102-92 loss to the Atlanta Dream on Friday. Shock coach Gary Kloppenburg pointed to a number of problems on defense as he saw his team fall behind by as much as 24 points before making yet another late run to make things close. Read more >>>
Patricia Babcock-McGraw of the Chicago Tribune writes that the Chicago Sky's 84-81 loss to the Phoenix Mercury was "stunning" given that the Mercury were missing four of five starters. An embarrassed Shay Murphy said after the game that the Mercury weren't the better team but just the harder working team. Read more >>>
It was also Gospel Night in Chicago last night and injured Sky guard Epiphanny Prince wrote for RedEye Chicago that, "...the whole crutches thing is new to me and is actually a bit of a pain, I was still able to guest star in the Sky's take on "Sister Act 2." The video below - with Prince's "rap therapy" - was actually posted on YouTube more than a week ago. Our apologies for not catching on sooner. Read more >>>
That feels like more links than usual, but as usual it's not the entirety of links from the weekend. Feel free to add your own links along with your own insights and analysis from the weekend.