June 29, 2024
Locked On Women’s Basketball: One concern with every WNBA team in 2024
By The Next
New York's ceiling, Minnesota's size are a few question marks
Last week on Locked On Women’s Basketball, Hunter Cruse and Em Adler picked out one positive thing about every WNBA team. This week, Lincoln Shafer joins them to do the opposite: point out one reason to worry for each team.
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The trio starts at the top of the WNBA standings with the New York Liberty, who are 15-3. They lost the Commissioner’s Cup championship game to Minnesota on Tuesday but had won three straight regular-season games before that. Adler shares her concern about New York:
“My concern is, honestly, have we seen the ceiling right now? And if this is the ceiling, that’s fine. But the ceiling is also, they just lost to Minnesota. They had their issues with Phoenix. And that is what it is, and if you’re that close with two teams that I think we all consider to be legitimate Finals contenders, then you’re pretty optimistic about that. But the game before that they beat Vegas by eight, but Vegas at that point really wasn’t healthy. …
“So you have, I think, this confluence here where they’re so frickin’ good, but there is also, I think, a level they need to get to for us to be really confident that … [they are] in position to avenge the Finals last year.”
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Later in the episode, the trio discuss Minnesota, who is the Commissioner’s Cup champion and third in the regular-season standings at 13-4. Adler talks about her fear that the Lynx’s shooters won’t be able to sustain their strong early-season percentages. Shafer has a different concern:
“Do they have the size to really hang with New York [and] Vegas? Even Dallas sometimes gives them problems because they’re starting two incredibly talented players in Napheesa Collier and Alanna Smith at the four and the five, but neither of them’s over 6’3. Is [6’5 reserve big] Dorka [Juhasz] ready to step up and defend the best bigs in the world? Are they able to find ways to slow down the A’ja Wilsons, the Jonquel Jones[es], the Teaira McCowans who have given them problems all season?”
Related content: Locked On Women’s Basketball: A Minnesota Lynx update after Commissioner’s Cup championship
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