Rookies have been a focal point in the course of the opening week of the 2024 WNBA season, however, somewhat than shining as stars, they’ve confronted the tough realities of the league.
That is to be anticipated. The WNBA is leaps and bounds higher than girls’s faculty basketball. However followers of Caitlin Clark are adjusting to that reality. It’s not simply Clark and the Indiana Fever who’ve struggled; the Los Angeles Sparks’ Cameron Brink performed nicely however misplaced the opening recreation versus the Atlanta Dream, and Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky misplaced in her debut towards the Dallas Wings as nicely.
On Saturday, Might 18, the Sparks and Fever shall be on nationwide tv. They may have a chance to earn their first wins and ensure that this draft class is definitely worth the hype.
The New York Liberty will host the Indiana Fever at 1 p.m. ET on ABC, adopted by the Las Vegas Aces taking over the Los Angeles Sparks at 3 p.m. ET.
One other actuality examine for Indy in rematch towards New York?
Consideration comes at a price many aren’t able to pay.
If you’d like heightened focus in your work, nicely, that is what it seems like for the Fever. WNBA groups have thrown a bucket of chilly water on the notion that anybody might waltz into this league and dominate. For the diehard followers, this was anticipated, however for many who thought Clark and her accolades might simply be copied and pasted from Iowa to Indiana, it’s been a little bit of a shock.
That’s not a condemnation of Clark or the Fever, however even a generational rookie is a rookie, and the Fever received 13 video games final 12 months, a far cry from even first rate. It’s going to take time—years realistically—earlier than the Fever even whiff title rivalry. Within the meantime, there’ll proceed to be many losses and a few dangerous nights the place you are taking the opposite staff’s finest punch, and your jaw simply isn’t prepared for it.
The Fever simply misplaced to the Liberty 102-66, so that they have loads of work to do to show that outcome right into a win on Saturday. Aliyah Boston must be higher at dealing with the physicality of Jonquel Jones and the Liberty bigs, and Clark can’t rating 9 factors and count on a victory.
What do the Liberty need to do to win? Simply be the Liberty. Breanna Stewart was in MVP kind, dropping 31 and the staff regarded as sharp as a Ginsu on each side of the ball. Beating the identical staff two instances in a row is hard, however the Liberty are a veteran staff that ought to have a victory in hand in the event that they keep targeted.
Anticipate Vegas to claim greatness towards LA
Talking of a veteran staff that’s totally targeted, the Aces are aiming to three-peat. They began that marketing campaign with a rocky recreation towards the Mercury, however pulled out the win, 89-80. The lackluster win, nevertheless, doesn’t recommend that the rebuilding Sparks are more likely to topple the two-time defending champs, who want to set up themselves as the best staff ever assembled.
BREAKING: The Metropolis of Las Vegas will sponsor every member of the Aces with $100,000 per participant!
WOW!
Investing in girls.
Investing in neighborhood.
Large!!
pic.twitter.com/fQ9CQUabmo
— Ladies’s Hoops Community (@WomensHoops_USA) Might 17, 2024
Brink can have her fingers full making an attempt to guard the rim towards A’ja Wilson. She usually struggled with drawing too many fouls in faculty, and in her WNBA debut, she registered 5 private fouls. The Sparks starters had a comparatively good efficiency towards the Dream, however solely rookie Rickea Jackson did something from the bench, scoring seven of the staff’s eight bench factors. They’ll want extra from their reserves in the event that they need to upset the Aces in Las Vegas.
Sport info
New York Liberty (2-0) vs. Indiana Fever (0-2)
When: Saturday, Might 18 at 1 p.m. ET
The place: Barclays Middle in Brooklyn, NY
How you can watch: ABC
Liberty damage report: none
Fever damage report: Damiris Dantas (out; knee)
Las Vegas Aces (1-0) vs. Los Angeles Sparks (0-1)
When: Saturday, Might 18 at 3 p.m. ET
The place: Michelob ULTRA Enviornment in Las Vegas, NV
How you can watch: ABC
Aces damage report: Chelsea Grey (out; decrease left leg)
Sparks damage report: Azurá Stevens (out; left arm), Rae Burrell (out; non-Covid sickness)
