Gamecocks in the WNBA: Week 11

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Last week in the WNBA, the Aces lost, Alaina Coates returned and Aliyah Boston had another huge game.

Atlanta Dream (15-13)
Laeticia Amihere (15 games, 7.8 mpg, 3.2 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 0.7 bpg)
93-72 loss at Las Vegas: 4 minutes, 3 points, rebound
91-71 loss at Phoenix: 7 minutes, 3 points, rebound
82-73 win vs Indiana: DNP-CD

Allisha Gray (28 games, 28 starts, 32.9 mpg, 17.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.1 spg)
93-72 loss at Las Vegas: 31 minutes*, 8 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
91-71 loss at Phoenix: 23 minutes*, 10 points, 4 rebounds, assist
82-73 win vs Indiana: 33 minutes*, 21 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds

Atlanta was non-competitive on a west coast swing, which meant Amihere got playing time. Gray had her usual productive game in a home win over Indiana, setting up another west coast swing this week that could be critical for the Dream’s playoff hopes.

Upcoming games:
Thursday, August 10 at Seattle (10:00 ET, NBA TV)
Saturday, August 12 at Los Angeles (7:30 ET, NBA League Pass)
Sunday, August 13 at Las Vegas (9:00 ET, CBS Sports Network)

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Connecticut Sun (20-7)
Tyasha Harris (27 games, 15.1 mpg, 5.1 ppg, 1.5 apg, 0.9 rpg, 43.8 3P%)
79-69 win vs Minnesota: 27 minutes, 17 points, 4 assists
88-72 win at Indiana: 24 minutes, 9 points, assist

After barely playing last week, Harris bounced back with a season-high against Minnesota. She’s also shooting 43.8% from three after never shooting higher than 33.9% in her career.

Upcoming games:
Tuesday, August 8 at Seattle (3:00 ET, NBA TV)
Thursday, August 10 at Phoenix (10:00 ET, Amazon Prime Video)
Saturday, August 12 at Dallas (8:00 ET, NBA League Pass)

Indiana Fever (7-21)
Aliyah Boston (28 games, 28 starts, 30.7 mpg, 14.6 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.3 bpg, 58.8 FG%)
72-71 win vs Phoenix: 33 minutes*, 6 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks
88-72 loss vs Connecticut: 33 minutes*, 19 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, block
82-73 loss at Atlanta: 34 minutes*, 25 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 assists

Victaria Saxton (11 games, 3.3 mpg, 1.3 ppg, 0.7 rpg)
72-71 win vs Phoenix: 9 minutes, 4 points, rebound
88-72 loss vs Connecticut: 4 minutes, 5 points, rebound
82-73 loss at Atlanta: 18 seconds, no stats

Last week I wondered if Boston had hit the rookie wall. I guess not. She continues to lead the league in field goal percentage and turned in a pair of monster games last week. Both came in losses, a frustrating reminder of how far the Fever are from competing for a playoff spot.

Meanwhile, after notching her first career points last week, Saxton decided she liked the whole scoring thing and had two more productive games.

Upcoming games:
Tuesday, August 8 vs Los Angeles (7:00 ET, NBA League Pass)
Thursday, August 10 vs Minnesota (7:00 ET, Amazon Prime Video)
Sunday, August 13 vs New York (3:00 ET, ESPN)

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Las Vegas Aces (24-3)
Alaina Coates (3 total games, 4.2 mpg, 1.3 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.7 spg)
99-61 loss at New York: 7 minutes, 2 points, 3 rebounds, steal

A’ja Wilson (27 games, 27 starts, 30.4 mpg, 20.3 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 2.3 bpg, 2.0 apg, 1.3 spg)
93-72 win vs Atlanta: 26 minutes*, 20 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals
99-61 loss at New York: 25 minutes, 9 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 assists

With Candace Parker out indefinitely following surgery on her foot, Las Vegas signed Coates to a 7-day contract to add depth in the post. The Aces probably didn’t want Coates to play seven minutes in her first game, but blowouts change plans. Coates was productive in her playing time, which hopefully leads to another contract.

Earlier this season Coates played two games with Phoenix.

Wilson had one of her worst games of the season and the Aces suffered just their third loss. The two are related, as is the fact that Wilson took a vicious, if unintentional, elbow to the side of her head. She returned to the game but wasn’t the same. 

Upcoming games:
Tuesday, August 8 at Dallas (8:00 ET, CBS Sports Network)
Friday, August 11 vs Washington (10:00 ET, Ion)
Sunday, August 13 vs Atlanta (9:00 ET, CBS Sports Network)

Los Angeles Sparks (10-18)
Zia Cooke (27 games, 4 starts, 14.1 mpg, 4.6 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.8 apg)
76-69 loss vs New York: DNP-CD
79-77 loss at Washington: 25 minutes, 10 points, 2 rebounds, block
91-83 win at Washington: 19 minutes, 10 points, rebound, block

Cooke was a non-factor in two starts last week, leading to a DNP-CD, the first of her career. She bounced back with a pair of double-digit scoring games off the bench. It’s pretty clear that Cooke is better off the bench at this point in her career.

Upcoming games:
Tuesday, August 8 at Indiana (7:00 ET, NBA League Pass)
Saturday, August 12 vs Atlanta (7:30 ET, NBA League Pass)

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Minnesota Lynx (13-15)
Tiffany Mitchell (21 games, 11 starts, 23.0 mpg, 8.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 1.8 apg)
79-69 loss at Connecticut: 12 minutes, 6 points, rebound
76-66 loss vs New York: 11 minutes, 2 points

The Lynx dropped below .500 with a couple of losses last week, but have winnable games against Chicago and Indiana this week. Mitchell continues to be a solid reserve.

Upcoming games:
Tuesday, August 8 at Chicago (8:00 ET, NBA TV)
Thursday, August 10 at Indiana (7:00 ET, Amazon Prime Video

Free Agents
Destanni Henderson (10 games, 1 start, 16.9 mpg, 5.0 ppg, 2.5 apg)

Los Angeles terminated Henderson’s contract on July 15 in order to activate injured Layshia Clarendon. Clarendon, a former All-Star, started the first six games of the season before suffering a foot injury, so the move wasn’t a shock. 

Henderson proved she belongs in the league. If she doesn’t get picked up by anyone else this season, she at least ensured she’ll get a training camp invite next year.

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