“Watch Me Work” is the theme this year for the ladies of the WNBA. The league just wrapped up it’s 2017 All-Star weekend which was held in Seattle. The game was won by the Western stars 130-121 as Minnesota Lynx forward Maya Moore led the way with 23 points on her way to winning her second consecutive MVP award.
Today the second half of the WNBA season gets underway with a full schedule of games tipping off with the Washington Mystics ( currently the number four team in the league) paying a visit to the San Antonio Stars.
The Mystics finished the first half of the season with 12 wins against 9 losses in and their leader was former Delaware star forward Elena Delle Donne who suffered a sprained ankle in a game against Indiana earlier this month. That injury caused the “DC” star to miss the All-Star game. The Mystic also lost Tayler Hill to a right knee injury in the same game, So if Delle Donne and Tayler are not able to go, look to Emma Meesseman to help lead the way. The Stars, by the way, have the worst record in the WNBA with only 3 wins against 18 losses.
Tonight the Chicago Sky who have mustered 8 wins against 13 losses this season finished the first half of the season on a two game winning streak and will look for their third win as the ladies from the Midwest pay a visit to the Connecticut Sun. The Sun currently third in the league with 12 wins and will try to shake off the loss they suffered to New York before the All-Star game. Keep an eye on Connecticut’s Jonquel Jones, the 6’6″ Forward averages a double-double 15 points and 11 rebounds per game. She wrapped up her WNBA All-Star game debut with a slam dunk in the closing seconds on her way to 24 points.
In other action, the Atlanta Dream who are looking for playoff contention will take on the fifth seeded Phoenix Mercury in the “ATL”. Atlanta’s All-Stars Tiffany Hayes and Layshia Clarendon will try to take advantage of the Mercury who may be without leading scorer and rebounder Brittney Griner. Griner suffered injuries to her knee and ankle in a game against Minnesota earlier this month and may be out until mid-august. But the Atlanta will still have a tough time with the Mercury who will be led by the all-time leading scorer In WNBA history Diana Taurasi.
The top team in the league the Minnesota Lynx who wrapped up the first half of the season with a 16 and 2 record on a three game winning streak, will get a visit from the New York Liberty. The lady New Yorkers are on a two game winning streak and will by All-star center Tina Charles who averages 20 points and 9 rebounds per game. The Lynx will be led by WNBA All Star game MVP Maya Moore.
The first of the final two games of the night will be between the Indiana Fever and Dallas Wings. Dallas is 10-12 on the year and Indiana is 8-13. Meanwhile, the Seattle Storm fresh off of hosting this year’s All-star game will head to Los Angeles to play the defending champion Sparks. The Storm will look to veteran Point Guard Sue Bird to get the Seattle offense going against LA All-Stars Nneka Ogwumike and Candice Parker.The Sparks are currently second in the league, while the Storm in ninth place in the standings of the 12 team league.
So, today the ladies of the WNBA will get back to work with exciting action in the second half of the season as all eleven teams set out to dethrone the L.A. Sparks the reigning Queens of the court
Trevin A Jones
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