People LOVE Power Rankings in sports. It’s pretty stupid. So, of course, I have MY Stupid Power Rankings. I take 10 things from the NBA and WNBA (or not) in the past week and rank them accordingly. You don’t like them? Make your own rankings!
We had the NBA Play-in and the start of the NBA Playoffs this week. We also had some WNBA happenings. Let’s check ’em out!
(PHOTO CREDIT: Steven Freeman/Getty Images.)
1) Sabrina Ionescu Does The Rare Triple-Double
In Sabrina Ionescu‘s 6th professional game, she did the rare thing. Only 8 triple-doubles had been done in the WNBA’s 25-year history. She came up with the 9th as she finished with 26-10-12 against the Minnesota Lynx. Also, nobody in WNBA history has multiple triple-doubles and she threatens to become the first.
We knew Sabrina was special but man.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Jed Jacobsohn/AP.)
2) The Unflappable Memphis Grizzlies
So the Grizzlies were the 9th seed coming into these play-in games. They beat the Gregg Popovich-coached San Antonio Spurs. Then they went through the Golden State Warriors as they were resilient in their overtime contest.
Then they went on the road to steal Game 1 from the #1 seed Utah Jazz. These guys don’t care. They’re not laying down like they’re supposed to. What a run they’re having thus far.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal.)
3) The Connecticut Sun Are Still Undefeated
Last year, they started out 0-5. And they did lose Alyssa Thomas for the season. But with Jonquel Jones back doing her thing and their defense being so phenomenal, the Sun have run through everyone so far and have won their first five games. Hell of a start for them.
TRAE YOUNG 🔥
32 PTS
10 AST
7 REB
GAME WINNER pic.twitter.com/cpFFHUoj48— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) May 24, 2021
4) Welcome To The Playoffs, Trae Young
It’s Trae Young‘s first postseason game and it happened to be in Madison Square Garden. With fans! Bright lights! Big City!
And all he does is stuck a fork in them by making the game-winning floater with 0.9 seconds left. He finished with 32-7-10 in his playoff debut.
Trae Young has arrived.
Khris Middleton hits the clutch jumper late in OT to give the Bucks the Game 1 victory! 🔥🔥
🎥: @NBApic.twitter.com/zixA5dEIGY
— USA TODAY NBA (@usatodaynba) May 22, 2021
5) Khris Middleton Gets the Bucks Out Of a Jam
Man, we’re getting a hotly-contested series between the Bucks and Heat yet again. We didn’t know what we had with this year’s Heat team. Well, they showed us on Game 1. What a battle it was.
But this time around, Khris Middleton wasn’t gonna deny Milwaukee. He made a difficult fadeaway over Duncan Robinson for the win with 0.5 seconds left.
The Bucks took a much-needed 1-0 series lead against the team that eliminated them last season.
KAWHI LEONARD POSTER pic.twitter.com/FOE0AEZv5N
— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) May 22, 2021
6) Kawhi Leonard Punks Maxi Kleber
With the attitude of someone microwaving leftover food, Kawhi Leonard puts down Kleber with this ferocious dunk. Just watch.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Adam Pantozzi/Getty Images.)
7) The Lakers/Warriors Play-In Classic
This was a great game. LeBron James made the go-ahead three and helped the Lakers to a win and advance to the postseason.
That also means the play-in is here to stay. I know I said this last week but I can’t tell you how much I abhor this.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Charles Krupa/AP.)
8) Play-In Stats Will Not Exist
Jayson Tatum scored 50 in the play-in game against the Wizards. Jonas Valanciunas went for 23 points and 23 boards against the Spurs.
Too bad, they won’t exist. They’re not going into any regular season or postseason stats. Whoops.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group.)
9) The Golden State Warriors Didn’t Make It
We all expected Stephen Curry to put on a show in the postseason. Maybe even give Utah a scare. Or, hell, maybe even upset them.
Curry did what he could in the play-in games. He scored 37 against the Lakers and then 39 against the Grizz. It didn’t matter, though, as the Dubs lost both games and didn’t get into the postseason proper.
Oops.
Liz Cambage addressing Curt Miller on IG 👀🍿 #WNBA pic.twitter.com/IRTR7ESROJ
— W Lead (@WNBALead) May 24, 2021
10) Connecticut Sun Coach Curt Miller Was Hurtful
It doesn’t matter if it was in the heat of the moment; Curt Miller said some things that were offensive. He said Liz Cambage weighed 300 pounds and if I have to tell you why this hurts, then you just really don’t get it. Miller has apologized since and mentioned that he had learned from it. But he’s also not a young man at 50; how has he not learned that this wasn’t an appropriate thing to say?
Everyone, please take care of yourselves during this pandemic. And that goes for everyone involved with the NBA as well.
You can find Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
You can also check out Rey-Rey’s podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental, for more basketball content and, really, whatever else.
R.I.P. Nala.