Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. I write about what’s happening in the WNBA daily as we try to heal from this pandemic.
Liz Cambage did her thing on the post against the Mystics.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Bettina Hansen/Seattle Times.)
I always felt that, at some point, the Dallas Wings are going to be extremely terrifying.
They had gotten close twice against the Seattle Storm this season. Their first game was an overtime classic that saw Breanna Stewart go for 36 points, 11 boards, and 5 blocks. The second was last Friday when Jewell Loyd made a buzzerbeating three with 0.8 seconds left before the inbounds.
The Wings and the Storm had a rematch on Sunday. Not as high-scoring as the other two games were. But it was close, nonetheless.
It was a defensive struggle but the Storm did lead by 12 at one point. But that deadly backcourt of Arike Ogunbowale and Marina Mabrey (who has come off the bench since Allisha Gray‘s return) scored 16 of the 19 4th quarter points. They were down, 67-60, at the two-minute mark.
But when you have Arike Ogunbowale at the clutch, it’s downright scary.
Arike made a three to cut the deficit to 67-65 with 32 seconds left. Then after a Jewell Loyd miss, the Wings had the ball with 4.5 ticks. Arike flung up the three and we’re not talking about this if it didn’t go in.
Stewart got a good look on a post move but the ball hit the back iron instead. The Dallas Wings got a big win over the Storm after three tries.
We knew what Arike did in the past. She hit back-to-back game-winners in the Women’s Final Four in 2018. If you get the Wings in a single-elimination game, it would be a scary match-up if they keep it close. Arike is probably the deadliest player in basketball today.
And she proved it again on Sunday against the defending WNBA champions.
Bullet Passes
So people have been talking about game-winners in the WNBA as of late. I mean, we had THREE this week alone. But here are this season’s game-winners so far.
May 14, Sabrina Ionescu 3. Liberty over Fever, 90-87.
May 29, Courtney Williams 3. Dream over Liberty, 90-87.
Jun. 1, Kia Nurse heave. Mercury over Sky, 84-83.
Jun. 4, Jewell Loyd 3, 105-102.
Jun. 6, Arike Ogunbowale 3, 68-67.
No buzzerbeaters needed in Minnesota as they once again beat the Atlanta Dream. My niece’s favorite, Kayla McBride, led the Lynx with 19 points. After an 0-4 start, they have now own three straight.
So to have a good idea of how the WNBA scoring is, the league averages 81.9 points per game this season. Their pace is more meticulous and they still play a lot of post-ups. Plus, the game is 40 minutes long.
Just letting you guys know in case you’re thinking about disparaging a very good sports league that deserves more promotion.
WNBA Scoreboard
June 6, 2021
Watch This Play
Let’s see that Arike game-winner.
R U KIDDING ME?!?@Arike_O | #TakeFlight pic.twitter.com/8zGQOdwTEB
— Dallas Wings (@DallasWings) June 7, 2021
What a shot. You know how Arike does it.
Everyone, please take care of yourselves during this pandemic. And that goes for everyone involved with the WNBA 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.