***Official Caitlin/Fever/Kate/Meg Games Mega Thread***

[spiderland]

I missed the last couple of weeks but watched the last two games. I guess I haven't noticed a difference between Hull and Wallace. They both miss open jump shots, to my eye. Samuelson isn't much better as a shooter, and she is slower although bigger. They are missing a reliable 3rd outside shooter.

TBF to Hull, I don’t think we’ve seen enough of her to say for sure that she wouldn’t be an upgrade offensively. But we’ve seen ALL we need to and more of Wallace to say there’s no way Hull could be worse.

What she would bring is a significant upgrade on the defensive end, although to Wallace’s credit, she did make a handful of nice defensive plays last night that are normally non-existent from her. I still say you go with Hull for the much more consistent defensive upgrade and see what you can get offensively as a bonus.

 

[Bro D]

Agreed on Berger but Wheeler still needs to play, she’s super quick, she’s a good defender and yes, she can be pretty sloppy but she’s a good teammate, she has a decent mid range game and she brings energy to the floor… We saw that last night near the end of the game

Agree with ballhandling and quickness.. its just super frustrating with how poor she is at finishing at the rim

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Fat and out of shape...

According to Twitter, that's racist....................

 

[HawkMachine]

I wonder what Boston weighs now vs. the start of the season. Seems she used the opening of the season to get in shape.

She still needs to drop 20 lbs.

Just doesn't move very well.

 

[HawkMachine]

Refs swallowing whistles on intentional fouls.

I don't think there's much swallowing happening in the WNBA.

 

[Tenacious E]

She still needs to drop 20 lbs.

Just doesn't move very well.

I do not agree. She looks to be at her optimal weight for her game. Big enough to overpower smaller players, small enough to make athletic finishes. If she lost 20 pounds, I would fear she loses the power from her game.

 

[HawkMachine]

where has this boston been all year?

I honestly think it's between her ears.

Seems like she has a confidence issue at times.

 

[HawkMachine]

I do not agree. She looks to be at her optimal weight for her game. Big enough to overpower smaller players, small enough to make athletic finishes. If she lost 20 pounds, I would fear she loses the power from her game.

She's very soft. Not like the 20 would come from muscle.

With the way CC runs the court, it would be nice if Boston could move better.

She's SLOW.

 

[WDSMHAWK]

I missed the last couple of weeks but watched the last two games. I guess I haven't noticed a difference between Hull and Wallace. They both miss open jump shots, to my eye. Samuelson isn't much better as a shooter, and she is slower although bigger. They are missing a reliable 3rd outside shooter.

Disagree on Samuelson, she got off to a slow start shooting wise but she's 50% (10/20) from three over the last 5 games. I think she's probably the best 3 pt shooter on the team behind Clark and Mitchell.

 

[Tenacious E]

She's very soft. Not like the 20 would come from muscle.

With the way CC runs the court, it would be nice if Boston could move better.

She's SLOW.

We will never know.

 

[LarryMullenJr.]

I don't think there's much swallowing happening in the WNBA.

 

[BrotherHawkeye]

I don't think there's much swallowing happening in the WNBA.

 

[Herky T Hawk]

This was posted on Reddit this morning. One of these players didn't make the Olympic team.

 

[BrotherHawkeye]

This was posted on Reddit this morning. One of these players didn't make the Olympic team.

Yeah, yeah, but the turnovers. The US Olympic team can't afford to have someone on the team who turns the ball over with such frequency. Unacceptable.

 

[LarryMullenJr.]

This was posted on Reddit this morning. One of these players didn't make the Olympic team.

Further down on the stats, did it list "reason why people now realize there is something called the WNBA"?

 

[BioHawk]

Yeah, yeah, but the turnovers. The US Olympic team can't afford to have someone on the team who turns the ball over with such frequency. Unacceptable.

Well, actually they can considering the competition but I'm not completely sure if you are being sarcastic or not with this comment. But really, even if Clark were on the team it is very unlikely she would see much playing time until they were up by 20 points in the second half. It's just such an obvious miss to not have her there from a marketing perspective.

But again, I'm only slightly annoyed that she's not on the team. It just means I'm not going to plan my day around when the US Women's National team will be playing like I would have if she were on the team, but I still want them to win. The truly upsetting thing about all this is instead of trying to explain that she wasn't good enough (something they obviously felt they couldn't actually do), they decided to blame the fans for her not being there. Simply saying she wouldn't fit in with the chemistry of the the other players on the team or they wanted to go with a familiar team that we've had in the past (a nice way of saying the old guard didn't want her on the team) would have been better. Sure, they would have gotten flack for it but deciding to go with a familiar roster that has already won 5 golds in a row is a defensible position that, while we might not have liked it, we could have accepted. If they fail to win they all get fired, but in reality they will all get fired if we don't win it under any circumstances given the level of competition they are facing.

I am actually still floored that they would use the "scared of the fans if she doesn't play" excuse. I can only hope they have identified who said that and shit canned them because that has to be the worst possible explanation for a decision in the history of explanations for decisions.

 

[BioHawk]

I do not agree. She looks to be at her optimal weight for her game. Big enough to overpower smaller players, small enough to make athletic finishes. If she lost 20 pounds, I would fear she loses the power from her game.

She could use more muscle, imo. It would make her faster while still being able to push people around. I guess she got a bit too involved in announcing college basketball last winter or she wasn't given a clear off season workout schedule to follow. Better off season preparation instructions needs to be a priority for Sides after the season is over.

I still hope Boston sticks with the announcing though. She was very good at that and is a sure thing to be in the booth after her playing days are over.

 

[Rifler]

How about, just like the team they were facing a lot of the top teams and top bigs in the league the first couple weeks. She’s playing better these last few partially because she’s been getting matched up against rookies like Edward’s, Reese/Cardoso, etc

Historically the WNBA has been selling a pretty shitty product,.. There has been little pressure on these players to show up 100% on day one,.. That will change.

 

[BioHawk]

Historically the WNBA has been selling a pretty shitty product,.. There has been little pressure on these players to show up 100% on day one,.. That will change.

When many (most?) players have to get a second job during the off-season to make enough money it also makes it hard to adhere to an off-season workout regimen. I mean, the number 1 draft pick makes 76,000 a year. Not many players make more than 100k per year. There have to be a large number of players making around 50k a season. It's not easy to work 8 hours and then do a workout routine designed to play professional sports. Higher salaries will make it easier for players to fully commit to off season training.

 

[Franisdaman]

I honestly think it's between her ears.

Seems like she has a confidence issue at times.

I think Boston can be "too nice" sometimes, too.

 

[Franisdaman]

She still needs to drop 20 lbs.

Just doesn't move very well.

I know we have a lot of experts on here but where do you suggest this 20 lbs come from?

Here is a video and a pic from last night. She seems to be moving ok to me (for someone 6'5). She doesn't look soft, either.

 

[hawkeye_wx]

Atlanta's best player, Rhyne Howard, appeared to turn her ankle pretty badly in their game yesterday. If she even plays against the Fever Friday evening, she wouldn't be 100%.

 

[HawkMachine]

I know we have a lot of experts on here but where do you suggest this 20 lbs come from?

Here is a video and a pic from last night. She seems to be moving ok to me (for someone 6'5). She doesn't look soft, either.

She's 220 and soft. Sorry if you can't see it.



Here are some of the best in the WNBA around the same height.

Aliyah Boston 6 foot 5 - 220

A'ja Wilson 6 foot 4 - 195​

Breanna Stewart 6 foot 4 - 170

Jonquel Jones 6 foot 6 - 215

Brittney Griner 6 foot 9 - 205

Ezi Magbegor 6 foot 4 - 181

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus 6 foot 4 - 193

 

[Franisdaman]

She's 220 and soft. Sorry if you can't see it.



Here are some of the best in the WNBA around the same height.

Aliyah Boston 6 foot 5 - 220

A'ja Wilson 6 foot 4 - 195​

Breanna Stewart 6 foot 4 - 170

Jonquel Jones 6 foot 6 - 215

Brittney Griner 6 foot 9 - 205

Ezi Magbegor 6 foot 4 - 181

Cheyenne Parker-Tyus 6 foot 4 - 193

She's got a different body type and has more muscle.

Sorry if you can't see it.

 

[Bro D]

Boston has been playing much more aggressive lately. Pretty obvious the last few games. Seems to be playing her way into game shape too. Looks like a new player

 

[HawkMachine]

She's got a different body type and has more fat.

Sorry if you can't see it.

Yes, I agree.

 

[Franisdaman]

Yes, I agree with you now. She's not soft; and she moves just fine for a player that size. I was wrong.

Finally!

 

[Franisdaman]

Boston has been playing much more aggressive lately. Pretty obvious the last few games. Seems to be playing her way into game shape too. Looks like a new player

chemistry will continue to grow the more they play together

 

[Franisdaman]

 

[Franisdaman]

 

[conn53victor]

Caitlin Clark has a tough road ahead. I think that she will be successful. My Thoughts as Someone Who Only Ran Mediocre Track in High School but Attended Iowa Women’s Basketball Since 1974:
• Women’s bodies don’t always show their athletic potential as clearly men’s bodies
• Maybe it takes time for a team to gel
• You have to learn to anticipate Clark passes
• Only 144 of the best women’s basketball players are on the court, Actually, the best 60 players in the WNBA start. That’s out of 351 D1 college teams. “Only about 1.2 percent of the nation’s 400,000+ high-school women’s basketball athletes go on to play for a D1 women’s basketball program.”
• I had never watched more than a few minutes of a WNBA game. Now I am watching most of the Fever’s games, some of the Aces’s games, and some other games.• During her freshman year, i predicted that Clark would be unpopular with opposing teams.

 

[hawkeye_wx]

Injured Dream star Rhyne Howard will not play against the Fever Friday night.

 

[SL Hawk Fan]

SIAP but during the Fever-Mystics game the other night; at around the 7 minute mark in the fourth quarter, right after the sequence where Clark got hacked on a layup (no call) and then got called for a ticky tack foul on the other end… was that Angel Reese that stood up from here seat near the end of the Mystic’s bench to applaud?

I was watching on my phone and went back and watched it again. Would swear that was her. I’d share a screen grab if I had the skills but alas…

 

[Tylerl_28]

When many (most?) players have to get a second job during the off-season to make enough money it also makes it hard to adhere to an off-season workout regimen. I mean, the number 1 draft pick makes 76,000 a year. Not many players make more than 100k per year. There have to be a large number of players making around 50k a season. It's not easy to work 8 hours and then do a workout routine designed to play professional sports. Higher salaries will make it easier for players to fully commit to off season training.

League minimum is 64K this year.

62 of the approx 144 players make 100k+

 

[Knothole Hawk]

Samuelson is shooting the 3 at 43.3%. Hopefully they can get her more attempts.

 

[SoonerBeAHawk]

Samuelson is shooting the 3 at 43.3%. Hopefully they can get her more attempts.

Yeah she is a good shooter for sure, but I'd rather have the other KL Samuelson. She's great.

Another good thing Katie does, though, is she tracks her shot midair and will attempt to get to it if it's coming off. Don't know why more players don't do this? I thought it was a fundamental actually, ya know "the shooter has the best sense of an errant shot" kinda deal. Oh well, not everyone can possess my rock solid game 🤷‍♂️.

 

[Bulldogs1974]

I think their best lineup is Boston Clark Mitchell wheeler and smith. Run more supper action and pin downs then later in ball screens off that action.

 

[littlez]

Samuelson has a nice shot but has no position on the defensive end. She’s a huge liability on that side. She’s warmed up and she’s playing the correct amount of minutes.

 

[Matt1nb7]

SIAP but during the Fever-Mystics game the other night; at around the 7 minute mark in the fourth quarter, right after the sequence where Clark got hacked on a layup (no call) and then got called for a ticky tack foul on the other end… was that Angel Reese that stood up from here seat near the end of the Mystic’s bench to applaud?

I was watching on my phone and went back and watched it again. Would swear that was her. I’d share a screen grab if I had the skills but alas…

Funny enough that girl also played at Maryland and is also from Baltimore. So maybe strong dislike through association.

 

[the Howler]

SIAP but during the Fever-Mystics game the other night; at around the 7 minute mark in the fourth quarter, right after the sequence where Clark got hacked on a layup (no call) and then got called for a ticky tack foul on the other end… was that Angel Reese that stood up from here seat near the end of the Mystic’s bench to applaud?

I was watching on my phone and went back and watched it again. Would swear that was her. I’d share a screen grab if I had the skills but alas…

YouTubeTV won’t let me do a screen grab, but it’s definitely not Angel. There’s a slight resemblance if you happen to glance at your phone for a billionth of a second