All Things Basketball with GD - 2023 WNBA Playoffs, 1st Round Recap and Semifinals Preview plus Postseason Awards Analysis and More

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Greetings my peeps and welcome to the all things basketball podcast with your boy GD.

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In this episode I will be talking WNBA, we'll do a first round recap and we'll talk about

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the semifinals which leads to the finals with preview that.

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Also we'll talk postseason awards guys.

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We'll talk about all the awards that were given thus far and what's coming down the

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pike and then real quick I got some NBA news that I want to talk about just a real snippet

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so just sit back relax and enjoy the show.

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Okay guys so we are back with the all things basketball podcast with your boy GD of course

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and what we're going to do in this episode all about the WNBA folks we will recap the

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first round and we'll talk about the semifinals give you a preview of that also we have some

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postseason awards to talk about and some other news items as well so anyhow let's get right

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into it let's not delay so folks we have our semifinals set and as I predicted guys all

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chalk here all chalk is the top four teams going at it so that held true for the most

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part but let's talk about it so alright we will start with the Dallas Wings and they're

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going to take on the number one seed the Las Vegas aces and in that season series the Las

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Vegas aces took the series three games to one so Wings were actually able to get a win

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off of them so how did both teams get here we'll talk about that how Dallas got here

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well they ended up sweeping the Atlanta dream two games to none game number one they won

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that 94 to 82 and in that game Rica Agumboale 24 points nine rebounds seven assists four

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steals so strong game for her Satoh Sabali 32 points five rebounds four assists four

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steals for her and then on the losing side for the dream Ryan Howard just started out

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of the gate hot and she ends up with 36 points in that game along with eight threes that

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she may guys so she may eight threes in that game and also with that she had about three

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steals also Ryan Howard and actually she ended up setting a record she's the youngest player

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to have a 30 point outbursts in her first game of the playoffs so Ryan Howard set records

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there Alicia gray she had a strong game 21 points for her seven rebounds three steals

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Cheyenne Parker had a rough go of it 11 points on five of 16 shooting and she had three steals

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and three blocks as well so kind of a tough go inside for Cheyenne Parker so that oh and

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also in that game tiara mcowen 17 points and 14 rebounds so she dominates the boards in

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that one so that is your game one game two Dallas takes that in a blowout 101 to 74 a

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game that saw seven Dallas wings in double figures so talk about balance scoring that's

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what they had guys of course led by a Rika of goomba wale she had 20 points and seven

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assists tiara mcowen 12 points and 16 rebounds totally killing it on the boards and then on

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the losing side Ryan Howard 21 points and she made three three pointers in that game

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Alicia gray 19 points and seven rebounds she also had six assists as well and Cheyenne

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Parker she had 15 but this was on five of 15 shooting with five rebounds in two blocks

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for her so and then Dallas's bench outscoring the Atlanta dream 35 to 12 so got big time

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contributions from their bench in that one so so Dallas takes the series from the Atlanta

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dream and now for the Las Vegas aces how did they get here of course they ended up sweeping

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the Chicago sky two games to none and here's how it shook out for them game one Las Vegas

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aces took that 87 to 59 in a game where you had Chelsea gray playoff Chelsea showing up

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20 points seven assists for rebounds two blocks and two steals Jackie young 18 points for her

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with six assists and three steals Kelsey plumb 16 points Asia Wilson with a modest 14 points

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along with eight rebounds but four blocks so of course showing her prowess inside defending

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the pain and Kia Stokes had 15 rebounds herself so and on the losing side Kalea copper only

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15 points and she did that on five of 14 shooting along with five rebounds for her so and then

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in the second game those Vegas aces 92 Chicago sky 70 and that one Asia Wilson just has a

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monster game 38 points 16 rebounds four blocks three steals so making her presence felt on

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both ends of the court of course Jackie young 15 points for her she did it though on five

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or 17 shooting so a lot of shots being hoisted up but she gets 15 out of 17 shots there along

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with six assists five rebounds three steals for her and in this series actually Alicia

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claw coming off the bench solid for them in both games 13 points and 14 points respectively

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so giving them major punch off the bench and then for the Chicago sky Kalea copper has

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a better game 25 points she made four threes in that one along with 10 rebounds Dana Evans

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off the bench 22 points for her in this series Marina Marbury didn't have such a fine series

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and she even admitted it in the exit interview she said she's got to be better she's got

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to be in better shape so on so forth so I expect to see a more dedicated Marina Marbury

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come next year we'll be looking forward to that so nonetheless Chicago goes down to the

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Las Vegas aces and then with that their coach their interim coach and V Vattana severe he

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ends up getting fired so they gave him the interim tag I thought it was a credit to

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him keeping the team afloat and actually getting them into the playoffs but the franchise

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saw otherwise so he is out in terms of candidates for the job of course high on the list is

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Teresa Weverspoon who we last saw actually on the NBA level as an assistant coach with

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the New Orleans Pelicans so she's pretty much a front runner for the job there's other names

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being bandied about possibly Katie Smith who may get another bite at the apple when it

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comes to coaching she had stints as a coach with the New York Liberty so might be one

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of those deals where they think they could catch lightning in the bottle kind of like

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the Connecticut Sunday with Stephanie White we'll see what happens there and then pokey

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Chapman longtime coach in the W she may get a crack at it but they're kind of outside

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shots I think again Teresa Weverspoon is the front runner for the job so we'll see what

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happens there so with that said let's talk about the Dallas Vegas series key matchups

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for me I think it's incumbent upon Latricia Trammell the coach I think it's incumbent upon

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her as far as Asia Wilson goes I think probably better off putting a Natasha Howard on her

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the thing with Asia she is cat quick in the postman and she's got moves aplenty so to

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me putting a Tierra McCow in who is strong inside make no mistake but kind of slower

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foot when it comes to keeping up with her Asia Wilson I think Natasha Howard is probably

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more suitable for the job as far as that goes I would go that route and of course you know

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you bring over help defense to help out Howard but I would say I would primarily put Natasha

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on Asia and see if she can possibly stay with her with that said another matchup I'm looking

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at Kia Stokes who once again has stepped in she did it last year for Deerika Hanby

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who has injuries so Kia Stokes stepped in this year she stepped in again this time for

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Candace Parker but I think Kia Stokes versus those twin towers inside Tierra McCow and

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and then you got a Kalani Brown coming off the bench I think whoever controls the boards

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in this series will have a big advantage if you can kind of lay a body on Stokes and

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control those boards I think that'll go a long way here so another matchup I think it'll

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end up being Chelsea Gray on Areka Agumbawale I think that could end up being the matchup

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there and that will be a very intriguing matchup I think and then of course you have Sato Sabali

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versus Jackie Young this one Sabali I think has the size advantage that's for sure of

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course Jackie Young has the quickness so I think whoever gets the better of the other

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that will go a long way in this series so so with that said my prediction I'm gonna

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say I think Dallas does get a win in this series here's where and this is kind of a

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fun fact when Areka Agumbawale has is has about five or more assists in the game Dallas

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Wings record is eight and four during the regular season and two and oh in these playoffs

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so I think when Agumbawale when she's able to get her teammates involved that makes

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the Dallas Wings that much better so I think it's incumbent upon her to involve her teammates

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get them going of course she's gonna get her offense anyway you slice it but to get her

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fellow teammates off and get them going I think will go a long way in this series and

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could take it to the distance but I will say Las Vegas Aces in four that's what I'm going

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with so but Dallas again I think Dallas can surprise they are a strong team a deep team

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and that could be a factor in this series also because of course you have Alicia Clark coming

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off the bench after that Kirsten Bell she's kind of coming into her own a little bit the

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others you don't see much I think Dallas's bench is much stronger than the Aces so we'll

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see what happens there but again I'm gonna say Las Vegas Aces in four all right so let

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us go to the next series that's gonna be Connecticut Sun versus the New York Liberty so your 3C

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versus the 2C and in the season series New York Liberty took that four games to none

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coupled in that a couple of blowouts there and also overtime thriller that the New York

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Liberty ended up winning so how did the teams get here let's talk about that how the Connecticut

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Sun got here well guys they ended up going to three games in the three game series Connecticut

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Sun took game 190 to 60 so you kind of thought this would be a probably a sweep and in that

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game the Juana Bono led the way 17 points 15 rebounds six assists Alyssa Thomas 15 points

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for her 10 rebounds and five steals for her in that game and Rebecca Allen with a strong

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game 15 points she hit five threes in that game guys four steals in two blocks as well

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so she was active on both sides and for the Connecticut Sunday had five players in double

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figures so that always bodes well Tiffany Hayes had a nice game for them 14 points with

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four three pointers made and on the Minnesota links side because that's what they played

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the fissure Collier 14 points for her six rebounds and 16 points for Caleb McBride so

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game two also in Connecticut Minnesota links steal one on the Connecticut Sun's floor 82

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to 75 and in that game Caleb McBride just goes crazy 28 points she hit six threes in

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that game along with eight rebounds the fissure Collier she had 26 points 13 rebounds two steals

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and on the Connecticut Sun's side Alyssa Thomas with 26 points eight rebounds six assists

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DeWanna Bonner she had 24 points she hit six threes in that game along with five rebounds

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in the loss so so Connecticut Sun with their backs against the wall has to go cross country

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to Minnesota to face the links in a do or die situation when it takes all game three

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and in that game Connecticut Sun pretty much led from end to end and they end up taking

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game three ninety to seventy five in that game your big guns really showed up Alyssa

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Thomas 28 points for her 12 assists in that game along with six rebounds DeWanna Bonner

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25 for her 10 rebounds six assists three blocks as well and for the Minnesota links the fissure

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Collier shows up big time 31 points in the loss along with five rebounds so Connecticut

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Sun ends up winning that series ending the Minnesota links season which again I stated

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in the last episode they started out the gate slow but they really turned it on down the

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stretch so major credit to Cheryl Reeve for writing the ship in getting those ladies into

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the playoffs as the six seed definitely kudos to Cheryl Reeve and you know she had those

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two rookies in there Diamond Miller and also Dorca U-Haas but next year with a year of

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season and I expect those two ladies to contribute more their futures bright over there so hey

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how with that said let's talk about New York Liberty and how they got here well guys you

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know I talked about in that last episode I talked about them I talked about their need

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to sweep the Washington Mystics and sweep they ended up doing guys they took it two games

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to none two tough games by the way guys but game one they take 90 to 75 and in that game

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Sabrina Nescu absolutely on fire from three 29 points total 73 she made in that game six

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assists and two steals John Quill Jones her re-emergence continues 20 points for her 12

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rebounds two blocks but Nige Laney 19 points for her with eight rebounds and then on the

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losing side for the Washington Mystics Maisha Heinz Allen 21 points for her leading the way

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along with five rebounds Elena Deladon only 11.6 assists five rebounds and Brittany Sykes

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16 points for her along with four rebounds and two steals in game two the one that went

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to overtime guys it was a tough one but New York Liberty prevails 90 to 85 in that game

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Brianna Stewart absolutely showed up she had not such a strong game in game one she did

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have eight rebounds four assists three blocks but in the deciding game 27 points for her

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nine rebounds three blocks and two steals so Brianna shows up big time in this game

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that New York Liberty pretty much desperately needed so John Quill Jones another strong

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game for her 19 points 14 rebounds three blocks but Nige Laney 19 points again for her Courtney

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Vandersloot with a strong game eight points ten assists two steals Sabrina Nesco kind

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of a slow game for her but nonetheless New York Liberty prevailed and for the Washington

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Mystics Natasha Cloud and what many are thinking that it might be her last game as a Washington

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Mystic she absolutely showed up guys 33 points and she hit five threes in that game wow that's

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saying something for her also she had nine assists six rebounds and four steals so she

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had absolutely monster game and really kept the mystics afloat to be honest with you Elena

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Deladon another slow game 11 points again for her on 416 shooting so guys in the series

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the shooting was it all that great for Elena Deladon and actually she exited that game

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for a brief moment but she returned back oh by the way she was 0 for 6 from three point

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range as well along with the four rebounds so big time questions for the Washington Mystics

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you have Natasha Cloud who's going to be a free agent Elena Deladon also going to be

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a free agent so we'll see what happens there will they invest in Elena given the injuries

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she's sustained over the years and so forth will they stay loyal then keep her there we'll

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see Natasha Cloud there'll be a lot of suitors for her I would think the Washington Mystics

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do the wise thing and keep her but we'll see what happens but nonetheless that is your

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series right there guys so now to preview the Connecticut Sun New York Liberty series

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to me the key matchups of course it's going to be DeWanna Bonner versus Breonna Stewart

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I think that's going to be a matchup that the Liberty has to get the advantage in that

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regard you're going to have to slow down DeWanna Bonner because she's one of those players

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if she gets hot forget about it her and her team can shoot you out the gym so that's

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going to be key I think Alyssa Thomas I think you'll probably have to go Banaji Laney on

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her I think will be the one who can probably tail Alyssa for the game she has the quickness

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to do so I think that's imperative for the Liberty in order for them to win this series

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they have to be able to slow Alyssa Thomas down Sabrina Nesco versus Rebecca Allen Rebecca

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Allen somebody who knows Nesco well being she was a New York Liberty player for a few

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years here so she knows Nesco she knows what she likes Sabrina's going to have to bring

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her a game in this series that's for sure and kind of a under the radar matchup I'm

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looking at Courtney van the Sluut versus Natisha Heidelman I think that's going to be a fun

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matchup of those ladies they're both floor generals for their team although pretty much

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Alyssa Thomas is the floor general for the Sun to be honest but I think that could be

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a fun matchup as well my prediction even before I do that let me talk John Quill Jones in

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games where she has a double double the Liberty are six in old guys in the regular season

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and two and oh in these playoffs I think John Quill Jones she's like the secret weapon

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in this series for the Liberty she has to control the boards in this one she has to

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and she's been able to do so and then remember this is her old team so she can really stick

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it to them by sending them home and out of these playoffs so but I'm going with the Liberty

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I say the Liberty in four games kind of like the Las Vegas aces I think New York Liberty

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is loaded for bear I think they just have too many weapons too many weapons for this

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Connecticut Sun team you've seen their dominance in the regular season I think it still carries

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over into the playoffs so I'm saying New York Liberty in four alright guys so that is your

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predictions as far as that goes let me talk about postseason awards right quick two awards

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are not officially been named yet that's the rookie of the year which I think is pretty

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much a fader complete for Aliyah Boston Aliyah Boston I think pretty much has that wrapped

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up guys for the Indiana fever and then MVP of course I've talked about that in the prior

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episode how is the three horse race I think when all is said none I think Brianna probably

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gets it more likely than not although you have three strong candidates in her age of

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Wilson and Alyssa Thomas so but in terms of the other awards Alicia Clark gets the sixth

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player of the year for the Las Vegas aces this is one where I didn't even include her

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I don't know why I didn't include her but she ends up getting the war and in hindsight

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I think this is the choice as far as the award goes and out of 60 votes she gets 35 of the

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votes in second place D. J. A. Carrington with 13 and Chicago skies Dana Evans with

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nine I think what hurt Carrington was she did miss some games down the stretch with

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the injury so I think that kind of her to her chances but Alicia Clark she's the one

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I mean when she comes into game for the aces she solidifies that defense she tells people

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where to go and this is her first individual award in her 11 year career in the W. She's

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a two-time NBA champion with the Seattle storm so she's seen everything guys she knows what

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her calling card is and that's playing tough defense hitting clutch shots when needed so

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kudos to Alicia Clark she finally gets her due and she gets this award and congratulations

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to her executive of the year I didn't really talk about that but it goes to Jonathan Cobb

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of the New York Liberty for obvious reasons of course the trade for John Quill Jones acquiring

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both Breonna Stewart and Courtney VanderSoot via free agency so of course he ends up getting

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the award culture the year pretty much saw this one Stephanie White gets the award for

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the Connecticut Sun again I must reiterate the job that she's done having to take over

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this team for Kurt Miller having to deal with some major player losses John Quill Jones of

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course Courtney Williams as well and then losing Breonna Jones her All-Star Caliper

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Center about a month into the season so the fact that she was able to keep them amongst

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the top three in fact team was third in the W's you got to give her the award I understand

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I get it Latricia Tramol definitely turned the wings around that's for sure so she deserves

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some love but in the end is Stephanie White and then most improved player this one I thought

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was a layup Sato Sabali she's second overall pick a few years back she dealt with a lot

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of injuries but she said to herself I know if I have an injury free season what I can

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do and she really showed herself this year guys so and out of 60 votes she got 37 Jordan

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Canada got 18 but Sato Sabali well deserving of the most improved player award the fifth

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player of the year who else could it be Asia Wilson and this is her second in a row she

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won it last year and here's how the votes shook out Asia Wilson with 32 votes Alyssa

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Thomas with 24 so as closer than you thought also Britney Sikes got three votes and Ben

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Angelini got a vote which I was a bit surprised by that so but Ben Angelini's had a very

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good year on the defensive end and then they named the all defense team on the first team

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Asia Wilson of course Britney Sikes of the Washington Mystics Breonna Stewart of New

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York Liberty Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun and Jordan Canada of the Los Angeles

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Sparks look they're all first team second team Benajie Laney for the New York Liberty

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as the Magpigore of the Seattle Storm NECA Awumake also of the Los Angeles Sparks Nafisha

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Collier of the Minnesota Lynx and then rounding it up Elizabeth Williams for the Chicago

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Sky so so with that said MVP supposed to be named this coming week guys so we'll see what

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happens there and then all NBA will be in a couple of weeks so we have those awards

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we'll talk about those so alright guys that's gonna do it for me there was some NBA news

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guess I could hit it really quick and then I'll be done Gilbert Arena's blasting a

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cameo large one for charging $50,000 to Yanis onto the combo for a week's work showing

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him how to have several moves in the pain and all sort of things like that so Gilbert

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Arena's he goes on this podcast is no chill podcast and goes on this really profanity

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laced tirade for over two minutes about why is he charging this much and he's only gonna

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show him these moves from the 90s people not even doing that so what is he doing so he

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goes off on a rant there and then you have a few Hall of Famous who came out to Elijah

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Juan's defense and kudos to these guys former teammate Ralph Samson he went on NBA today

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and talked about it pretty much saying that Gilbert Arena's needs to know a little bit

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of history as far as the game goes before he goes talk about Elijah Juan you know which

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is a fair criticism and then I gotta give props to him Paul Pierce came out he came

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out basically saying that Gilbert Arena's is capping you know that's the new phrase

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now to say somebody's lying and he basically said that guys are still doing that pump fake

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move in the paint that Elijah Juan does so kudos to Paul Pierce man it's not often me

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and Paul Pierce see eye to eye on something but kudos to the guy I gotta give credit where

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credits do and what I would say about it I'm gonna take a quote from the legendary big

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daddy Kane and this is off his song call him Mr. Welfare who am I to knock a homeboy

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for getting paid I mean come on what are we doing here this is a Kim Elijah Juan Hall

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of Famer arguably you can make him a top five center of all time and you wouldn't get too

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much of an argument the man has skills he was very skilled on both ends of the court

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by the way and if he wants to charge 50 grand a week who am I to say if somebody is able

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to pay that fine and a lot of people have gone to him for for counseling and for you

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know being showed post moves and so forth Kobe Ryan was one of them also Carmelo Anthony

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is a laundry list of guys that went to him so if the man wants to make extra coin good

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for him I mean who are we to knock it and Gilbert arenas what are you doing here let

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this man earn a little extra coin that's okay that's fine for you to just go on this crazy

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rant is nonsensical so I'm gonna just leave it there so alright guys so that's it for

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me I'm done so the next time you hear from me I want to do some fantasy basketball stuff

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before I go into season preview we're about a week or so away guys from guys reporting

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to training camp and all the stuff that goes with that as well as preseason games will

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have those and about maybe about a couple of weeks so basketball season is on the way

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guys as far as the NBA goes so we still got some W NBA action still taking place that

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seems like it's gonna run right into the regular season so so a lot of basketball to be talked

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about I'll be here for it I'm here for it so alright guys so once again I thank you

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for listening all things basketball with GD of course and you know the website so forth

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also you can catch me on all the platforms to email that sports to GD at gmail.com you

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can get me there all the ways you can support me the cash app you hear it in the call to

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action also my paypal you hear it there as well on my site you can go to my anchor page

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Spotify page and support me there you can also support me through buy me a coffee or

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buy me a pizza whatever I have up there it's on the website YouTube I'm there all the social

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media platforms I'm there even Twitter X I poke around there but you know that's about

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the extent of it oh anyway that's it guys I thank you for listening as always and we

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will talk soon take care so my peeps if you like what you're listening to you can go to

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my website www all things basketball with GD.com you can also email me at that sports do GD

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at gmail.com to support this podcast you can go to my paypal and that email is that sports

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do GD at gmail.com also on my anchor page I have a support button there that you can

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also use to help the podcast I'm on all the major platforms like anchor, Spreaker, Google

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podcast, Amazon, SoundCloud, YouTube, Castbots, Radio Public, PodChaser just to name a few

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and also you can find me on social media Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Clubhouse and

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fanbase so once again I thank you for listening and supporting this podcast and take care

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and be safe.