Back to the semi-finals they go!
After a shocking loss to the New York Liberty in Game 1, the Sky returned to their dominant form. First came the largest margin of victory in WNBA Playoff history, and then a 90-72 series clincher finished the job last night.
Experience and chemistry took center stage for this veteran group. Six players ended the game in double-figures, while Candace Parker cleaned the glass with 13 rebounds and Courtney Vandersloot set the table with 10 assists. The Sky will now have to wait until tonight’s Wings-Sun Game 3 to see who will stand in their way of a repeat trip to the Finals.
Between DeMar DeRozan and Courtney Vandersloot, Chicago might be the most clutch city in the world.
You know when a special team like the Warriors or Bucks enter that extra gear that other teams simply can’t match? Yeah, well, the Sky have that exact same ability. I truly can’t recommend watching this team enough. Whether it be Sloot’s passing, Quigley’s shooting, Parker’s playmaking, Gardner’s hustle, or Copper’s … well … everything, this is one of those teams that can dominate in all facets of the game. And we saw exactly that happen as they went on a 16-0 run to pull away in the 4th quarter last night.
We can only hope this current Bulls team can build a similar rapport this season. Only the most extraordinary groups can accomplish what we’ve seen from the Sky over the past two seasons, and Arturas Karnisovas seems to believe this existing core can do just that. Yes, I have questions about how high the ceiling is for this Bulls team, but I recognize there is no substitute for familiarity. Let’s hope another year of playing together can take this organization to the next level.
Any time this Dosunmu dunk shows up on my timeline, I have to share it:
I’ve likely written this before: I think we might look back at that dunk as the moment Dosunmu arrived. There is no doubt in my mind that the 22-year-old will enter this season with a significant role. Not only could I see him tasked with the starting point guard gig if Ball is not ready to go, but I expect him to be the driving force of the second unit (alongside Caruso). I’m expecting to see his offensive game, in particular, take a pretty drastic step forward. Whether it be a more consistent downhill game or flashing some of the midrange prowess from college, he is traditionally more of a scorer, and I think that will show itself this year.
Dosunmu’s dagger ended up No. 32 on the NBA’s Top-50 clutch buckets of the season:
The fact that there are still ways for Zach LaVine to improve his offensive game should be terrifying for the rest of the league.
HoopsHype ranked the top-25 power forwards heading into this season, and two old friends made the list. Lauri Markkanen checked in at No. 24, while Wendell Carter Jr. appeared at No. 21. Now, if we want to get technical, both clocked most of their minutes last year outside the power forward position. And I do think we should consider that before expressing any frustration in the Bulls’ decision to move on from both. That said, knowing how thin the Bulls are at the power forward position, it’s hard for me not to grimace at these rankings. While I understand that trading them proved pivotal in starting this fresh era, I sure wouldn’t mind Carter’s interior defense or Markkanen’s 3-point shooting on this roster.
Speaking of former Chicago big men, the Nets are seemingly interested in Tristan Thompson. Have fun with that, KD!
A lot of cuts are still on the horizon:
I’m interested!