24 June 2015 - Chicago Sky 100, Atlanta Dream 96 (OT)

Random comments about last afternoon's game in Chicago:

* Eric Collins and Stephen Bardo are a good announcing team.  I really enjoyed their play-by-play and particularly the comments of Bardo.  Furthermore, Bardo will give the visiting teams credit and will point out bad calls that favor the home team.

* There was one point at the end of the first quarter where Ajavon was under the basket, and McCoughtry noticed it and passed her the ball. Problem was, Ajavon stopped looking for the ball and McCoughtry's pass led to a turnover.  McCoughtry was not a happy camper.

* Pondexter can shoot off the bounce.  I suspect that a lot of the great shooters can.

* Pokey Chatman has an interesting phrase that I've heard her use and that the announcers reminded me of - whenever she wants to see multiple defenders on a offensive dynamo (like McCoughtry) she uses the phrase "We want to take a team picture whenever X has the ball".  This means that if you were to snap a picture of McCoughtry with the ball, you want to see a lot of Sky players next to her.

* An interesting comment from the announcers.  According to Chatman, without Fowles the Sky are "offensively better and defensively worse".  I suspect they're offensively better because they don't have to worry about Fowles's (relative) lack of speed on transition.  However - and this proved to be a problem - Chicago couldn't get de Souza in foul trouble because they had no dominant post player to challenge her.  The Dream should do what they did in the fourth quarter, push the ball to the posts and make Chicago work.

* How many players fouled out of that game?  Vandersloot, Ajavon, Hodges....

* The game ended with Delle Donne blocking McCoughtry's final shot.  How apropos.  I think Delle Donne set a career records in blocks, too.

* If Elena Delle Donne keeps playing like this - and if she stays healthy, which is a BIG if - it might be the most amazing season in professional basketball, men's or women's.  Her PER is like over 40 right now.

Elena Delle Donne's amazing game

It will be a while before I report the results of the game we played this afternoon against Chicago.  But here is a list of WNBA All-Time statistical leaders in some categories.  Elena Delle Donne of the Sky added herself to the record books today:

This list was orignally posted at Rebkell by Paul Swanson.


Most points, game
51 -- Riquna Williams, Tulsa at San Antonio, September 8, 2013
48 -- Maya Moore, Minnesota vs. Atlanta, July 22, 2014 (2OT)
47 -- Lauren Jackson, Seattle at Washington, July 24, 2007 (OT)
47 -- Diana Taurasi, Phoenix at Houston, August 10, 2006 (3OT)
46 -- Katie Smith, Minnesota at Los Angeles, July 8, 2001 (OT)
45 -- Elena Delle Donne, Chicago vs. Atlanta, June 24, 2015 (OT)
44 -- Diana Taurasi, Phoenix vs. Seattle, July 14, 2010 (3OT)
44 -- Betty Lennox, Atlanta at Connecticut, June 27, 2008 (OT)
44 -- Deanna Nolan, Detroit vs. Minnesota, June 20, 2008 (OT)
44 -- Cynthia Cooper, Houston at Sacramento, July 25, 1997
42 -- Cynthia Cooper, Houston vs. Utah, August 16, 1999
41 -- Diana Taurasi, Phoenix at Houston, July 27, 2006
41 -- Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles vs. San Antonio, June 25, 2006
40 -- Elena Delle Donne, Chicago at Tulsa, June 6, 2015
40 -- Maya Moore, Minnesota at Tulsa, August 2, 2014
40 -- Cappie Pondexter, New York vs. Indiana, July 18, 2010
40 -- Candace Parker, Los Angeles vs. Houston, July 9, 2008 (OT)
40 -- Katie Smith, Minnesota at Detroit, June 17, 2001

Most free throws made, game
22 -- Cynthia Cooper, Houston vs. Sacramento, July 3, 1998
19 -- Elena Delle Donne, Chicago vs. Atlanta, June 24, 2015 (OT)
19 -- Tina Charles, Connecticut vs. Phoenix, June 29, 2013
18 -- Katie Smith, Minnesota at Los Angeles, July 8, 2001 (OT)
17 -- Angel McCoughtry, Atlanta vs. Chicago, June 2, 2012
17 -- Tamika Catchings, Indiana vs. New York, August 13, 2011
17 -- Shavonte Zellous, Detroit at Atlanta, June 26, 2009
17 -- Diana Taurasi, Phoenix vs. Houston, September 7, 2008
17 -- Tina Thompson, Houston vs. Sacramento, June 11, 2007
17 -- Cynthia Cooper, Houston vs. Utah, August 16, 1999

Most free throws made, none missed, game
19 -- Elena Delle Donne, Chicago vs. Atlanta, June 24, 2015 (OT)
17 -- Angel McCoughtry, Atlanta vs. Chicago, June 2, 2012
16 -- Elena Delle Donne, Chicago vs. Los Angeles, June 6, 2014
14 -- Kristi Toliver, Los Angeles vs. Tulsa, June 20, 2012
14 -- Diana Taurasi, Phoenix at Minnesota, July 24, 2010 (2OT)
14 -- Tamika Catchings, Indiana at Washington, July 21, 2009
14 -- Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles vs. Minnesota, July 15, 2000