Live updates from 2022 WNBA season openers
The 2022 WNBA season is right here. All through the opening weekend of video games, observe stay protection on Yahoo Sports activities.
Here’s a primer for the 2022 season, including top storylines to watch, season-long predictions and more and a complete injury report for the first weekend of games.
WNBA opening weekend schedule
Friday
Washington Mystics 84, Indiana Fever 70
Los Angeles Sparks 98, Chicago 91 (OT)
Las Vegas Aces 106, Phoenix Mercury 88
Seattle Storm 97, Minnesota Lynx 74
Saturday
Connecticut Sun at New York Liberty, 6 p.m. ET
Atlanta Dream at Dallas Wings, 8 p.m. ET
Sunday
Los Angeles Sparks at Indiana Fever, 3 p.m. ET
Washington Mystics at Minnesota Lynx, 8 p.m. ET
Seattle Storm at Las Vegas Aces, 10 p.m. ET
Becky Hammon period begins with 106-point explosion
Becky Hammon’s first win as head coach was a dominant one. The Las Vegas Aces trounced fellow first-year head coach Vanessa Nygaard and the Phoenix Mercury, 106-88, in Phoenix. It is a file for a coach in an everyday season WNBA debut, per Across the Timeline.
Hammon’s crew went up 31-17 via one quarter and dominated the boards whereas capturing a mixed 60% by recreation’s finish. They have been 11-of-21 from 3-point vary, the largest change for the membership below Hammon’s free flowing, fast-paced offense.
Three gamers hit 20 factors and all 5 starters have been in double digits. The Aces have been +12 on the boards, dished out seven extra assists and stored the Mercury to 6-of-24 from 3-point vary.
Dearica Hamby scored a team-high 24 capturing 11-of-14. She had seven rebounds, all defensively. Kelsey Plum (7-of-16) and Jackie Young (8-of-10) scored 20 every. Plum was 5-of-9 from 3-point vary. A’ja Wilson (5-of-8) had 15 and Chelsea Gray scored 11.
The Mercury performed their first season opener with out Griner in practically a decade because the star stays detained in Russia. Skylar Diggins-Smith took over for a game-high 25 factors (10-of-18). Tina Charles, their free agent signing to play within the paint alongside Griner, scored 15 on an inefficient 5-for-16 capturing night time. She was 1-for-5 from 3-point vary with three rebounds and three assists.
Diana Taurasi neared a double-double with 9 factors and 9 assists, however was 3-of-11 and missed all 5 3-points she tried.
Fowl opens scoring in Storm’s new area
The Seattle Storm opened their new Local weather Pledge Enviornment with the identical outdated profitable type in a 97-74 drubbing of the Minnesota Lynx. Sue Bird fittingly scored the primary factors of the brand new dwelling, which has already hosted the Seattle Kraken hockey staff.
All indicators have pointed toward this being Bird’s final season and the Storm have been capable of preserve the core round her, together with Breanna Stewart and Jewell Loyd. They pushed a tie recreation at half, 41-41, vast open with a 18-2 run out of the break. It wasn’t shut once more.
Stewart got here out at 17 factors, one shy of three,000 for her profession. She had eight rebounds, two assists and two steals. Loyd additionally had 17 with three rebounds. Fowl put in 11 going 3-of-4 from 3-point vary and including two free throws. She was one help shy of a double-double.
Gabby Williams performed her first WNBA recreation since 2020 and hit two of three photographs for 5 factors. Free agent signing Briann January, who has stated that is her last 12 months, scored 4 in entrance of her hometown followers. She’s from Spokane, Washington.
Lynx wrestle with quick roster
It seems to be like it is going to be one other tough beginning stretch for the Minnesota Lynx. They struggled to remain aggressive within the second half and had solely two gamers in double digits.
Sylvia Fowles, taking part in her last season, had 16 factors (8-14) with 4 rebounds, two assists and one steal. Aerial powers scored 14 and Jessica Shepard introduced in a team-high 12 rebounds.
The Lynx waived six gamers, together with start line guard Layshia Clarendon and 2020 Rookie of the 12 months Crystal Dangerfield. They’re with out four players for the foreseeable future and might want to flip round an evening wherein they shot 39% total and 19 from 3.
Reigning champ Sky fall in OT
Second-year guard Dana Evans had a profession night time, however it wasn’t sufficient for the reigning champion Chicago Sky of their season opener at Wintrust Enviornment in Chicago.
Los Angeles Sparks free agent pickup Jordin Canada hit all three free throws on a controversial foul name to power additional time and the Sparks took benefit of Sky errors to win, 98-91. She had a team-high 21 factors capturing 6-of-11 and hitting all 9 free throws. Her eight assists additionally led the Sparks.
The Sky seemed gassed all through the ultimate 5 minutes and head coach James Wade pulled most of his stars with about 40 seconds to play. The Sparks gained the body, 10-3.
Evans put up a career-high 24 factors capturing 9-of-17 (2-of-7 from 3 vary) in 35 minutes. She had 5 assists and 4 steals. Parker added 21 in opposition to her outdated staff. She appeared to seal a 3-point win when she poked the ball from Sparks large Liz Cambage with 6.7 seconds left. Sky heart Emma Meesseman had 12 factors, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in her Sky debut.
Nneka Ogwumike paced the Sparks all through with 10 factors on a standardly environment friendly 7-of-10 (2-of-3 from 3-point vary). Cambage had 12 factors (4-12) in her Sparks debut, however drew two early fouls within the first handful of minutes and took a seat. She performed 24 minutes with 4 rebounds, 4 steals and two blocks.
Chennedy Carter and Lexie Brown, who was with the Sky for his or her championship run, every had 12 factors of their Los Angeles debuts. Brown performed 31 minutes and Carter 12.
Candace Parker’s sneakers designed by daughter
Candace Parker’s kicks acquired some love from the NBATV broadcast for his or her trio of colours. They have been designed by her 13-year-old daughter, Lailaa, in honor of Mom’s Day.
The sneakers are purple, yellow and lilac with “cause” on the again since Parker calls Lailaa her “cause.” Inside it reads, “for Pat,” for late Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt. And the opposite facet reads, “for mother,” for apparent causes. (By way of Annie Costabile of the Chicago Solar-Instances)
Parker is taking part in the Los Angeles Sparks, the place she performed for 13 years after they drafted her in 2008, for the primary time since becoming a member of the Sky forward of 2021. She missed each conferences resulting from harm final season.
“She’s undoubtedly needed to come back out and beat them,” capturing guard Allie Quigley, who sat out for precautionary cause with a knee harm, stated on the published. “She’s talked about it a number of instances this week.”
Parker got here out sizzling with seven factors capturing 2-for-2, together with a 3-pointer, together with two assists and a steal in 3.5 minutes. She arrived to camp late after testing optimistic for COVID-19. She moved into ninth on the all-time assists record and crossed the 6,000-point threshold. She is the twelfth participant to achieve the mark and is the one participant to have 6,000 factors, 3,000 rebounds, 1,000 assists and 500 blocks, per Across the Timeline.
The Sky have been honored at Wintrust Enviornment in Chicago for his or her 2021 WNBA championship title and can obtain rings later this month.
Elena Delle Donne scores 21 factors in return
Two-time MVP Elena Delle Donne made her first home-opener appearance since 2018 and led the vintage-looking Washington Mystics with 21 factors in a 84-70 win over the Indiana Fever at dwelling.
Delle Donne, 32, stated on the post-game broadcast she felt butterflies forward of the sport, including “I imply, shoot, I am taking part in basketball once more. So that is enjoyable.” She stated she feels nice and is “simply grateful to be out right here.”
“It took me a little bit bit to get my rhythm, however my teammates caught with me,” she stated after taking part in half-hour, greater than half of her 52-minute complete final season.
There was concern Delle Donne would by no means play once more after two again surgical procedures in a 12 months and struggles to play constantly with out ache in 2021. However she began on Friday night time and has seemed strong because the Mystics have their manner with the Fever rookies. Her 9 rebounds and two blocks have been additionally team-highs and he or she added three assists. She was 8-of-16 total and hit one among 5 3-point makes an attempt.
Her first factors got here on a jumper three minutes in and minutes later she went up-and-under on rookie NaLyssa Smith. Delle Donne performed quarter-hour within the first half with six factors, capturing 3-of-8 total and lacking each 3-point makes an attempt. She added 5 rebounds and a block.
The Mystics led, 50-31, on the half. Natasha Cloud has a team-high 15 (5-for-7) with three rebounds and three assists. Indiana climbed again to inside six late within the fourth after the Mystics offense went “stagnant,” Delle Donne stated. She is not going to journey with the staff for its Sunday recreation at Minnesota in order to not worsen her again on a brief turnaround and with journey.
Fever begin three rookies
Main as much as the season, there was loads of discuss what number of “WNBA players” can be left off opening-day rosters. Many instances that features rookies drafted within the second and third rounds, and generally even the primary.
For the Indiana Fever, although, youth guidelines. Indiana had a file 4 first-round alternatives in April’s WNBA draft.
The Fever began three rookies in Friday’s season opener in opposition to the Washington Mystics — No. 2 total decide NaLyssa Smith, No. 10 choice Queen Egbo and second-rounder Destanni Henderson.
Henderson won an NCAA national championship with South Carolina simply over a month in the past.
Within the Fever’s 84-70 loss, Smith led the best way for the rookies, notching her first skilled double-double in her first profession recreation: 13 factors and 13 rebounds. Egbo chipped in with 10 factors and 6 rebounds, and Henderson had 4 factors, 5 assists and two rebounds.
The Fever have two different rookies on their roster: No. 4 decide Emily Engstler and No. 6 decide Lexie Hull. Engstler performed 16 minutes, scoring 4 factors and grabbing 9 boards. Hull tried one area objective in seven minutes.
