Ball Up Top: A Women’s Basketball Podcast

The 'Ball-Knowers' WNBA Watch Guide & Thursday Recap: Weekend of August 29 - September 3

There are five games or less in the WNBA regular season and we are being set up for one of the best finishes we’ve had in recent league history. There’s a fight for the second seed, the sixth seed and the eighth seed. No more than two games separate the groupings of teams in the mix for those positions so, naturally, that means there are a lot of games with stakes this upcoming weekend. In keeping with our end-of-season content offerings, we’ve got our Thursday recap and weekend preview available on podcast and video form on YouTube (you can watch it at the bottom of the email here if you prefer in video form).It’s been a little light this week on the paid tier content, I know. But rest assured, this week was about getting interviews and the legwork to make sure your September is stuffed to the gills with insider content, analysis and some fantastic guests and profiles. If there were ever a time to get a free trial or hop on the Ball-Knower tier for a month, now is the time!Now, let’s get to the Watch Guide! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nocapspace.substack.com

Candace Parker's Jersey Retirement, Standing on Business and the Toughest WNBA Playoff Pairings | Ball Up Top: A WBB Podcast

Welcome to Ball Up Top, a weekly podcast from No Cap Space WBB. Every Tuesday morning, you can find a show in your emails or social feeds that touches on all the trending topics in women’s basketball. The crew will rotate based on availability, whether it’s Tyler, Andrew, Chauny, Greer or Rashard.Tyler, Greer and Chauny are back on the pod this week with a couple broader topics as the regular season winds down in the WNBA. The show opens with a discussion about Candace Parker’s Chicago Sky jersey retirement and some of the simmering beef between her and Angel Reese. After a conversation about the concept of standing on business and when to do it, the discussion turns towards the WNBA playoffs. With so many teams clogging the top six seeds, regularly jockeying for position, the show turns to a relatively simple question: who is the toughest matchup for each playoff team? If you love the show, we’d love and appreciate a five star rating on Apple podcasts as well as a kind review if you’ve got the time! We’re also on the road to 5,000 subscribers on YouTube and 2,000 followers on TikTok so if you enjoy our content here, tell a friend to tell a friend to follow us on their preferred platform!Scroll Ahead to Hear…0:00 - Show Introduction.3:05 - Candace Parker’s Jersey Retirement and the Game Within the Game…18:20 - Toughest Matchup For Each Playoff Team…Ball Up Top: A WBB Podcast is brought to you in part by Homefield. Just this past week they revealed the full Can’t Miss Kickoff release schedule with hundreds of new football themed products to get you ready for the fall! Want some women’s hoops merch instead? Check out our No Cap Space WBB collection, a curated page of all of Homefield’s best WBB shirts, jackets, jerseys and more!Our intro music is made by Denver’s own DLZMKSBTS, the King of Mile Hi-Fi. Check out all his music on Spotify here and on Instagram here.Additionally, we’ve gotten some requests recently about additional donations for the NCS crew. If you don’t want to do a full subscription but want to support our work in any capacity, we are also opening up donations via Venmo as well. For those that have asked, we can’t tell you how much we appreciate and rest assured it is going back into the company to provide you with the best WBB coverage you can find! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nocapspace.substack.com

Five Out: Phee Returns For an MVP Battle For The Ages, Limping Liberty and An Unlikely Award Contender Emerges...

To quote the venerable Steve Miller Band, ‘Time keeps on slippin’, slippin’, slippin’…into the future.’ Most teams have somewhere between six and seven regular season games left on their schedule while the difference between playoff qualification and elimination is one win or loss. If that doesn’t get you out of bed and ready to watch the WNBA, I don’t know what will. Add in a couple of increasingly compelling award races and we’ve got plenty to talk about going into the postseason. All season long I’ve been wondering how long it would take for the discourse to return to (semi) normal in the W and it feels like right now there’s no think pieces, no agitation outside the usual suspects and a chance to let the basketball do the talking. It’s kind of nice, isn’t it? If you missed any of our Sunday wrap show on YouTube, it’s here available as a podcast. We’re also expanding our coverage with Ball Up Top on Wednesdays, a Thursday night recap and weekend preview pod on Fridays and the Wrap on Sundays. Right when you need it, we’re ramping up for the stretch run as well. So tell a friend to tell a friend so you can stay up to date on all the action as we barrel towards one of the most fun Finals chases we’ve had in the W in the last four or five years. Now, to the column! 1. Phee vs. A’ja For MVP. Buckle Up, Folks. Guys, it’s okay to debate about awards. We don’t need to kumbaya and treat this like everyone gets a trophy at the end of the year. It’s sports. It’s competitive. As long as things stay within the lines (a big ask, I know), we should be comfortable standing behind our faves and their on-court cases for major awards. It’s part of what makes the game fun! To that end, the race for MVP is officially on. After A’ja Wilson’s 36 point ,13 rebound performance against Washington I opined on Bluesky that eventually the multi-time MVP had to be taking the lead in the race if she continued to do this. It was out of Napheesa Collier’s control, being injured and all, but if another player is repeatedly putting up guady statlines in your absence we’ve gotta have the conversation at some point, right? Well, Phee returned to the Lynx lineup after 22 days out and put up 32 points and 9 rebounds on 11/16 from the field, 2/3 from deep and 8/9 from the line. Game on. With just seven or so games left in the regular season, and one matchup against each other, this MVP race is shaping up to be one for the ages. To put it in historical context, we’ve had two truly close battles for the award in the last 15 years in the W. In 2023, Breanna Stewart edged out Alyssa Thomas by just seven total votes and Wilson by 13 to win. Ten years earlier, Candace Parker outlasted Maya Moore by a mere 16 votes. It wouldn’t surprise me if this season is just as close. Wilson has been the engine of a Las Vegas Aces turnaround that no one seemed to think was possible. Since the All-Star break, the reigning MVP is averaging 24.2 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game all while propelling the Aces to a 10 game winning streak. Collier has been the difference between the Lynx being a very good finals team and a historically great one. She’s having her most efficient shooting year ever, is flirting with a 50-40-90 season (currently 54.3% FG, 37.8% 3PT, 90.7% FT) and still remains one of the top defensive players in the league. You can’t really go wrong with either and if I bristled at the notion of pre-emptively awarding Wilson the MVP last season after just one month of play, I have to be consistent and say the same about Collier now. It’s a legit race and that September 4th matchup between the two may just be a Game of the Year contender. 2. Dominique Malonga For Sixth Woman of the Year? It’s Not That Crazy When You Think About It… One of my favorite things to do is watch team social media accounts towards the end of the year. Subtly, you start to see little posts and pieces of content that range from subtly including historical context in stats to outright announcing MVP candidacies. On Saturday, Seattle Storm PR put out a curious tweet that led me to believe they’re trying to quietly push a narrative to the forefront… Kind of interesting to make sure to include two Sixth Player of the Year winners, eh? Almost as if the wheels are turning to try and make a push for French rookie Dominique Malonga to be involved in the race. On the surface, one might think that it’s a bit late for this. I even wrote the other week in Five Out that Malonga was a lot like Rickea Jackson in that they came on extremely strong late in their rookie seasons but they hadn’t been out-front early enough to be in contention for an honor like Rookie of the Year. But when I started to dive into the Sixth Woman of the Year numbers, I realized the Storm may actually have a point. Since the All-Star break, Malonga has averaged 12.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game on just 20.5 minutes per game. Her field goal percentage sits at around 57% from the field while she’s also become quite a prolific offensive board getter. Anyone watching her can see the potential, from her length to her defense down to the little things like her ability to reset screens and be an effective roller. When you start to find statistical equalizers, like Per 36 Minutes numbers, Malonga’s average skyrocket to 19.9 points and 12.4 rebounds per game. Compare that to Naz Hillmon, the Sixth Woman of the Year frontrunner, whose Per 36 averages come out to around 12.4 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. I can understand the argument that arriving late to the party can take you out of contention for a seasonal award and that it can sometimes be the fault of a coach rather than a player. But Sixth Woman of the Year is one of those rare awards where minute variance may actually be somewhat acceptable. After all, it’s an honor for the best bench player in the league. You could make an argument that Malonga isn’t your normal rotational center but, as of now, she hasn’t started in a single game this year. Maybe she should be getting a little more play than we’ve given her this year? 3. Are The Liberty Too Hurt To Contend? After a dreadful two-loss weekend, the New York Liberty have now lost four of their last five and are now in a dogfight to keep a top four seed in the playoffs. Keep in mind, the difference between No. 4 and No. 5 is home court advantage in the best-of-3 opening round. To say that it matters a bit more in the WNBA would be an understatement. For example, if you’re New York wouldn’t you rather get Phoenix or Seattle at home rather than on the road in an elimination game? But my concern is that this has just been the year from hell in terms of injuries. I know Indiana fans can relate. The Liberty are down basically their entire bench frontcourt plus Breanna Stewart and now Sabrina Ionescu has picked up an injury that sidelined her in a pivotal Saturday matchup against Atlanta. At this point I’m genuinely not sure who else they can lose and still remain competitive.The belief is that Ionescu’s injury isn’t long term and that Stewart is aiming to be back before the playoffs but that still doesn’t solve the issue of Nyara Sabally (knee injury) and Izzy Harrison (concussion), two vital rotational pieces for New York. You saw it against Chicago, in which Emma Meesseman and Jonquel Jones were simply outrun by the trio of Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso and Elizabeth Williams. Against the best and deepest frontcourts in the league, how long can you expect to reasonably hold out before the dam breaks? New York’s greatest asset last season was their depth and the ability to throw out talented and versatile defenders at any point in the game. They legitimately ran 8 deep with 6’1+ long defenders that could also shoot. Those players are still on the roster, the issue is that a good chunk of them are in street clothes. With just a couple weeks until the playoffs, the Liberty are caught between two hard places: they need to win games but also need to be patient with their stars to prep for a long postseason run. I don’t envy Sandy Brondello but if you dig deep and prove your championship bonafides with a skeleton crew roster, you’ll be set up well to win it all when you get everybody back. 4. The WNBA’s Treatment of the Mohegan Tribe Is As Bad Optically As It Is Economically…I have a video coming on YouTube today that explores this more in depth but the gist of it is this: the WNBA is screwing up the Connecticut Sun deal to a point where I genuinely am wondering if the only route to true success for this league is to divest from the NBA entirely. For those that need a quick refresher: the Sun were going to sell the team for about $325 million to a former Boston Celtics minority owner named Steve Pagliuca. His idea would be to buy the team, relocate them to Boston and play some games in Providence on the dates that conflicted at TD Garden with the Celtics and Bruins. The WNBA, more or less, spiked that deal, hoping to entice the Mohegan Tribe to sell the franchise to the league for roughly $250 million so they could relocate it to a market of their choice, preserving Boston as an expansion franchise that could fetch a hefty fee. This past week, further reporting came out that the Sun are considering taking the team completely off the market with an added revelation that the WNBA had come to the Tribe with an offer to buy the team and relocate them to Cleveland once before. I’m no Juris Doctor but it feels like messing with someone’s business like this constitutes some type of tortious interference. If the argument is “well the Tribe aren’t owners but instead Governors of a franchise that is owned by the league thus they can set the market”, are we not talking about a monopoly? Let’s face it: the economics here are terrible. I’ll eventually have a full column about why the W would be foolish to follow the NBA’s business practices of short-term gains at the expense of long-term fandoms but let’s focus on the Sun for now. Yes, the NBA and its existing Board of Governors comprise the majority of the WNBA’s control and voting power. But what kind of message does it send to the non-affiliated owners — Larry Gottesdiener and his group in Atlanta, the Alters in Chicago, Force 10 in Seattle or even L.A.’s consortium — and what their value to the league itself is? It’s no secret that there’s always been a schism between the non-NBA circle and the existing powers-that-be. The issue is now the shamelessness of the current cultural moment has brought that to light and now we’re seeing just how much of a ratfuck this is all turning into. What exactly is the incentive for even billionaires like a Jimmy Haslem (the money behind the Nashville expansion bid) or the big money involved in Austin’s expansion to even try? The message being sent here is ‘we’re taking care of the NBA guys first and then we’ll talk’. And, given that the NBA has just sort of fallen upwards into its’ success on the back of a TV rights bubble that seemingly is never going to pop, is that really who you want to take your cues from? And why does every WNBA franchise have to be rooted in an NBA city? On one hand, the idea of full-year round basketball in a market carries some interest but the WNBA is also trying to establish itself as its own unique brand away from its’ male counterpart. Isn’t a market like a Nashville or Austin more interesting? But beyond that, I have a huge issue with how this all looks. The Mohegan Tribe, as I’ve outlined before, are one of the most successful ownership groups in the WNBA’s history. None of these supposed business geniuses in the NBA managed to turn a profit for their W franchises in the early years of the league. The Tribe did. Many of the NBA owners didn’t even care to have a team, let alone take care of it. At a time when the W was on life support, the Tribe stepped up. It feels a little on-the-nose to have a collection of moneyed white dudes try to shortchange and dictate terms of ownership to one of just two Native American ownership groups in professional sports. As I’ve written before, the message is a terrible one on a bunch of different levels. Basically, you’re telling the independent owners who helped build the league to where it is that their contributions aren’t valued and that what Tilman Fertitta wants, Tilman Fertitta gets. To be clear, I’m not naïve. This is capitalism, baby, and the way of the world as we know it. But just because things exist as they are doesn’t mean we immediately have to shrug our shoulders and bury our heads in the sand. It’s underhanded and unnecessary. My hope now is that the Tribe pulls the sale, takes the exciting core that they have and goes and wins a title with it in a few years. Make Cathy hand you that trophy with a smile on your face. 5. Paige vs. Caitlin And How To Keep Arguments Straight…Paige Bueckers is finally receiving the Caitlin Clark treatment. After a 44 point explosion against Los Angeles late last week, the 2025 No. 1 overall pick was blitzed, double and tripled in the subsequent two games against Seattle and Golden State. While she managed to not allow that to turn into turnovers, Bueckers shot uncharacteristically bad from the field (2/7 vs. Seattle, 3/12 vs. Golden State) which brought an end to her season-long double figure scoring streak. Still, 30 games above 10 points per on average is pretty damn good. Here’s where things get a little fuzzy and why we have to keep our arguments straight with regard to Paige and the others she’s compared to. Yes, the Wings rookie has had a tough adjustment to the type of swarming defense Clark received all the way through her debut season. But that doesn’t necessarily matter in the Rookie of the Year race. Is Sonia Citron getting the Caitlin Clark treatment? Has she the entire year? No? Then it shouldn’t necessarily be part of the argument for Rookie of the Year. Furthermore, there is no doubt that CC managed to improve her team in her first WNBA campaign, guiding the Fever to the playoffs after a 13-27 season the year prior. Is Paige doing that? Not particularly. But it’s worth noting the Washington Mystics are 3-7 since trading Brittney Sykes so if we’re utilizing a ‘rookie makes team better’ argument, it hasn’t really borne itself out even with Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron getting expanded roles. This isn’t to take digs on Soni’s ROTY candidacy. Instead, it’s to try and give us all a little perspective and understanding that Paige for Rookie of the Year and Paige as the next Caitlin Clark are two separate arguments. If you want to make the argument that CC was better than Paige is as a rookie on the above basis, then we can have that discussion. But using those points and trying to apply them to Paige vs. Sonia for Rookie of the Year is a moot point when neither player are getting the same treatment Caitlin did on a number of fronts. We can be fans, and sometimes even stans, but we gotta keep it ethical. If you’re gonna be a hater, be unabashed in your haterdom. Let everyone upfront where you’re at and where you’re coming from. But if you want to argue on ethical terms, then we have to least keep the arguments consistent across the board. We’ve gotten some requests recently about additional donations for the NCS crew. If you don’t want to do a full subscription but want to support our work in any capacity, we are also opening up donations via Venmo as well. For those that have asked, we can’t tell you how much we appreciate and rest assured it is going back into the company to provide you with the best WBB coverage you can find! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nocapspace.substack.com

The 'Ball-Knowers' WNBA Watch Guide & Thursday Recap: Weekend of August 22 - August 25

As the WNBA regular season prepares to make way for the playoffs, we at No Cap Space WBB wanted to do something for the fans that just can’t get enough. On Friday mornings here and on YouTube, we’ll have a recap of Thursday’s game action as well as the Watch Guide in video and podcast form. Now, you’ll get the best of every world: A week recap/weekend preview on Friday, a weekend recap/week preview on Monday and the biggest topics in the game on Wednesdays for Ball Up Top. Today we’re discussing Angel Reese’s impact now that she’s fully healthy for Chicago, the Aces complete turnaround and where Phoenix goes from here. After the review, we look at the week ahead. The Watch Guide remains the same, giving you even deeper dives on what to watch for as the standings get tighter and the stakes higher. We’ve gotten some requests recently about additional donations for the NCS crew. If you don’t want to do a full subscription but want to support our work in any capacity, we are also opening up donations via Venmo as well. For those that have asked, we can’t tell you how much we appreciate and rest assured it is going back into the company to provide you with the best WBB coverage you can find!Friday, August 15Minnesota Lynx (28-7) vs. Indiana Fever (19-16): 7:30 PM ET, IONWhy It’s Worth a Watch: Minnesota is on the final leg of a three game road trip that included New York and Atlanta (both losses). Oh, and it’s a back-to-back tonight against the Fever who are coming off five days rest. Tired legs vs. fresh legs. You do the math. Yet in spite of that disadvantage, I wouldn’t be shocked if the Lynx made this a game. Matchups like this are the difference between playoff contenders and champions. Meanwhile, Indiana is fighting for their postseason lives. A win here could get you closer to Phoenix and New York, but a loss brings you a bit too close to the 8th or even 9th seed. There’s your stakes. What to Watch For: Jessica Shepard had a phenomenal night against Brittney Griner and Bri Jones, pacing Minnesota with 15 points and 16 rebounds so I’m interested in her upcoming battle with Aliyah Boston. Courtney Williams will probably want a bounceback game after a 3-14 performance in the loss to Atlanta. For the Fever, I’m watching how Odyssey Sims plays given her ever increasing significance. They need to start fast because Minnesota won’t let them back into a game the way Connecticut did. Must Watch Score: 8.5/10Seattle Storm (18-18) vs. Dallas Wings (9-27): 7:30 PM ET, IONWhy It’s Worth a Watch: The Storm, like the Fever, are trying to stave off postseason elimination. With about eight or nine (depending on the team) games left in the regular season, every win counts. Seattle has just a half game lead on Los Angeles who don’t play again until next Tuesday. All the pressure is on them in this matchup as Dallas just plays for the end of the year. What to Watch For: Paige Bueckers went thermonuclear against L.A., setting multiple records en route to a 44 point performance, and I’m curious how she follows that up. Skylar Diggins and Brittney Sykes are much better defenders than Kelsey Plum and Julie Allemand, so how will Bueckers adjust? In light of her performance, will Chris Koclanes decide to empower her by running things through her more? There’s a lot of cool to follow there. Unfortunately, I have a feeling the Storm frontcourt is going to tear the Wings apart. To that end, Dominique Malonga may have herself a game. If we get big minutes from her, this game turns into a really fun future superstars showcase. Must Watch Score: 7.5/10Golden State Valkyries (18-17) vs. Phoenix Mercury (21-14): 10:00 PM ET, IONWhy It’s Worth a Watch: This game has some of the highest stakes of the weekend from a postseason positioning standpoint. The Mercury were run out of the gym on Thursday night against Las Vegas and now welcome in a Valkyries team that has the capability of doing the same. Golden State, for their part, wants to keep pace with Indiana and can draw level with them if the Fever lose to Minnesota. What to Watch For: The Mercury started to flow in the second quarter when they ran the offense a little less through Alyssa Thomas. The unintended consequence was Thomas looking visibly frustrated at times. I can attribute that to a fierce competitor who really wants to win but sometimes it feels like Kahleah Copper needs to be a bit more than a spot up shooter. How this big three of AT, Kah and Satou Sabally handle these big moments is important to understanding just how far they can this postseason. Must Watch Score: 9/10Saturday, August 16New York Liberty (22-14) vs. Atlanta Dream (23-13): 2:00 PM ET, CBSWhy It’s Worth a Watch: I think Phoenix is fading a bit so I’d argue that New York, Atlanta and Las Vegas are the three teams vying for that second seed. Right now, the Dream hold a half game lead on the Aces and a full game lead on the Liberty. You see where I’m going with this? One game can be the difference between 2nd and 4th. Every single game matters especially in the W’s playoff format. A top four seed has home court advantage for the Best-of-3 first round. If you’re Atlanta or New York and drop one too many, you might end up in a much harder do-or-die playoff situation if it comes to that. Plus, we get some amazing individual matchups. Game of the Season candidate if both teams play to their potential. What to Watch For: Sabrina Ionescu and Rhyne Howard feel very similar in that they can run hot and cold as shooters. When they’re on, the 2020 and 2021 number one picks are top 8 players in the league. When they’re off, it can look like Spice Adams shooting threes in open gym. If even one is cooking on Saturday, we’re in for a treat. Natasha Cloud vs. Allisha Gray is a great defensive stopper vs. dominant scorer matchup while the chess match between Sandy Brondello and Karl Smesko should be a blast for scheme scholars. Must Watch Score: 9.5/10Las Vegas Aces (23-14) vs. Washington Mystics (16-20): 3:00 PM ET, League PassWhy It’s Worth a Watch: The Mystics are on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs but that doesn’t mean they’re completely out. All it would take is a couple wins to be right back in the mix. The only tough part is they’re facing off against the hottest team in the WNBA right now. Could it get out of hand? Maybe. But there’s a cool narrative thread happening with these two teams. Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen bear some resemblance as players to Jackie Young and A’ja Wilson which gives us this cool young team vs. what-they-can-be story. What to Watch For: A’ja Wilson has been on fire this August which will make this game a great test for Kiki Iriafen. In a lot of ways, it’s A’ja vs. Baby A’ja. A matchup of single-leg-sleevers. Potentially great television. Speaking of must-watch players, Chelsea Gray has successfully turned the clock back three years. The Point Gawd has returned to form at last and looks as good as she looked in the 2022 Conference Semifinals vs. Seattle. If you’ve been around, you know what I mean. If you haven’t, here you go. Enjoy. How Sonia Citron handles her and Jackie Young will be a fun storyline as well. Must Watch Score: 7.5/10Connecticut Sun (8-27) vs. Chicago Sky (9-26): 4:00 PM ET, CBSSNWhy It’s Worth a Watch: Both the Sky and Sun have been eliminated from the playoffs so you’d expect this to be a pair of teams that are just going through the motions before the year is out. Right? Wrong. Tyler Marsh and Rachid Meziane are building cultures in their respective cities and a game like this matters. It’s why you see the Sky beating New York and the Sun winning three in their last four. I expect the players to come out with the same energy they have all season and treat this like something it may not even be. That’s what makes both teams fun future buys… What to Watch For: This frontcourt battle is going to be a blast. Olivia Nelson-Ododa, who has come on strong late in the year, and Tina Charles taking on Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese. Size, scoring, versatility, intensity. You get it all. There’s also a fun LSU vs. LSU story with Reese meeting Sun rookie Aneesah Morrow. Connecticut’s backcourt duo of Saniya Rivers and Leila Lacan is quickly becoming one of my favorite tandems in the league and when they’re shooting well it’s legitimately a treat to watch. Must Watch Score: 7/10Sunday, August 17Seattle Storm (18-18) vs. Washington Mystics (16-20): 3:00 PM ET, League PassWhy It’s Worth a Watch: Not only is this Brittney Sykes’ first trip back to Washington since they traded her, this one feels like a bit of a make-or-break for the Mystics. A loss to the Aces will put them right on the edge of the cliff but a second loss to Seattle would tip them off the rocks and into the water. The schedule feels ripe for the Storm to rip off two wins before the last two games (Indiana, Minnesota) of their five game road stand. Can they do it against a Mystics team — one that’s won the previous two matchups against Seattle, it should be noted — that will probably be fighting for their playoff lives? What to Watch For: I don’t even know if we’d get it but I want to see Dominique Malonga vs. Kiki Iriafen minutes. Those two are, to me, future All-WNBA forwards. In the backcourt, Brittney Sykes sees her old Mystics teammate in Sonia Citron. Given that the trade was, on some level, motivated by Washington going all in on Citron and Iriafen and letting Sykes go to a win-now team, will there be any added intensity? Especially given that the playoffs are more or less on the line? I would like to see it! Must Watch Score: 7/10Golden State Valkyries (18-17) vs. Dallas Wings (9-27): 4:00 PM ET, League PassWhy It’s Worth a Watch: These are the exact games that no playoff hopeful should drop if they want to stay in the hunt. Dallas is inconsistent but has shown the ability to scare the hell out of (or even beat) teams that are better than them on-paper. Golden State is also a somewhat streaky team, winning or losing in bunches. If there’s a game on the schedule that feels like it could become weird in a hurry, it’s this one. What to Watch For: Veronica Burton vs. Paige should be pretty fun. The former Northwestern superstar is a top candidate for Most Improved Player and has really come into her own as an impact player on both ends of the floor. How she defends Paige will be a cool battle to watch. Golden State has the size advantage and I’ve spilt enough ink about the Wings frontcourt issue. It wouldn’t surprise me if we saw a big game out of Iliana Rupert or Janelle Salaun. Must Watch Score: 7/10Indiana Fever (19-16) vs. Minnesota Lynx (28-7): 7:00 PM ET, CBSSNWhy It’s Worth a Watch: All the reasons outlined above, except even more stakes. What to Watch For: What that↑ said. Must Watch Score: 8/10Monday, August 18Connecticut Sun (8-27) vs. New York Liberty (22-14): 7:00 PM ET, League PassWhy It’s Worth a Watch: This might be the most skippable matchup of the weekend but there’s still some possibility.. Belgian superstar Emma Meesseman sees her former national team head coach across the floor in Rachid Meziane and Connecticut does have an advantage in this one, assuming the injury report remains the same throughout the weekend. The Liberty’s loss to the Sky showed that their lack of depth in the frontcourt leaves them vulnerable over the course of a game especially if the threes stop falling. Connecticut does have a decent rotation of Tina Charles, ONO and Aaliyah Edwards. Maybe we might see something we weren’t expecting. After all, it happened at the start of August!What to Watch For: Assuming Izzy Harrison, Nyara Sabally and Breanna Stewart are out for this game as well, the frontcourt minutes for New York will be vital. Jonquel Jones needs to continue to be the 20+ point per game scorer she is capable of being while Sabrina Ionescu just needs a couple threes to fall. But Connecticut will have Tina Charles to counter and Nelson-Ododa, who to me feels like the player that will decide this matchup. If she is playing her best, she can be a dimension New York doesn’t have right now. Must Watch Score: 6.5/10Las Vegas Aces (23-14) vs. Chicago Sky (9-26): 8:00 PM ET, NBATVWhy It’s Worth a Watch: This is another fun frontcourt matchup and while it’s likely to end in a blowout, we get Angel vs. A’ja. How will Becky Hammon handle her interior? Wilson on Kamilla Cardoso with NaLyssa Smith on Reese? Do they go bigger with Kiah Stokes and play them more traditionally, letting the shooters take advantage of the Sky’s perimeter defense? And it’s crazy to believe given that the season is almost over but this Tyler Marsh and Becky Hammon’s first time meeting one another as head coaches. What to Watch For: Wilson is on a tear right now and this feels like one of those games where the master shows the pupils how it’s done. Both Reese and Cardoso will be superstars in their own rite but for now the belt belongs to A’ja. I’m a sucker for young upstars vs. bonafide champions so this is right up my alley. Must Watch Score: 8/10If You Can Only Watch One Game A Day…Friday, August 22 - Minnesota Lynx (28-7) vs. Indiana Fever (19-16): 7:30 PM ET, IONSaturday, August 23 - New York Liberty (22-14) vs. Atlanta Dream (23-13): 2:00 PM ET, CBSSunday, August 24 - Seattle Storm (18-18) vs. Washington Mystics (16-20): 3:00 PM ET, League PassMonday, August 25 - Las Vegas Aces (23-14) vs. Chicago Sky (9-26): 8:00 PM ET, NBATVHonorable Mentions -Friday, August 22 - Golden State Valkyries (18-17) vs. Phoenix Mercury (21-14): 10:00 PM ET, IONNo Cap Space WBB is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nocapspace.substack.com

A Packed Night of Games, The Lynx-Liberty Rivalry and A'ja's Amazing Aces | Ball Up Top: A WBB Podcast

Welcome to Ball Up Top, a weekly podcast from No Cap Space WBB. Every Tuesday morning, you can find a show in your emails or social feeds that touches on all the trending topics in women’s basketball. The crew will rotate based on availability, whether it’s Tyler, Andrew, Chauny, Greer or Rashard.It’s Tyler, Chauny and Greer on this episode of Ball Up Top: A WBB Podcast, recording on a Wednesday morning to make sure you got all the most recent reactions to a stacked Tuesday night of games. The Liberty defeated the Lynx, the Sun upset the Mystics while the Sky showed some fight and the race tightens between Las Vegas, Phoenix and Atlanta. Our crew discusses all the major WNBA action from last night while taking a look at some of the more macro stories in the league as well. Is A’ja Wilson really making an MVP push? What do we make of the Connecticut Sun’s franchise sale troubles and how much much tighter can the seeding race get in the WNBA? If you love the show, we’d love and appreciate a five star rating on Apple podcasts as well as a kind review if you’ve got the time! We’re also on the road to 5,000 subscribers on YouTube and 2,000 followers on TikTok so if you enjoy our content here, tell a friend to tell a friend to follow us on their preferred platform! Additionally, we’ve gotten some requests recently about additional donations for the NCS crew. If you don’t want to do a full subscription but want to support our work in any capacity, we are also opening up donations via Venmo as well. For those that have asked, we can’t tell you how much we appreciate and rest assured it is going back into the company to provide you with the best WBB coverage you can find! Scroll Ahead to Hear… 0:00 - Show Introduction.2:05 - Lynx vs. Liberty Recap.17:10 - The Race For A Top 4 Seed.20:53 - The Aces Late Season Surge.28:40 - How For Real Is Phoenix? Ball Up Top: A WBB Podcast is brought to you in part by Homefield. Just this past week they revealed the full Can’t Miss Kickoff release schedule with hundreds of new football themed products to get you ready for the fall! Want some women’s hoops merch instead? Check out our No Cap Space WBB collection, a curated page of all of Homefield’s best WBB shirts, jackets, jerseys and more!Our intro music is made by Denver’s own DLZMKSBTS, the King of Mile Hi-Fi. Check out all his music on Spotify here and on Instagram here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nocapspace.substack.com