2018 WNBA: April 12

man, Ariel looks so good and smooth!

 

Ariel lighting it up again against the Lynx this time. 11 points at the half!

 

Yeah, because Ariel wasn’t shooting and making spot up 3pt shots while at Texas.

 

Ariel with a solid night. However, Seattle handed Washington their first loss of the season.

 

is Ariel starting yet? Man, she is doing well so far.

 

Stats for Ariel through four games: (does not include last night’s game with Seattle):
STAT (team rank out of 12 players)
19.8 mpg (6th)
9.3 ppg (4th)
2.3 rpg (tied for 7th)
1.3 apg (5th)
1.3 spg (tied for 1st)
0.3 bpg (tied for 2nd with 4 others; three with 0.5 bpg)
1.5 TOs per game (4th)
2.8 fouls per game (tied for 3rd for most fouls per game)
14-33 FGs (4th in both FGs made & FGs attempted)
42.4 FG % (8th)
9-20 BTA (2nd in 3pters made & attempted)
45.0 % BTA (2nd to Walker-Kimbrough who has made 2-4 BTA)
No FTs attempted yet

 

I'm really impressed with the Mystics this season. Without Delle Donne, Hill or Cloud playing last night, they hang with the Storm in Seattle, and lose by just four. And Ariel's ppg average is now 11 (one of four Mystics averaging double figures).

 

Ariel has definitely justified the Mystics drafting her so high.
https://www.hookem.com/2018/05/30/starters-ariel-atkins-catching-fast-wnbas-mystics/

 

Ariel getting her first start tonight! Happy for her, but I kind of like her coming off the bench and firing things up for the Mystics!

 

Understandable though. The Mystics have been sleepwalking out of the gate even though they are 4-1.

 

It’s the Kristi Tolliver and Ariel Atkins show through 2.5 quarters.

 

Ariel now with 20 pts!

 

Not a good sign for Phoenix - losing by 20 to an EDD-less Mystics squad. Tolliver, Atkins and Hawkins really lifting the team.

 

Geez, Ariel sure providing Washington with highlites!

 

Again. For the people that think Ariel came from out of nowhere or that Coach Aston didn’t coach her well. Here’s her numbers from this past season.

She shot 53% from the field overall which is great especially for a guard. And she shot 42% from 3pt range. Which is also great especially considering the fact that she had over 100 3pt attempts and she averaged 15 points a game. That certainly looks like Coach Aston did a great job of coaching her to me.

 

Not a good game for the Mystics today, but Tina was in town to watch Ariel!

 

Mystics are 5-3 through Sunday, fourth overall in the league.

Stats link: http://www.espn.com/wnba/team/stats/_/name/wsh/washington-mystics

Through the seven games as listed on the Mystics’ stats page, Ariel’s stats are as follows:

12.3 ppg (3rd)
32 of 72 FGs (tied for 2nd in FGs made & 2nd in FGAs)
44.4 FG% (7th)
13-32 from BTA (tied for 2nd in 3pters made & 2nd in 3pters attempted)
40.6 3pter % (4th)
9-12 FTs (5th in FT made & 5th in FTAs)
75.0 FT% (tied for 7th)
2.1 RPG (tied for 8th)
1.7 APG (5th)
9 steals (1st)
2 blocks (tied with five others for 2nd)
15 TOs (2nd)
22 fouls (2nd)

Just a couple of notes: EDD has missed four of the seven games. Counting Sunday’s game, she has missed half the games to date: four.

Ariel was the leading scorer vs the Conn. Sun in Sunday’s game with 14 pts on 4-13 from the field, 2-6 from BTA and 4-4 from the FT line. She also had only one TO and one PF.

 

She is doing really well!! Not many rookies get to start...way to go, Ariel!!

 

I wonder what's going on with Imani? She isn't getting any PT tonight in a tight game with the Suns. Is she just not fitting in with the Dream's game plans? She's been good enough to make the team, so I'm not sure. I wish she could get back with Pokey Chatman (now coaching Indiana). Indiana seems to be in need of some height too.

 

It is really perplexing about Imani. I had expected her to not necessarily dominate, but to be a starter and possibly an All Star every now and then.

She is not shooting well but, then, seven of the players (including her) are shooting under 40%.

 

Good interview with Ariel

 

Just a reminder: Washington will face off with Conn on ESPN2 at 6 PM tomorrow (Wed. June 13). Our first chance to see Ariel on national TV!

 

Through nine games going into Wed’s game vs Conn:
Ariel has played in all nine games, starting the last four.
Stats for Ariel: (EDD’s stats are for five games only)

4th in total minutes played (195 = 21.7 mpg)
3rd in scoring average at 12.2 ppg (EDD is first)
9th in rebounding average at 2.2 rpg
4th in assists per game at 1.6 apg
2nd in steals per game at 1.1 spg
Tied for 4th for blocks per game at 0.2 bpg
2nd with 16 TOs (1.8 TOPG)
2nd with 27 fouls (3.0 PFPG)
2nd in FGs made with 41 (4.6 FGs made per game)
1st in FGs attempted with 97 (10.8 FGs attempted per game)
9th in FG% at 42.3%
2nd in 3pters made with 15 (1.7 3pter made per game)
2nd in 3pters attempted with 41 (4.6 3pter attempted per game)
4th in 3pter FG% at 36.6%
4th in FTs made with 13 (1.4 FTs made per game)
4th in FTs attempted with 16 (1.8 FTs attempted per game)
6th on the team in FT% at 81.3%

Have to hope that Imani is not hurt. After playing in the first five games, she has not played in the last three. We will have to see if she plays in tonight’s game vs LA. The game will on NBATV at 9:30 PM.

 

I’m beginning to wonder if they’re holding her out to avoid injury so they can possibly trade her.

 

There goes that theory - Imani getting minutes vs the Sparks tonight.