- 6 months ago
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Indianapolis, Caitlin Clark, the Fever playing host to All-Star Weekend.
00:05But the story this year, sadly, for CeCe, has been dealing with injuries
00:09that have plagued her second year in the W,
00:12that have not plagued basically the entirety of her basketball career prior.
00:17She missed her 11th game yesterday as the Fever took on the New York Liberty,
00:21entering the All-Star break.
00:23Sixth game now, DRS, in the last three weeks,
00:26plus dealing with a groin injury that she re-aggravated
00:30at the end of Tuesday night's game for Indiana.
00:34Not a great sign for Caitlin Clark, still dealing with that groin injury.
00:39Imaging is what caused her to miss last night,
00:42but it certainly puts her status in doubt
00:44for all that was planned this weekend for Clark and the Fever in Indy.
00:49Yeah, it's a shame, too, because, again, the brightest stars at the All-Star Game,
00:52that's why people want to tune in and watch.
00:54So when you look at the rest of the season,
00:56it's up to the Indiana Fever to save maybe Caitlin Clark from herself.
01:00Now, we also saw some of the indications of, you know, Caitlin and her team.
01:04Like, and the team, I don't think, actually meant to be the Indiana Fever,
01:08the team around her.
01:09So what are we actually doing?
01:10Like, it's up to her.
01:11It should be up to the team by saying,
01:12hey, look, we need you down the stretch.
01:15We want to win a championship.
01:16The only way we do that is if you're healthy.
01:18I understand for your brand purposes in the WNBA,
01:21yeah, they'd like to see out there making a cameo appearance,
01:23but you should just be getting as healthy as you can off your feet resting
01:27and rehab here as opposed to trying to put on a show
01:29because the one thing you let athletes up to playing, they'll play.
01:32And specifically with these injuries, it's one thing we say,
01:35I have a broken bone and a cast.
01:37I can't play.
01:38But it's hard to tell an athlete, like, well, I'm not used to a groin injury.
01:41I'm not used to a hamstring injury or a quad injury.
01:43I can tough these out.
01:45You can't tough out muscle tissue injuries because they always get worse.
01:49The only way they heal is 100% complete.
01:52Then you get back out on the court.
01:54But athletes are not used to these injuries, feel like they can play through it.
01:57And that's what we're getting, right?
01:58The quad, the hamstring, now the groin.
02:00What else is next?
02:02It's really unfortunate, DRS, because you mentioned those soft tissue injuries.
02:07First, the left quad strain for Kaitlin Clark.
02:09Now she has missed in total six games with this groin injury.
02:13It will be interesting to see her status.
02:15And to your point, DRS, for All-Star Weekend head coach of the Fever, Stephanie White,
02:20was talking about CC's status for last night's game inside the Barclays Center.
02:24They asked her, what is her status for the All-Star festivities?
02:27She is a captain of one of the All-Star squads.
02:30In competition against Nafisa Collier on the other side,
02:34she is expected to compete in the three-point contest.
02:37Her first in her two years in the WNBA.
02:40And Stephanie White basically said, listen, that's not really our decision.
02:43It is up to Clark and her team, meaning her agency and her representation.
02:49Of course, though, DRS, with Steph White saying that,
02:52Indiana is going to have a voice in that conversation, a seat at that table, if you will.
02:59They will recommend, hey, we're going to need Kaitlin Clark here for the stretch run
03:03as we make our playoff push.
03:05Indiana got hammered last night in Brooklyn,
03:08losing to the reigning champs in the New York Liberty by 21, 98-77.
03:13They were a 10-point dog without Clark on the floor.
03:16Didn't really come close to making that a tightly contested game.
03:20Indiana at the end of the opening half, 12-11 DRS.
03:24They sit sixth in the WNBA standings, now 13 teams, now a 44-game season in the W.
03:31The Fever would be comfortably in the playoffs as of this moment,
03:35but it's not like they've got a five-game lead for a playoff spot.
03:38And, of course, they're trying to work their way up those standings
03:41to maybe host a couple of playoff games early on in the opening rounds.
03:45Yeah, we can always play devil's advocate as well.
03:47Like, the WNBA is actually happy that Kaitlin Clark will miss the festivities here
03:51for the All-Star Game and even be more overjoyed if they don't make the playoffs
03:55and have to talk about or deal with her anymore at this point.
03:57But understanding this, you want that higher paycheck like we're looking at for those CBAs
04:01that we're going to be arguing over the next couple years
04:03on what the WNBA players should make.
04:05You better hope Kaitlin Clark's in that All-Star Game.
04:07You better hope they make the playoffs because the one thing networks look at
04:10and people look at are ratings of games and the players and the teams that play in those games.
04:15Those determine how much money you're going to make in the next round of negotiations.
04:19But it is selfish for us to say, we want to see her in the All-Star Game.
04:22We want to see her down the stretch.
04:24Nothing matters for the Fever if she's hobbled.
04:26They're not going to win anything, and she's not going to put on her best performances here.
04:30It's up to them just to shut it down.
04:31We've seen this many times.
04:33Like, Joel Embiid has gone to All-Star Games where his knee's blown up like a balloon.
04:36Like, well, I'm sure I want to go and have the parties and be an All-Star.
04:38And he's like, well, what can we do about it?
04:39You go to the Olympic Games here.
04:41Joel Embiid, boy, it would be nice if he rested the whole summer.
04:43I want to be in the Olympics.
04:44Well, what can we do about it?
04:45Just the way it is.
04:46Sometimes superstars rule the roost, and they tell the teams what I'm doing.
04:50You don't like it?
04:50Well, you know what?
04:51When my contract's up, I'm just going to leave.
04:52How about that?
04:53Okay, do whatever you want.
04:54Yeah, we'll see what Clark ends up doing.
04:58Again, her first festivity is Friday, as of this moment, scheduled for that three-point contest.
05:04But, D.R.S., to your point about the CBA, there's been reports that a lockout, a work stoppage could happen entering the 2026 WNBA season because the two sides seem very far apart, the players and the league.
05:17Clark was going to represent some of the players in those conversations this weekend as well.
05:22Plenty more around the W next.
05:23A five-game slate around the WNBA to end out the final day of action.
05:28Now we are in the All-Star break in the W, a week of All-Star festivities.
05:32First in Atlanta in Major League Baseball, this weekend in Indianapolis for the W.
05:38Of course, our conversation in the last segment focused around the injury status of Caitlin Clark, putting her status up in the air for any of the All-Star festivities or the All-Star game on Saturday night.
05:50But let's get to the action yesterday, D.R.S.
05:53No Angel Reese for the Chicago Sky at home during camp day.
05:57And, oh boy, the Atlanta Dream took advantage.
06:0086-49.
06:02The Dream easily covered as an 11-and-a-half-point road favorite with an early start.
06:08Injuries have been an issue for the Phoenix Mercury entering here this All-Star break.
06:13But no Satu Saboli for Phoenix, no Kalia Copper for the Mercury as well in the final few games ahead of the break.
06:22And without both of those yesterday on the road in Minneapolis against the league's best team in the Lynx, Minnesota made a statement.
06:30Double-digit favorite.
06:31They win by 13.
06:33The Lynx in regular season games remain perfect at home, D.R.S., in the Twin Cities.
06:38They are 12-0 at home.
06:40They have the league's best record.
06:42The only team to 20 wins at the break.
06:44Now 20-4.
06:46Let me ask you a question here, Ben.
06:47The Chicago Sky game.
06:49Angel Reese did not play.
06:51What was the reason for that?
06:52Yeah.
06:53What was it?
06:54Do we know?
06:55She had an injury of sorts.
06:56I don't know what the actual injury was, but she was listed out with an injury.
07:00All right.
07:00So let's just see if you – all-star games coming up.
07:04Did she make the all-star game?
07:06Like, is she in the all-star game?
07:07I would assume so.
07:08Is she supposed to play in the all-star game this weekend and the festivities?
07:11Is it the expectation?
07:14I would assume so, yes.
07:15Yeah, because here's what I'm getting at.
07:17Because I always look like the bigger picture.
07:19Like, it's camp day.
07:20So when it's camp day, what happens usually with the arena?
07:23It's usually a sellout.
07:24But what is it going to be?
07:25All the kids.
07:26Like, the kids that love that sport and like, man, I want to see my favorite player.
07:29Like, if this is one of those instances like, you know what, we'll just throw a leg injury on this
07:32and she'll sit this one out.
07:33They'll get blown out at home.
07:34The kids came to see probably just her play in this game.
07:38Then she reappears in the all-star game.
07:39That's what I'm waiting to see.
07:40If she misses the all-star game, I'm like, you know what?
07:42That was a legit injury at that point.
07:44But there's ways that you do business and ways that you, like, look forward to it.
07:47And that's one of those where – I understand it's a noon game and people still pay tickets at night.
07:52But that's specifically a day for kids to show up in that city and cheer on their absolute favorite player
07:58and she didn't play.
07:59It's not a knock on her because I'm sure it's the last kid's day, man.
08:02You know, forget them kids.
08:03You know what I mean?
08:03I don't care about them.
08:04I just want to get to the all-star break.
08:06But understand the type of business that you're in.
08:08That is a massive day to create a fan base that's 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 that can go to that game
08:14and be like, you know what?
08:15I saw Angel Reefs.
08:15Man, that's such a fun sport.
08:17I'm a WNBA fan for the rest of my life.
08:19And I'm not saying that the kids are going there disappointed because they're excited to go to the big arena
08:23and watch, you know, professional basketball.
08:25But when your favorite player is probably who you were going to see in Chicago doesn't play in that game
08:30because it was a rest sort of day, that misses it, man.
08:33That misses it for me.
08:35So I guess DRS will be paying close attention to the all-star game on Saturday to see what Angel Reefs does.
08:42There you go.
08:43Maybe kids are mad, but Donnie is now more tuned in to the W as well.
08:48We had three – what?
08:51What do they used to say about them kids?
08:52It was like a saying, like – that's like a meme on, like, Twitter and social media about them kids.
08:56What do they say?
08:57Help those kids.
08:58Help them kids.
08:59Oh.
09:00Cultivate.
09:01Oh, that – oh, you might have been – we can't say that on a family-friendly program.
09:06Anyway, the Storm hosted the Valkyries yesterday.
09:09In some more early Camp Day action, Seattle picks up a win.
09:12As we shared earlier, no Caitlin Clark for the Fever.
09:15They got blown out in Brooklyn.
09:17DRS, the New York Liberty started perfect, 9-0, our two reigning teams that played in the WNBA finals last year.
09:24The Lynx and the Liberty, the two top teams now at the all-star break.
09:28New York started 9-0, entered yesterday's game against Indiana, 5-6 since.
09:35They now enter the all-star break, winners of three straight.
09:38They have been doing battle without John Quill Jones, who is a critical factor.
09:42But when Brianna Stewart, our reigning WNBA MVP, goes out there and drops 24 points, 11 boards, 7 dimes, and 4 blocks,
09:49yeah, that's going to lead to a big night for the Liberty.
09:52Yeah.
09:52Now, tough games before the break, Ben.
09:55Do we actually, like, handicapping those?
09:56Because I don't handicap WNBA games.
09:58The reason I ask this is, like, the day before, like, the all-star break, I wonder if it's as crazy as it's supposed to be.
10:04Now, as I look at some of the final scores, not really.
10:07Like, the Dreamer, a better team than the Sky, the Sky without their players, right?
10:11The Lynx are a really good team and better than Mercury.
10:12They handle their business.
10:14The Storm, better record than the Valkyries.
10:15They handle their business.
10:16The Liberty playing the Fever yesterday without their best player, smashed them.
10:21And then the Aces, obviously better than the Wings.
10:23What was that line in that game?
10:24Let me see here real quick if I can search that up.
10:26It was minus 6A, so they didn't cover, but they still won.
10:29Yeah.
10:29So, not the craziness that you might think, like, hey, vacation time.
10:32We're going to party for a couple days.
10:33I'm just looking to get out of town.
10:35Everybody really held serve yesterday, which is interesting.
10:37Just filing that away for maybe if I do bet the WNBA at an all-star break, this might be one of those guidelines.
10:43Like, hey, it didn't really matter.
10:46Stewie, the MVP in 2023, excuse me.
10:48Our reigning MVP is Asia Wilson, who has won two of the previous three.
10:53And she is looking like an MVP when her Las Vegas team has needed her.
10:5737-10 last night following a 34-16 performance.
11:01The Aces have won two straight.
11:03DRS entering the break.
11:05They are back to an even 500 at 11-11.
11:09They beat the Dallas Wings yesterday by 4, 90-86.
11:13But as you alluded to, did not cover on the road in Dallas as a 6.5-point favorite.
11:20And Paige Beckers, another 20-point performance, maybe not her most efficient from the four, 9 of 24.
11:26Paige Beckers, the very hefty favorite DRS to win WNBA Rookie of the Year at minus 6,000.
11:33In the 18 games she has played for Dallas this season, she has now scored 20 in nine of those 18, half of them as things are.
11:45She is going to win Rookie of the Year.
11:46She has had a great season.
11:49Nafisa Collier, as you saw there, the best player for the best team in the W.
11:53A minus 550 favorite to win WNBA MVP.
11:56Hey, by the way, also off the chart here, like the MVP Rookie of the Year, I take a look at the Rookie of the Year.
12:02Quinterly, if she possibly has a chance to win that, if maybe.
12:05Third round draft pick, Ben.
12:07You look through the injuries there, the last six games, 15, 17, 18, 16, 13, and 17 for the Wings at this point right now.
12:14Playing really good basketball.
12:15Usually it's like, hey, the first round and we don't care about anybody else.
12:18How about a third round draft pick, Ben, hooping out with the chance right now.
12:22Maybe a gem out there.
12:23I got to ask J-Y about this one.
12:24Love that, DRS.
12:27The two teams that squared off in the WNBA Finals last year expected to be back.
12:32Plus 170, the New York Liberty, the favorites.
12:34The best team in the W, the Minnesota Lynx, at a plus 210 price.
Comments