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Nahhh. The New York Liberty, Joe Tsai’s other team, tried to snap their four-game losing streak on Tuesday night, but the Minnesota Lynx kept the bad times going with a 16 point win. NY has two more games to go on this road trip before coming home.
The opponent tonight will be the Dallas Wings. Tsai bought the Liberty from James Dolan early this year. Friday of course, he agreed to pay a grand total of $3.5 billion for the Nets and Barclays Center earlier Friday
Where to follow the game
CBS Sports Network is the place to be, and for those of us who have DirecTV, we'll be able to watch the game. Tip off after 8 PM.
Injuries
Asia Durr is doubtful with a groin injury while Amanda Zahui B is questionable.
Skylar Diggins Smith, Tayler Hill, and Azura Stevens are out.
The game
The Liberty took the first game while the Wings got game two.
So, here's something that happened:
WNBA FIGHT!!!
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) August 11, 2019
Brittney Griner goes after Kristine Anigwe, throws punches & gets ejected on her bobblehead night.
5 other players (including inactive Diana Taurasi) were also ejected. pic.twitter.com/vbhWyag2xw
That fight last weekend cost Kristine Anigwe and Kayla Thornton two games. We'll get to the other half of this equation in a few days. On a larger scale, the coverage has left a lot to be desired. Tamyrn Spruill of The Athletic and our sister site Swish Appeal wrote the following:
Without equivocation, on-court fights and off-court conduct issues are not a good look for the WNBA. But those incidents do not make up even one-fourth of what the league is about, with many stories of triumph and perseverance persistently overlooked by mainstream entities. If, for example, Good Morning America had invited All-Star Game MVP Erica Wheeler on the show to discuss her “undrafted to unforgettable” feats, it is unlikely that “Mama Loyd” and others would take issue with the show also covering the punches thrown in last night’s contest.
The point made there is spot on. It's unfair to swoop in with coverage when something negative happens when you ignore and discount the league every other time of the year.
On the court, we'll have a good matchup in the backcourt. For the Wings, Arike Ogunbowale will be leading the charge. The rookie is coming off the best game of her pro career as she scored 35 points and knocked down three from downtown against the Sparks. Ogunbowale has gotten her shots to fall more consistently this month as her 47.6 percent from the field and 23.4 points a night has her looking like she did when she led Notre Dame to the National Championship.
For New York, Kia Nurse has been slumping and as it happens, so has the team. Since the break, she's put up a .288/.238/.692 shooting split in five games.
Player to watch: Glory Johnson
As one of the more experienced players on the team, Johnson is someone that can help guide the younger players on the squad. As her career has progressed, she's expanded her range out to the three point line and is one of the best shooters from deep in the W. As the Wings gradually add more talent, Johnson will be able to help guide the team into a deep playoff run.
With the Wings being shorthanded, that presents an opportunity for Tina Charles. After a rough month of July, Charles has looked like her old self this month. She's averaging 16 points and seven boards while shooting an impressive 47 percent from the field. Look for the team to feature her a bit more to take full advantage of Dallas' predicament.
Jam session
I spent yesterday bumping Anita Baker. You should too
- New York Liberty Game Notes - New York Liberty