^{August 02, 2025 | Edition #119}

👋 Hey, Hoophead!

Forget everything you thought you knew. The second half of the W season has officially entered its chaotic era. Well… except the Lynx are still cruising at the top. And okay, the Valkyries are still in the “Golden State” of grind. But outside of that, the defending champs just hit the dreaded double-digit loss mark. That too, at the hands of the league-worst.

But if all this chaos has your brain spinning, we’ve got something to calm your nerves. An exclusive convo with Natasha Howard that'll give you the most grounded perspective.

Her Time Did Come! Natasha’s Story of Patience

We live in a time where social media tells us everything. And while most stars are quick to jump into the trend, Natasha Howard’s online presence has stood out for one simple reason: it’s mostly Bible quotes. If you’ve been following her, you’ve likely asked the same question many fans have…why only scripture?

Well, in an exclusive conversation with She Got Game, Natasha gave us the most heartwarming answer. “I don’t know what people out here are going through. Some people might need it,” she shared. That right there is Natasha in a nutshell. For her, God has been the constant.

It wasn’t just her life she opened about, though. Natasha also gave us a peek inside the Fever locker room. From the funniest teammate to the undisputed queen of the aux cord, watch Howard spilling secrets!

While it might be a little restless in that locker room, her whole journey, she says, boils down to one word: patience. When asked about her “I made it” moment, she didn’t dive into stats or call out a highlight reel. She said it plainly, “Just being patient in my career. Because you know, coming in, I barely got playing time.”

The standout Florida State star found herself on a path that looked nothing like the one she had imagined. Obviously, 18 starts across four seasons wasn’t the blueprint. But Natasha never lost faith. “Tamika Catchings always told me my time will come,” she recalled. And it did.

That ‘I made it moment’ we asked her about came after spending four years on the bench. “It triggered when I won a championship in Minnesota and when I won a championship in Seattle, twice in Seattle. That was when my time actually came, and I actually figured out who I was as a player,” Tash said. She realised it was time for her to ‘spur her wings’ and that’s exactly what she did.

Truly, a champion, a believer, and a leader. This was just another glimpse into why we love Natasha Howard and the story she continues to write.

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Liberty’s Title Hopes Getting Cloudy

That didn’t go as planned. Two of the league’s top three teams took a tumble, but if we’re being honest, one of those losses felt like a full-on faceplant.

Yes, the Liberty were missing three key players. Yes, they were playing their fifth game in eight days. Still, a 78-62 loss to the bottom-seeded Sun, a team they previously crushed by 48 points, is rough. The defending champs looked absolutely gassed, turning the ball over 23 times (!!) and getting beat 42-29 on the boards. No fight, no flow, and definitely no fun.

Sabrina Ionescu doesn’t believe it’s a lack of effort, though; rather, it’s this reason why they struggled against Connecticut. Still, they’re somehow sitting at No. 2 in the standings, even with this being their longest losing skid since 2022 (4 games). Not to forget, with the Dream, Mercury, and Storm creeping up fast, that title defense is officially in trouble.

And yet, the Liberty aren’t alone in their downward spiral.

Phoenix just had one of their worst games of the season, falling 96-72 to the Dream. The script was way too familiar, though. Hot start and a second-half collapse. Especially in the third quarter, where they dropped just eight points. This particular stat might just confirm what fans have felt has been off lately!

What’s more alarming is that the Mercury have lost three of four on this road trip. A huge contrast to their sweep in June when they weren’t even at full strength. Let’s hope they have learned the hard way!

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Valks Fight for Every Inch in Playoff Push

Let’s hand the stress ball we called for Atlanta fans out to Valks fans now. After barely escaping Atlanta, Golden State found themselves in yet another nail-biter. In Sunday’s deja vu against the Mystics, it looked comfy for a bit.

Valks had a double-digit lead. That comfort was short-lived, though. Washington exploded in the third, snatched the lead for the first time, and suddenly, we had a classic on our hands. At 66-65 with under a minute left, hearts basically stopped until Janelle Salaün came flying in with a fearless, high-stakes layup. Just look at how the bench and announcer lost it!

Washington had one last gasp, but Brittney Sykes’ jumper just didn’t fall, and Golden State walked out with a gritty 68-67 win. It wasn’t pretty. However, it was enough to get them back to .500, eighth playoff spot, and a head-to-head edge over the Mystics.

And just when we thought they were out of gas, GSV rolled into Chicago, exhausted and undermanned, and still pulled out a 73-66 win. The Sky tried to rally in the second half, only to be outscored 21-12 in the fourth. It’s so contrasting how the biggest factor might’ve been Angel Reese’s absence.

Meanwhile, the Indiana Fever, also missing their superstar, have now won more games than they've lost without Caitlin Clark! Dallas’ own star still showed out, though. Paige Bueckers did her thing, dropping a team-high 22 points. But that didn’t come without a scary moment in the third when she took a hard fall.

Even Lexie Hull tried to help her up, but Paige just walked off, visibly frustrated. Watching her have a full-on breakdown courtside gave us chills!

Thankfully, she returned in the fourth, so no worries there. Still, on their own home court, Dallas couldn’t stop Indiana. The 88-78 win extended the Fever’s streak to four straight, with four of five starters scoring in double digits.

Did She Really Say That!? Caitlin Clark Seemingly Whispering “She Hates Me” Fuels Controversy

✨ She Got Glam! ✨

The “core” showed up big for LA. Rickea Jackson led with 27, Hamby and Stevens added 21 each, and Plum rebounded from a slow start to finish with 22. But it was Cameron Brink who impressed fans the most. Even in just her second game back, she packed in two steals, three blocks, and a monster rejection on an All-Star in the fourth quarter. Just look how effortlessly she pulled it off!

Sparks Survive the Wildest Storm

If you were hunting for game of the year, this has to be the one. Double overtime, wild momentum swings, buzzer-beaters, and a finish that literally went down to the final shot - this LA Sparks vs. Seattle Storm matchup had everything you’d want. And the best part was that no matter who walked away with the W, it was a flat-out masterclass in crunch-time execution. Five made buckets in the final minute of regulation with ZERO misses!

Rickea Jackson’s been clutch on repeat lately. She sealed it in Indiana. Silenced New York with a game-winner. And in Seattle, she went straight into the heart of the Storm, slicing through defenders and finishing at the rim with 4 seconds left to force OT. This is the kind of fearless play that flips games and maybe seasons.

Then, when it almost looked like we were going to need triple OT, Dearica Hamby said no. With 4.3 seconds left in 2OT, she delivered the dagger. Skylar Diggins-Smith had a shot to tie it, but the bank was closed as the Sparks took the win, 108-106.

Make no mistake, though, Storm’s Nneka Ogwumike didn’t leave empty-handed. Playing against the team where she once dropped her career-high 38, she finished just one point short of matching it. With that, she became just the sixth player in WNBA history to cross 7,000 career points, but she is the only one to do it with these stunning numbers.

Now, the Sparks are heading home next to face Indiana… and that’s where the real test begins. Because for all their road magic, LA’s been painfully flat in front of their own crowd.

The Aces Might Miss Playoffs?! Here’s Who’s Got the Smoother Ride to the Postseason

📝 More Stories to Check Out

1. Sophie Cunningham Sparks Fan Outrage With Harmless Caitlin Clark Post - Full Story

2. Fans Target Candace Parker's Daughter After Angel Reese Take - Full Story

3. Reporter Warns Wings Against Trading 4× All-Star - Full Story

4. Caitlin Clark Hilariously Confronts Olympian Over Her Courtside Fit in Viral Footage - Full Story

5. Contender or Pretender? ESPN’s Brutal Reality Check for Fever Fans - Full Story

That’s it for today, folks! We’ll look to knock on your inbox soon with more interesting stories!

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