^{July 26, 2025 | Edition #116}

👋 Hey, Hoophead!

The second half of the season was supposed to give us clarity, but somehow, it has only brought more questions. Between all the injuries, cold streaks, and unexpected slides, a lot of what we thought back in preseason feels completely off now. And if we’re talking letdowns, the Aces might just be leading that pack. At the same time, the absences of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are giving us a clearer look at how their teams really function without them.

The Clark Effect vs The Reese Reality

When the stars sit out, the truth comes out. And right now, both Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are giving us a sneak peek into just how much they really mean to their teams. Clark’s been battling a series of injuries - first her left quad, then her left groin, and now a right groin strain - and the Fever have officially hit pause on her return with no set timeline.

Meanwhile, over in Chicago, Reese was seen wearing a back brace. Safe to say, she didn’t exactly look game-ready either. While both squads are down a superstar, the way they’ve handled that void couldn’t be more different.

Somehow, the Fever are holding their own. Without Clark in the lineup, they’ve gone 5-7. Not a flashy record, sure, but they’ve outscored opponents by a total of seven points during that stretch. That’s not nothing. In fact, it’s quietly impressive.

The energy has shifted to defense, and Aliyah Boston has stepped up as the leader and offensive hub. Kelsey Mitchell’s been dropping buckets like clockwork, and Sophie Cunningham is thriving now that she has settled with her new team. Just look at how consistently great she has been for a while now!

Flip the script to Chicago, and it’s not pretty. Without Reese, the Sky have managed to win just one game out of eight! And the losses have been brutal. The recent 95-57 blowout against the Storm was just one of four games where Chicago lost by more than 30 points.

The team’s point differential takes a nosedive, down nearly 13 points, when Reese isn’t playing. All this tells us something real.

Sure, Clark might be the headline, but Indiana isn’t a one-woman show. Over in the Windy City, though, the Chi-Town Barbie is the piece that holds the whole puzzle together.

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The Moments That Got Us Out of Our Seats

All heart & hustle. It's been a WNBA season to forget so far for Dallas. Even so, their star rookie still hasn’t had a single-digit scoring game and continues breaking records. But stats are only half the story. It’s the motor that sets her apart. And obviously, Paige Bueckers was at it again vs bestie Kaitlyn Chen’s Valks.

With just 2:19 left and Dallas trailing by six, she tried her best to make a late push. As Haley Jones dished it to her near the rim, Bueckers came flying in, defender right on her back, and spun with the kind of balance and speed that barely makes sense in real time. The caption of the post, “BIG DAWG ENERGY,” perfectly captures this brilliant three-point play by Bueckers.

Even though Dallas lost, PB finished with 17 points and also became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 350 points and 100 assists.

Big-time bucket. What a day for Fever’s Aari McDonald! The Aces were lurking; the game was tight. Still wearing Indiana’s Stranger Things-themed game, McDonald did her thing. Aari had her sniper mode activated from the jump, going 3-for-3 from deep. But it was the final dagger that really made those nine points count.

With the Fever up 75-70 and less than 40 seconds left in the game, McDonald let it fly from downtown and nailed this dagger to seal the win.

It had the arena and the Fever bench going crazy. Aari finished the night with 9 points, 4 assists, 2 steals, and she was +13 on the floor.

Latest Rookie of the Year Odds! The Margin Between First and Second Might Blow Your Mind

Letting Kelsey Plum Go Might Be Vegas’ Biggest L

One of the best coaches in the league, five Olympians, reigning MVP A’ja Wilson, and yet, the Aces have now dropped back-to-back games. First to the Fever and then an even worse collapse in Minnesota. “The greats handle hard well, and we have not handled hard well,” coach Becky Hammon said, and that about sums it up.

Against Indiana, Vegas couldn’t buy a three and went 2-of-15 from deep. But if you thought that was rock bottom, then came the Lynx. The 109-78 blowout was their worst loss in nearly two years. No doubt why Wilson looked angry and even slammed Kayla McBride onto the floor. You can clearly see the frustration on her face!

This is not the same Las Vegas squad we’ve come to know. Suddenly, that playoff stumble last year feels a whole lot more serious. And as much as we can talk about lineups and shooting woes, our minds always circle back to that trade.

The three-team trade that sent Kelsey Plum to LA.

Now, watching her light it up in LA hurts more with every loss in Vegas. Her latest is a calm 30-piece against the Sun. That’s now three 20+ point games in a row, including 19 in the second half alone Thursday night. Her dominant second-half performance spoiled Marina Mabrey’s first game back. Not that Mabrey eased her way in; she jumped straight into this heated moment early on with Rare Burrell.

It almost felt like dagger threes were the theme of the night as the Sparks rolled to their fourth straight win. Meanwhile, the Aces are still out here searching for rhythm, identity, and honestly… just a pulse at this moment.

Trojan Takeover: Women of Troy Just Hit the Recruiting Trifecta With a New Commitment

✨ She Got Glam! ✨

LA fans have been waiting what feels like forever to see Cameron Brink back on the floor. Real hope arrived when she was listed as doubtful recently. That was enough to get the internet buzzing. Because the thought of Cam finally teaming up with Kelsey Plum is exciting. But, you know, Brink’s teammate might not be limited to just basketball. She literally starred in a movie recently. Watch Kelsey Plum ACT!

New York Solves the Mercury Puzzle at Last

Friday night felt like a postseason game at Barclays Center. The New York Liberty walked into the clash with something to prove. After dropping two earlier matchups to the Mercury - granted, minus key pieces - this was their shot at reasserting control. With Jonquel Jones back, the Libs wanted to use the game as a chance to reintroduce themselves as the defending champions.

Consider the message received.

Sabrina Ionescu torched Phoenix with 29 points, Jones chipped in a strong 20, and the Liberty walked away with a commanding 89-76 win. These two big buckets to end the third quarter basically summed up New York’s dominance.

While it was a revenge for New York, the Mercury came in treating this one like a measuring stick. It was supposed to show how far their revamped squad had come. Liberty answered that test by checking every box.

Meanwhile, the Valkyries finally got their first dub vs the Wings. It wasn’t quite the same playoff-level atmosphere, but it had that "this could flip either way" energy. And once again, those late-game coaching decisions stirred up the usual doubts. To support it this time, Paige Bueckers’ reaction to the play coach Chris Koclanes drew up was pure comedy. You’ll want to see that face!

It was understandable, though. After all, the Wings actually looked in control early, until that all-too-familiar second-quarter slump hit. Consequently, despite having four players in double figures, the Wings couldn’t keep up.

Just like that, the Valks pulled away for an 86-76 win. But while the scoreboard brought relief, storm clouds might be gathering for GSV. Their leading scorer, Kayla Thornton, is now out for the season after suffering a knee injury in practice.

Liberty Just Got Even Scarier! Natasha Cloud Hints at New York’s New Addition’s Arrival Date

📝 More Stories to Check Out

1. Caitlin Clark's Power Surpasses Tiger Woods? The Numbers Don’t Lie - Full Story

2. Paige Bueckers Reveals How 4x All-Star Made Her Wake Up to WNBA Reality - Full Story

3. Caitlin Clark’s Sideline Explosion at Refs Sparks Instant Déjà Vu - Full Story

4. “She Got Grabbed!" A’ja Wilson’s Physical Play on Aliyah Boston Leaves Fans Fuming - Full Story

5. Gamecocks in Crisis? Dawn Staley Breaks Silence After Star Forward’s Big Decision - 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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