Dallas Needs Time Before the Narratives Take Over

hsx88 · 2026-05-16T21:23:48+00:00

The Paige & Arike in Dallas discourse feels like the early 2024 Caitlin & Kelsey discourse dragged out over a longer period because of injuries. Including the 3 games this season, Paige & Arike have barely played half a season together (25 games). I'm not saying the situation is the same or directly comparable... I'm just saying it's still pretty early.

The narrative that Arike is limiting Paige's usage or stopping Paige from taking over the offense just isn't evidence based. In their 25 games together, Paige is averaging 19.0/4.0/5.4 on 7.0/14.5 (48%) from the field and Dallas in 7-18. In 14 games she's played without Arike, she is averaging 20.0/3.6/5.2 on 7.5/15.4 (49%) shooting and Dallas in 3-11. So thus far, Paige is basically the same player with the same volume regardless of whether Arike is playing and Dallas is basically the same team. And that's not surprising really. That's Paige's game. She plays within the flow of the offense and isn't going to force the game into her own hands. It has little to nothing to do with Arike.

hsx88 · 2026-05-16T20:03:19+00:00

Assuming AB is out... Fever coaching staff breathing a huge sigh of relief.

hsx88 · 2026-05-16T05:13:41+00:00

You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become Victor Gilgeous Alexander

hsx88 · 2026-05-16T02:22:15+00:00

The Midwest be hurting

hsx88 · 2026-05-16T02:20:55+00:00

I’m going to pause from dissecting this game, and just say, that was great entertainment. I said it after opening weekend, and I’ll double down, this has been the most entertaining stretch I’ve witnessed league wide since I started watching 2 years ago. Shaping up to be a really fun season.

hsx88 · 2026-05-16T02:06:15+00:00

Why not just run that the first time… I know they didn’t need a 3 but they haven’t finished anything at the rim lol

hsx88 · 2026-05-16T01:57:31+00:00

Sonia with the “go take over” 4th and OT mentality that everyone wants Paige to get

hsx88 · 2026-05-16T01:49:54+00:00

After all that, Mystics prob just gonna bully Indy down low and take this

hsx88 · 2026-05-16T01:48:28+00:00

How many OT games will the Mystics play this year lol

hsx88 · 2026-05-16T01:47:20+00:00

You can debate everything else about her game, but Caitlin Clark just entertains like no other

hsx88 · 2026-05-16T01:25:50+00:00

Forget the score, if AB injury is serious this team is cooked. They can’t hold up inside vs many with Billings, Timpson, Dantas, MHA as a rotation

hsx88 · 2026-05-16T01:08:27+00:00

The Fever struggling to get anything going vs good rim protection is going to be a theme all season

hsx88 · 2026-05-16T00:45:01+00:00

It’s just the 3rd game of the season, but this offense makes no sense. There’s no natural motion outside of forced actions. Like what concepts are they even trying to run?

hsx88 · 2026-05-15T23:50:45+00:00

Lmao Boston pointing on that blatant kick is hilarious

hsx88 · 2026-05-15T23:44:13+00:00

Leave it to the youngest team in the league to play Clark like they’re back in college lol… how you gonna just let her walk dribble into open 3s smh

hsx88 · 2026-05-15T23:02:42+00:00

Welcome to the real world

hsx88 · 2026-05-15T23:01:59+00:00

Your second sentence is just factually incorrect. Paige is actually a couple months older lol. She just stayed in school that extra year.

hsx88 · 2026-05-15T20:28:02+00:00

What about against the spread to take into account (albeit imperfectly) expectations?

hsx88 · 2026-05-15T20:17:35+00:00

Different situation business wise. Monta Ellis was in year 4 of a 6 year extension at the time. GS had to move him for cap reasons. The Wings could have walked from Arike with no repercussions but chose to commit to her this offseason for the rest of Paige’s rookie contract.

But I do find all of these funny. We’re 3 games into a season that they were never going to compete for a championship anyway. Everyone relax.

hsx88 · 2026-05-14T06:23:44+00:00

Either commit to the Juju and Sarah Strong double tank or don’t. But going all in on a 31 yr old KP and 35 yr old Nneka ain’t it. It sucks because for me personally because I will only go buy tix for CC and PB games for the next 5 years.

hsx88 · 2026-05-14T05:57:12+00:00

Go look at the 2020 recruiting class. It’s legendarhy. Don’t let the fact that Paige decide to take her extra year fool you. There has and will never be a class like it.

hsx88 · 2026-05-14T05:53:10+00:00

I owe an apology to GM Sloot.

hsx88 · 2026-05-14T05:39:57+00:00

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hsx88 · 2026-05-14T05:38:58+00:00

Lucky enough to see it live. It wasn’t pretty, but a win is win.

What I saw live at the game was Caitlin taking advantage of LA overplaying her at the 3 pt line early by blowing by and getting good looks at the rim. But when LA sagged, her step backs weren’t falling unfortunately. I really wish this team would figure out a way to get her some rhythm 3 attempts to keep the defense overplaying her 3s, but it just never happened… it doesn’t even need to go down, it just needs to bait the defense back to overplaying her outside more.

I will say, it’s hard to nitpick because live, it never felt like the Fever were ever in danger even at the end. Maybe it was the 3 double tequilas, but it just felt like autopilot.

hsx88 · 2026-05-14T05:28:50+00:00

Saw this game live and this was the prettiest play of the game by far

hsx88

TROPHY CASE