WNBA Recap: Saturday’s prime 7 performers ranked, together with Sabrina Ionescu, Kamilla Cardoso and extra

Saturday’s WNBA triple-header yielded a slew of standout performances, a lot in order that we scrapped the Top 5 Performers format right here at SB Nation and as an alternative ranked a Prime 7. That listing consists of a number of All-Stars — Sabrina Ionescu, A’ja Wilson, and Napheesa Collier, amongst others — in addition to up-and-coming gamers like Kamilla Cardoso.

First, the sport outcomes from Saturday’s play:

• The Lynx defeated the Mystics 99-83 to enhance to 19-8, good for third-best within the league.
• The Sky beat the Sparks to 79-67 to enhance to 11-15, constructing upon their lead for the eighth seed.
• The Liberty beat the Aces 79-67 to enhance to 23-4, the very best document within the league.

Listed below are the Saturday’s prime 7 WNBA performers, ranked:

7. Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty

The Liberty grew to become the primary crew within the WNBA to clinch a playoff spot on Saturday, and so they wouldn’t have accomplished it with out Sabrina Ionescu, who’s within the midst of a profession yr and has come out sturdy in each video games for the reason that Olympic break.

Ionescu was a game-high plus-minus of +14 within the Liberty’s win over the Aces, and posted a team-high 23 factors (9-21 FG) together with 6 rebounds and three assists. The Liberty’s win streak has prolonged to 6.

“It’s good to see we’ve been capable of decide up the place we left off,” stated Ionescu postgame.

6. Jonquel Jones, New York Liberty

Jonquel Jones has additionally been crucial to the Liberty’s success, and he or she flirted with a triple-double on this one. The previous MVP was enormous within the Liberty’s 79-67 win over the Aces, ending with 10 factors (4-9 FG), 17 rebounds (7 offensive), and seven assists.

Jones — the third-leading scorer on the Liberty this season — was comparatively quiet offensively on this, however rebounding has an infinite influence on her teammates, Sabrina Ionescu stated postgame.

“We shoot the ball with confidence understanding that JJ’s down there if we do miss,” Ionescu stated. “She cleans that up nearly each single time.”

5. Lindsay Allen, Chicago Sky

Lindsay Allen helped saved the day within the Sky’s 94-90 win over the Sparks, ending with a season-high 16 factors (on an environment friendly 7-11 capturing), alongside 6 assists and 4 rebounds.

Chicago trailed by 10 heading into the fourth quarter, and Allen was instrumental in securing the win down the stretch, hitting two soar photographs within the closing minutes to assist the Sky full the comeback.

“We simply wanna proceed to grow to be who we’re imagined to be as a crew,” Allen stated postgame. “Proceed to just do preserve with our requirements, the non-negotiables we need to be. Simply proceed to ramp up as we get nearer to the playoffs and attempt to grow to be a playoff crew after which make noise there.”

The win offers the Sky a 2.5 recreation lead for the final spot within the postseason with 14 video games left to play.

4. A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

A’ja Wilson continues to tear up the league, although the Aces haven’t been their common dominant selves. After falling to New York, Las Vegas slid right down to fifth within the WNBA standings.

Wilson was efficient within the loss — posting 24 factors (8-15 FG), 11 rebounds, 3 steals, and three blocks — however stated postgame she felt the Aces have to have a extra centered mindset heading into video games.

“Our want-to issue wasn’t there for 40 minutes — that doesn’t matter if we had a break or we didn’t,” Wilson. “We are able to’t have that.”

3. Stefanie Dolson, Washington Mystics

The Mystics proceed to battle, however Stefanie Dolson is having one heck of a season. In Saturday’s loss to the Lynx, Dolson shot 8-8 from the sphere, together with 6-6 from three. That tied a WNBA document for many threes made with out a miss.

Nonetheless, her team-high 23 factors weren’t sufficient to beat one other large night time by the Lynx and Napheesa Collier. Nonetheless, Mystics coach Eric Thibault famous postgame how crucial Dolson has been for Washington, per the team.

“She makes our offense click on in plenty of methods, Stef,” Mystics coach Eric Thibault stated after the loss. “She’s at all times accomplished that as a connector, passing the ball. However when she’s aggressive capturing the ball, it’s a game-changer.”

2. Kamilla Cardoso, Chicago Sky

The Sky’s #3 decide loved arguably her finest recreation of the season in Saturday’s win over the Sparks. Cardoso completed with 15 factors (6-9 FG), 14 rebounds, and three assists in 28 minutes of play, and was notably essential within the fourth quarter because the Solar battled down for double-digits.

Postgame, she famous that the Olympic break was good for her restoration, and that she continues to realize confidence from these round her.

“Simply listening to my coaches and my teammates,” Cardoso stated. “They present me love and help.”

Sky teammate Lindsay Allen praised Cardoso’s two-way effort within the comeback win in opposition to the Sparks:

“It’s all about her being lively,” she stated. “Her size is one thing that we depend on so much, so when she’s lively, when she’s defending onerous, when she’s operating onerous, she’s posting up onerous each possession— it actually makes a distinction for us.”

1. Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx

With A’ja Wilson having such a traditionally dominant season, the MVP race could also be over. However Lynx star Napheesa Collier is preserving the door cracked open. On Saturday, in a 99-83 win over the Mystics, exploded for 30 factors on 13-16 capturing. Her 13 made area objectives ties a career-high, per Lynx PR.

“Phee was spectacular,” Thibault stated postgame, whereas noting the Mystics protection left somewhat to be desired. “She made powerful photographs. She made photographs over contests.”