Hello and happy Friday to you! Yes you!

It is Fan Friday which means I, Tyler, am on the sticks today for the NCS Newsletter as I answer the pressing questions from our lovely Ball-Knowers.

If you want to join in and get your question submitted to the Mailbag or call it in to the radio style NCS Hotline (link directly below to that video wink) then become a paid sub! Exclusive content, exclusive access to the Discord, and as we continue to turn away gambling ads it is the best way to support our coverage of all things women’s basketball!

Now lets answer some questions!

Tyler answers the Hotline specific questions…

Andrew made the trip to Lexington to chat with Kentucky Head Coach Kenny Brooks about Clara Strack and more…

Tyler and Chauny dive into the contenders and pretenders of the WNBA Playoffs…

Entering this season it felt like we had some pretty clear tiers. Those tiers ended up being largely wrong, hand up that is on me, but one part that I am really surprised by is that there is no battle for the final spot in the playoffs. Ball-Knower julia_child asked in the Discord why do I think this is? You have no idea how excited I am to answer this.

I have said it before, I will say it again, the worst place to be in the WNBA is the middle. And yet no matter how many times I say it, teams still choose to be there. The Mystics being better than expected is ultimately a big factor as to why there is currently a six-game gap between the eighth and ninth seed but the team building of the other squads is what has them performing so poorly.

The Mystics decided to rebuild, and because of their incredible drafting of Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen along with the continued growth of Shakira Austin, they are ahead of schedule. Below them you see teams that are early in the building process and haven’t hit their leap (Seattle/Connecticut/Portland) and you have teams that are hanging on to the idea of being “competitive” (Los Angeles/Phoenix/Chicago). In my eyes the Mystics’ leap put a spotlight on where these teams are in their team-building, and it isn’t favorable for a lot of them.

We really are getting down to the wire of the WNBA season and the time to talk awards is absolutely upon us. Ball-Knower Cherie asked what my current rankings are for the Defensive Player of the Year race. So let us dive in!

I think at this point I have it narrowed down personally to Gabby Williams and Angel Reese in terms of who gets my fictional DPOY vote. I would be willing to hear a Kiah Stokes argument as she has largely held it down for a historically good Valkyries defense, but I think Williams has just a bit more juice in this debate.

I do think this is a bit up in the air as to what each voter independently values defensively as Reese and Williams are obviously tasked with very different defensive responsibility. Historically speaking, DPOY is a big’s award in the WNBA. And Angel Reese has done more than enough to make her case to be the next in what is a truly insane lineage of winners. For Williams, she is the head of the snake on what is a genuinely ridiculous Golden State defense. I still think that there is time for either player to make their case, and maybe the Golden State defense is honored more in the All-Defense Teams opposed to DPOY, but I fairly set on these two being the last in the race down the wire.

Speaking of the Valkyries, their dominant defense, along with the dominant offense of the Fever, has sparked a great hypothetical question from Ball-Knower Spencer. On Ball Up Top, I called both teams contenders due to how they can absolutely destroy you on one side of the ball. But if I had to choose which would team would I rather be in the playoffs, game on the line, the team with dominant offense or defense?

Admittedly, I am trying to find a way to answer this that isn’t a cop-out, because I genuinely can see both sides. I think that great offense will beat good defense. But great defense is absolutely what travels easier.

If the aliens had the death beam pointed at earth and I had to choose, I think I am going to roll with the defense. This might be more of my NCAA brain talking, but so often the teams I trust to go the furthest can defend against anyone. Ultimately basketball is about buckets. You gotta get them somehow. But stopping them can be just as important. Through gritted teeth I am going with defense.

And how about a quick bonus Q from Ball-Knower malatr

Up 4
1.4 seconds left
Trailing team with out of bounds under the basket
Why is the team in the lead not just standing on the other side of half court high-fiving each other?

Fake rules of competition and pretending to be locked in that is why!

Dallas Wings (20-14) vs. Indiana Fever (21-12): 7:30 PM ET, ION

I mean come on, let’s get negative.

Any time that we get Paige Bueckers vs Caitlin Clark it is going to be a big time game. These are the types of superstar matchups we do it for. And buddy, do the Dallas Wings need a win against a good team. Azzi Fudd and Jessica Sheppard remain out for the Wings, who did pick up a win against the Tempo their last time out, but as a team have just not been great since returning from the All-Star Break. The Fever have taken some bumps against the best in the league in their own right but with the run that Kelsey Mitchell is on alone, there is a lot to be excited about.

Kiki Iriafen on the Young, Tough, and Joyful Mystics by Seerat Sohi, The Ringer WNBA Show

The WNBA Already Belongs to Olivia Miles by Tyler Parker, The Ringer

Valkyries Insider: Tiffany Hayes’ joy in the Bay essential to Valkyries success by Maria Ingemi, Valkyries Beat

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