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Looking Back on My NBA Power Rankings
By Holden Hartle, Sports Enthusiast and Blogger
Back in October, I made a post detailing where I thought every NBA team would end up in terms of standings. And, with the season just wrapping up, I feel like it would be humbling to look back and see how accurate I was. The number on the left is my initial ranking, and the number on the right in parenthesis is where they finished the season.
Western Conference
1. Golden State Warriors (1)
- There were some doubts at the beginning of the season in terms of how good the Warriors would actually be with the addition of Demarcus Cousins. But, Steph Curry had an MVP-type year, which paved the path to the 1st seed for the Warriors.
2. Houston Rockets (4)
- The Rockets placed lower than most people predicted. Chris Paul was injured for an extended amount of time, which turned into a blessing and a curse. Though they lost games in that stretch, James Harden had a phenomenal year as the offense ran solely through him
3. Los Angeles Lakers (10)
- Yikes. Things were looking good at the beginning of the season, but LeBron went down with an injury in which he missed 17 games, and in that time his supporting cast couldn’t win enough games to be a real competitor in the west. Also, the loss of their President of Basketball Operations, Magic Johnson, is indicative of how well their season actually went.
4. Utah Jazz (5)
- The Jazz were the 2nd best defensive team in the league, but it wasn’t enough to stop James Harden in the first round of the playoffs. They might need one more player this offseason to be a legit competitor next year, or their lack of offense will plague them once again
5. New Orleans Pelicans (13)
- Another yikes. I predicted that a young core of Jrue Holiday, Julius Randle, and Anthony Davis would go far, but chemistry issues in the front office caused problems.
6. Oklahoma City Thunder (6)
- Westbrook-fan or not, you have to respect the amazing numbers he has put up next to Paul George. Speaking of PG-13, someone argued that he should be a candidate for MVP, Defensive Player of the year, and Most Improved Player, which may be a stretch, but is a testament to the amazing year that he had.
7. Portland Trail Blazers (3)
- I thought that the Trail Blazers needed one more person to go far in this league, but they shut me up. The Blazers made it work, and the acquisition of Enes Kanter will be a big key to their success in the playoffs.
8. Denver Nuggets (2)
- The Nuggets are the surprise team in the west, as they fought for the second seed off of a team-style of play, which is becoming increasingly rare in the NBA.
9. San Antonio Spurs (7)
- My initial concern for the Spurs was that the lack of outside shooting would hurt them later on, but I should have known that Coach Gregg Popovich will always make the playoffs.
10. Minnesota Timberwolves (11)
- With Jimmy Butler off the team, the T-wolves are headed in a new direction and are hoping to score on their lottery pick in June.
11. Phoenix Suns (15)
- I had hoped that the Suns would show some progress, but to no avail. They didn’t utilize their star rookie nearly enough, and their record shows.
12. Dallas Mavericks (14)
- Midway through the season, the Mavs realized that they weren’t going to be a playoff team, so they traded their rookie point guard and the newly signed DeAndre Jordan for the former Knick, Kristaps Porzingis. Hopefully they can score on a draft pick and Porzingis will bounce back from his injury.
13. Memphis Grizzlies (12)
- The Grizzlies are officially in rebuild mode. They traded Gasol at the deadline, and Conley is planning on leaving. Like many other teams, the Grizzlies need to score on this year’s draft pick.
14. Los Angeles Clippers (8)
- Yet another yikes. I thought the Clippers would want to rebuild, but they proved me wrong as they fought their way to the 8th seed and faced the Warriors in the 1st round. To everyone’s surprise, the Clippers took them to six games.
15. Sacramento Kings (9)
- I’ll own up to it, I doubted the Kings and their dysfunctional front office. But De’aaron Fox and co. really pulled together a passionate effort, and they look like a promising young team.
Eastern Conference
1. Boston Celtics (4)
- Gordon Hayward couldn’t pull it together until the last few months of the season, and no one except Kyrie Irving seemed to improve. Something needs to change on this roster if they want to win the east. Nevertheless, they had a somewhat successful season, landing in the 4th seed.
2. Toronto Raptors (2)
- In November, I said that their success depended on if Kawhi Leonard could bounce back to being a top 5 player. Though he wasn’t a top 5 player, he produced enough to lead the Raptors to success.
3. Philadelphia 76ers (3)
- Though I personally dislike the 76ers, their young core brought them success in the east and a relatively easy path to the Eastern Conference Finals.
4. Milwaukee Bucks (1)
- In November, I said that Giannis has the potential to have an MVP-caliber season, and then he had an MVP-caliber season. The east should be scared.
5. Indiana Pacers (5)
- Victor Oladipo got injured in the first half of the season, and everyone thought the Pacers would tank–then they grabbed the 5th seed. Their defense kept them in games, at least until they met the Celtics in the first round.
6. Washington Wizards (11)
- John Wall didn’t stay healthy and Dwight Howard had personal issues, and this led to the team’s demise. Bradley Beal had a great statistical year though, and Thomas Bryant showed flashes of potential to be their center of the future.
7. Detroit Pistons (8)
- Blake Griffin had arguably the best season of his career, and it helped with the team’s success. The duo of Griffin and Drummond was unable to carry the team against the Bucks, and they were swept in the first round.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers (14)
- I thought that an aging Kevin Love and a rookie Collin Sexton could somewhat get it done. Needless to say, they are in rebuilding mode.
9. Charlotte Hornets (9)
- Kemba Walker tried so hard to get his team to the playoffs, but to no avail. Something needs to change in that organization, or Kemba will be hitting the road.
10. Chicago Bulls (13)
- The Bulls were really hell-bent on rebuilding, so much so that they traded away proven veterans for young pieces, and that resulted in less wins. Will it pay off?
11. Miami Heat (10)
- Dwayne Wade had a great farewell tour, and the Heat were fighting for the 8th spot in the playoffs, but the cookie didn’t crumble their way.
12. New York Knicks (15)
- Hopefully, Dennis Smith, Jr., can become a star for them, and the rumors of them signing Kevin Durant will come true. But one can only dream.
13. Brooklyn Nets (6)
- The Nets are one of my biggest yikes teams in the east. D’Angelo Russell proved that he can be a focal point of an offense, and the Nets still have enough money to sign a player to a max contract to pair with him. The future looks bright for the Nets.
14. Orlando Magic (7)
- I thought the Magic would tank, but they pulled a Clippers and fought their way to the playoffs. If they can find a solid point guard in the offseason, they could be a competitor come 2020.
15. Atlanta Hawks (12)
- Trae Young had a Rookie-Of-the-Year season, and John Collins developed nicely. If they can draft a third piece in this year’s draft, they could make it to the playoffs in a few years.
Editor: Luke Langlois
Who is Running for President?
By Holden Hartle, Blogger and Future White House Chief of Staff
Some of our blog followers will be able to vote in 2020 for the next President of the United States, and, of course, the adults that follow the blog have been voting for years (at least I hope you have been). In any case, I feel as if you should look beyond what party your candidate is a part of, and actually do research into who these candidates are and what they believe in. So, here is a brief description of each of the candidates that have said they are running as of February 25, 2019. My source is The Washington Post. You can find more information by going to their website that is updated daily. https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/politics/2020-presidential-hopefuls/?utm_term=.b2ec254a97e7
Democrats
- John Delaney–Back in November, he was the first person to announce that he was running for President. He served three terms as a representative for Maryland’s 6th District. His platform, like many other Democrats, involves health care, but not universal health care–like other Democrats are proposing, but rather he is using his background in finance to come up with a “more reasonable” set of federal benefits and a way to afford it. For further information, go to https://finance.yahoo.com/news/heres-a-democratic-health-care-planwithout-medicare-for-all-131930755.html.
- Andrew Yang–Our current President has started a trend in which candidates with little political experience have a shot at gaining the presidency. Likewise, Yang has no experience in politics. He is an entrepreneur who started Venture for America, a nonprofit that helps recent college graduates make a living through startups that can “revitalize a city.” His website can be found here: https://ventureforamerica.org/. In terms of his platform, he has an idea for a universal basic income for all adults of $1000 per month. His idea is that if people have more money, they will spend more money, and the economy will grow.
- Tulsi Gabbard–She is currently the Representative for Hawaii’s 2nd District and a combat veteran. She is no doubt a trailblazer, as she was the youngest person elected as a Hawaii representative at 21; she was the first American Samoan elected to Congress, as well as the first Hindu. She prides herself on being an environmentalist and a proponent for LGBT+ and women’s rights.
- Julian Castro–He is the current Mayor of San Antonio and served as the 16th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Barack Obama from 2014 to 2017. He is very anti-Trump, as he recently held a rally near the site of the new wall, as well as publicly bashed President Trump’s State of the Union Address.
- Kamala Harris–Simply through observation, Harris already seems like a very popular candidate. She is one of the current senators of California. According to her website, she will “provide sweeping tax cuts for the middle class,… raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, make higher education tuition-free for the vast majority of Americans,… protect the legal rights of refugees and immigrants, and expand access to affordable, quality health care with Medicare for All.” Her website can be found at https://kamalaharris.org/.
- Marianne Williamson–Williamson, along with Andrew Yang, has no experience in politics. Rather, she is a spiritual teacher and author. She is running for president after an unsuccessful run as a representative for California’s 33rd District. Though she doesn’t have any experience in the government, she is no stranger to activism, as she has started several nonprofits for various social problems, such as the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the ‘80s.
- Elizabeth Warren–Her platform is very Bernie-esque. The current Massachusetts Senator fights for the middle class. She has been in the news a lot recently for her opposition to President Trump and for President Trump’s critical view of her. She definitely has lots of name recognition due to the media.
- Amy Klobuchar–Klobuchar is the current Senator for Minnesota and feels as though the views of the midwest have been unheard or misrepresented by the federal government. She is also very family oriented. In an article in The Economist, that can be found here https://www.economist.com/united-states/2019/02/16/democrats-should-take-a-good-look-at-amy-klobuchar, she is described as being “the opponent Donald Trump would least like to face” because she is the antithesis of the President. She promotes the small towns in the midwest, while he focuses more on urban areas. This may lead her to a surprising run.
- Bernie Sanders–Crowd favorite Bernie Sanders is the most recent candidate to announce his run. His ideas that originated in his 2016 presidential run are prevalent among the other candidates that are running this year. It will be interesting to see how he fairs against some of the other “young guns” whose platform is very similar to his.
Republicans
- Donald Trump–As you will notice, the list on the Republican side is rather small. As of the time I am writing this, February 25, 2019, the incumbent President is the only one who has announced that he is running again. He has also said that his campaign slogan will be “Keep America Great.” Though it does look like he will be experiencing some roadblocks in the future. There are other candidates who are exploring bids, like William Weld, or even people who are simply looking like candidates, like John Kasich, but President Trump is the only person to officially announce his run.
Editor: Makena Behnke
Shakespeare Monologue Competition @ Palm Valley: “The Best of the Bard”
Student reviews compiled by Luke Langlois
On Friday, January 25th, our FANTASTIC Drama Department, in collaboration with the English Department, put on a Shakespeare monologue competition titled “The Best of the Bard” to determine who would move on to the next level of the national English Speaking Union Monologue Competition. For those who have not heard the results of the Palm Valley competition, Leo Milmet took first place, Marianne Capetz took second place, Caroline Scheil took third place–as well as audience’s favorite, and Charles Schnell received the honorable mention. While, inherently, this was a competition, this was also a chance for our dramatic stars to shine individually, and shine they did. In fact, the sharp performances of the drama students inspired the hearts of many students to write a review. Today, the blog presents to you a compilation of a few of these reviews. If you attended the competition, perhaps these reviews can provide you with some details that you missed. Or, if you were unable to attend the competition, these reviews will make sure you’re fully aware of the excellence of our monologue reciters.–Luke
Abridged Review From Claire Jenkins
Shakespeare was a complicated man, whose words are hard to translate into modern-day ideas, but the group of Palm Valley upper school students who took on this task completely mastered it. Overall, out of the around 23 competitors in the competition, not a single one was disappointing. . . . The competitor that stuck out the most to me was Castiel Yu, delivering a monologue using an older and complicated form of his second language. Regardless, he was still able to translate the expressions and passions beautifully. . . .The next competitor that stood out to me was Brennan Nick. Brennan cracks me up, and while I know his monologue was not comedic, his facial expressions got me. He is loud and proud, and I will always admire that about him. . . . Leo Milmet took first place, which he most definitely deserved. I’m sure he will go on to continue dazzling the judges and stealing hearts across the competition.
Abridged Review From Josh Tyer
I went into the Drama Class’s recent monologue presentation, “A Night with the Bard,” with an idea of what it would be like, but what I got blew my own expectations out of the water! That night, Amanda jumped out to me as someone who had come very far as an actress. I, personally, have acted alongside Amanda for a long time, and after seeing her performance that night I can definitely say that she has blossomed. Her monologue was a perfect fit. . . . What truly surprised me that night were those quiet performers who usually play smaller roles in productions. Aurora Berner, James Zheng, Isabella Goetschel, Elizabeth Chen, and Castiel Yu blew me away. Normally, these people are resigned within themselves in Drama, never truly letting their talent shine through. But when you give someone like James Zheng the stage, he will burst out with a performance of Julius Caesar that will give you chills. All of them took their performances and conquered them. Sometimes the quietest of people have a beautiful talent for acting just waiting to leap out and take hold of the stage.
Abridged Review From Sydney Armor
I am not sure if it was the fact that the competition was not during school hours, or that I had voluntarily chosen to go see it, but I must say that this was without a doubt the best monologue competition I have ever seen at Palm Valley School. Usually, I can choose two or three monologues that really stand out and will undoubtedly win. Here, however, there were about seven or eight that I found amazing. My favorite, however, was Caroline’s monologue. Her delivery was simply perfect, and I actually laughed out loud when she was performing. This is really rare, as I usually don’t find the monologues to be funny (even if they are meant to be). Her overdone facial expressions and little pauses when she was deciding whether she loved or hated a man simply made the entire monologue hilarious, and spectacularly well performed. . . . I also really liked Jake Sonderman’s monologue. He took on a similar persona to the character he played in The Drowsy Chaperone, Aldolpho. He was Aldolpho 2.0 during his monologue. His take on this womanizing, romance-obsessed man is almost perfect. . . . I don’t regret going to see the monologue competition. It was even worth going back to school on a Friday night.
Abridged Review From Shelby Armor
“Best of the Bard” was truly something to behold. Something about this monologue competition was just fun. When you have an atmosphere of people who truly want to be there, listening to Shakespeare in their free time, you get a different kind of environment; an inspiring environment. . . . I was a personal fan of Caroline’s monologue. I actually loved that monologue so much that I considered choosing it for my monologue way back when. I didn’t think I could pull it off, though, and seeing Caroline do it just made me realize how perfect that monologue was for Caroline. It was cutesy, comedic, and also provided for further thought on the part of the listener. There were also some people that I would have never expected to see performing, who were pouring their hearts out on stage — like Alex Bentley. I loved seeing him perform Macbeth; it was just so different from all of the familiar faces I’ve seen. All in all, I’m really glad I went. I got to see some truly amazing interpretations of classic Shakespeare monologues, and got to enjoy it in a truly inspiring environment.
Interested in more Shakespeare monologues? Come watch Leo perform–and represent Palm Valley–in the Desert Branch competition next Friday, February 22, at 11 a.m. at Palm Springs High School’s theater. He’ll perform his Shylock again and add a sonnet. If he wins, he moves on to perform in New York City at the Lincoln Center.
Editors: Luke Langlois and A.J. Patencio
What are We?
By Leo “Little Rabbit” Milmet
People appreciate us as pieces of fine art.
They praise the beauty of our metallic shine and the vividity of our bright and varying colors.
We are ginormous and multicolored;
though a man of no artistry whatsoever may say we should be small and gray,
most love us for what we are.
We are inspired by the benevolent Irish spirit Pooka.
We were brought forth by the brilliant, visionary artists Tony and Karen Barone.
One of us, a purple one, was named Little Rabbit, a nickname given to this poet by his dear, loving grandmother.
We live on Highway 111 by the Atrium, for all to see, interact with, and appreciate.
What are we?
Editor: Makena Behnke
The U.S Bureau of Consular Affairs
By Luke Langlois
Today, I am going to share a resource with you. If you were to collect one million bucket lists, you would likely read of people’s desires to “travel the world” many, many times. However, the U.S Bureau of Consular Affairs, a branch of the Department of State, would most likely tell “world travelers” to hold their horses. You see, the Bureau has a little something called the Travel Advisories, the links for which can be found below. These websites gives the world’s countries a 1-4 ranking, based on how suitable a nation is for American travelers.
Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Level 3: Reconsider Travel
Level 4: Do Not Travel
Let me break down these ranks. A Level 1 country is normally safe to travel to; you would just need to take the usual precautions. Level 2 countries are also usually fine places to travel. They are marked as such due to a slightly higher rate of petty street crimes or an increased risk of terrorist activities. Level 3 countries are not the ideal travel destinations. They usually are marked as having high rates of crime or increased risk of terrorist activity, which is relatively similar to a Level 2 nation. However, Level 3 countries are set apart from Level 2 due to domestic strife. For example, Haiti is marked as Level 3 due to political and civil unrest; the high rates of crime are a result of this. Traveling to Level 4 countries is an extreme risk. If you are bent on traveling to a Level 4 nation, expect resistance at every step of the way. It is important to note, though, that people are only explicitly banned from traveling to the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea; everywhere else is “fair game.” The Bureau, quite literally, recommends that travelers write their wills, as well as check on their life insurance, before they travel to a Level 4 country. Level 4 countries are usually rampant in crime, especially towards outsiders from the west. Level 4 countries are, most likely, experiencing deadly domestic conflict, or are under the rule of a violent dictator. Some of the Level 4 countries are even in the midst of a civil war. There are only eleven countries with this designation. The Bureau advises those that travel to Level 4 countries to stay in certain, safer, locations within the nation. These areas tend to be densely populated regions that are somewhat under control of the local government, which makes it easier for a response in case something were to happen to the traveler. There is much more to be seen on the website itself, but this hopefully has given you a good idea of the rankings system.
I am not a traveler, but I enjoy checking the Travel Advisories every once in a while to see what is going on in the world. You see, the media does not tend to focus on domestic foreign affairs unless they’re large and publicized issues that Americans are interested in. To get an idea of what is going on in the world, you would have to really pay attention to the media, or you would have to find international outlets. While nations with stability have credible news sources, many nations do not have seriously credible sources of news. In short, seeing the state of countries around the world is not an easy thing to do. With this resource, you can see the world at a glance. If you at all are curious, check out the Bureau’s websites below. There’s always something to learn.
https://travelmaps.state.gov/TSGMap/
A map view of the world, with rankings.
A list view of the world, with rankings.
Editor: Holden Hartle
Confused? Here are the Propositions in a Nutshell
By Political Correspondent Senior Blogger Holden Hartle
I’ve seen several ads throughout my life saying “Vote yes on Prop 5” or “Vote no on Prop 11.” But what is the “prop” I’m voting for? I know the majority of us can’t vote this midterm, but it’s nice to know what’s on the ballot and what may happen to our state, or even our country. Also, there is some terminology that was confusing to me, such as a bond is like another word for debt. Below are the propositions that will be on the 2018 midterm ballot.
- Authorizes bonds to fund specified housing assistance programs. This helps veterans, farmers, and homeless people in general.
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Proponents argue that Prop 1 gives housing to those who can’t afford to buy housing on their own. And, what’s more, proponents say, Prop 1 would not raise taxes.
- Opponents argue that this is on the ballot because there is such an influx of people coming into California, and to solve this problem requires a much larger solution.
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- Authorizes bonds to fund existing housing programs for individuals with mental illnesses. The state will use $140 million per year in mental health funds in order to pay back the $2 billion in bonds.
- Proponents argue that Prop 2 doesn’t raise taxes. It will also provide help to those who previously couldn’t get help for their mental illnesses.
- Opponents argue that the actual logistics of how the project will be funded would put many more people onto the streets.
- Authorizes almost 9 billion in bonds to fund projects for water supply and quality, watershed, fish, wildlife, water conveyance, and groundwater sustainability and storage.
- Proponents argue that there will be more clean water in California, fixing of unsafe dams, and drought protection.
- Opponents argue that the bonds go to private organizations and none of it directly goes to creating clean water.
- Authorizes $1.5 billion in bonds to fund construction for better children’s hospitals.
- Proponents argue that Prop 5 will provide the latest technology for children battling all sorts of diseases.
- Opponents argue that we are giving these bonds away with interest and that we need to find a better way to get children better care.
- Okay. So I’m gonna be completely honest with you, I’m not sure what Prop 5 is about. It has something to do with senior citizens paying property taxes and how this takes away from funding in other areas.
- Eliminates certain road repair and transportation funding and requires certain fuel taxes and vehicle fees to be approved by Congress.
- Proponents argue that Prop 6 will lower gas prices, repealing the last tax instituted via the state legislature. Do you really need anything else?
- Opponents argue that if you vote yes, roads and bridges will continue to deteriorate, clean-air laws will stagnate, and it is possible that more accidents will happen due to deteriorating roads and freeways.
- Conforms California Daylight Saving Time to federal law, and it allows state legislature to request a change to Daylight Saving Time Period.
- Proponents argue that the act of going through a time change is detrimental to the human body, and that fewer injuries and deaths will happen if you were to vote yes.
- Opponents argue that people will go to school/work in the dark. That’s it? Really?
- Regulates the amounts clinics charge for kidney dialysis treatment.
- Proponents argue that companies are making bank from the costs of dialysis treatment, but they don’t invest in basic needs like sanitation. Voting “Yes” means costs will be regulated.
- Opponents argue that Prop 8 will put many clinics out of business, which means that fewer people will get treatment, which means that more people will die.
- Prop 9 was taken off of the ballot by the Supreme Court, but basically it said that California would be split up into three different states.
- Expands local governments’ authority to place regulations on rent control of residential properties.
- Proponents argue that Prop 10 will make rent increases more fair. Voting “Yes” will help the tenants.
- Opponents argue that Prop 10 will make the housing situation worse. It also gives the government access to place fees on top of your rent.
- Keeps the past regulations of private emergency ambulance employees on call during work breaks so as to respond to emergencies.
- Proponents argue that Prop 11 will continue saving lives and that seconds matter in a life and death situation. Therefore, we should keep the process in place.
- Opponents argue that this could mean EMT’s are less likely to be available during emergency situations, which could lead to less immediate emergency care.
- Establishes new standards for confinement of certain farm animals as well as bans the sale of non-complying farmers’ products.
- Proponents argue that the current way we treat animals is inhumane and that establishing minimum requirements would be a step in eliminating this cruelty.
- Opponents argue that Prop 12 would not eliminate cruelty, as animals, such as hens, could be enclosed in as little as a one-square-foot cages.
If you would like to know more about any of these propositions, go to http://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/propositions/
Editor: Bella Bier
Picture Day: A Poem
By Leo Milmet
Picture day, when people try to look their best so they can have an unrealistic nostalgia trip in forty years.
Picture day, when you take a picture with EXACTLY the right amount of smile.
Picture day, when they rank kids from tallest to shortest so they can get in exactly the right place on an uncomfortable metallic bench.
Picture day, a day of hell for people who hate the word (and/or the food) “cheese.”
Picture day, a day that unapologetically and openly celebrates vanity, as opposed to other days which apologetically and subtextually celebrate vanity.
Picture day, the day when you sit out in the hotter-than-Hades desert sun, squinting in its radiating brightness, and waiting as the photographer perfects the camera settings.
Picture day, where you better remember to wear formal dress or you may not be in the class photo.
So, please, remember to wear formal dress on Picture Day at Palm Valley School, this Tuesday, September 18th, 2018.
Editor: Luke Langlois
WNBA Info Guide
By Holden Hartle, Sports-Blogger
If any of you are like me, a diehard NBA fan, you know that the WNBA has been in sports talks recently. Within the last year, many of WNBA players have felt as if they have been deserving of more respect as they are playing at the same level as NBA players. There is also the controversy that they are paid a small fraction of the percentage that NBA players are paid. In my attempt to give more recognition to these talented ladies, I have been watching the WNBA playoffs (which are really exciting), and in an attempt to get more people to watch this amazing sport, this is an intro guide.
General Knowledge and How the WNBA is Different From the NBA
The WNBA, or Women’s National Basketball Association, has 12 teams (a small amount compared to the NBA’s 30 teams). This makes the WNBA a more competitive league, and it means that only the best out of the best women will get drafted as this decrease in teams means fewer draft spots.
Skylar Diggins-Smith
The other big difference that I spotted was how the playoffs work. The NBA takes the top eight teams from each conference, and the playoffs commence. The WNBA is very different. The WNBA takes the top eight teams out of the entire league and reseeds them based on record and puts them into the playoffs. I, personally, wish the NBA was like this. Currently in the NBA, the Western Conference is stacked, with the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets leading that charge. If the WNBA playoffs worked how the NBA playoffs do, we wouldn’t get to see Skylar Diggins-Smith, who has become a leader of WNBA activism, or Liz Cambage, who broke the WNBA single-game scoring record. In the NBA playoff system, these players would just have to try their luck next season. Furthermore, the first round is single elimination, while the semifinals and finals are a best of 5 series.
This brings me to a point that I mentioned earlier, the WNBA draft. Recently the WNBA draft lottery was announced, and the Las Vegas Aces got the first pick. With fewer teams, but an equal amount of talent coming out of college, only the best players in the entire country are competing in the WNBA.
A Brief Description of The Top or Most Promising Teams
If you want to join the WNBA following, but you don’t know which team to support. Well, here is a brief description of each team going into the 2019 season.
Atlanta Dream
The Dream ended the regular season at the top of the Eastern Conference and as the second best team in the league. They barely topped the Washington Mystics after Atlanta’s Alex Bentley torched them with her shooting.
Chicago Sky
Though the Sky were fourth in their conference, they were in the bottom half in the league in terms of their record. They are led by the dynamic duo of Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley. Quigley is a back-to-back three-point competition champion, while Vandersloot is an amazing passer. With their lottery pick, the future in Chicago is bright.
Connecticut Sun
The Sun were third in the Eastern Conference and made the playoffs but were outmatched by the veteran team from Arizona, the Phoenix Mercury. The thing that is amazing about the Sun is that they don’t have one player that leads their team. Their top six players all averaged double digits, making a very well rounded team.
Washington Mystics
Elena Delle Donne
The Mystics are the third best team by record and have former MVP Elena Delle Donne on their team. Though she went down with a scary injury in game two of the semifinals on the 28th, she is currently playing in the championship series. They are legitimate contenders to win the championship this year if Delle Donne’s injury isn’t serious.
Dallas Wings
The Wings are arguably the most exciting team this year. With Skylar Diggins-Smith and Liz Cambage taking the WNBA world by storm, many had high hopes for them this postseason. Although they were eliminated in the first round, they could very well be contenders next season.
Las Vegas Aces
The Aces have one of the brightest futures. They have A’ja Wilson, a rookie who was also an all-star this season. Not only that, but they have the first pick in the upcoming draft. They have the chance at building a strong young core to lead them to a championship.
Los Angeles Sparks
The Sparks were the highlight of the league a few years ago, and are still relevant in the WNBA. Candace Parker, though she has fallen short in this year’s playoffs, is a bonafide star. The Sparks have been a consistently good team for a very long time.
Minnesota Lynx
Liz Cambage guarding Maya Moore
The Lynx have been led by Maya Moore for what seems like forever. An arguable GOAT of the WNBA, Moore and Sylvia Fowles have done well this season, but were eliminated early in the playoffs.
Phoenix Mercury
The Mercury are my favorite team in the playoffs currently. Led by the dominant post player Brittney Griner and the Magic Johnson-esque Diana Taurasi. The last game I watched, the Mercury almost made a spectacular comeback against the stacked Storm. A definite underdog within the league.
Seattle Storm
A powerhouse in the league, the Storm have the 2018 MVP Breanna Stewart on their team. Not only that, but they have veteran Sue Bird who might as well be related to Larry Bird. And beyond that they have an amazing young bench. All of this is enough for the best team in the league, and maybe the best for the next few years.
Brittney Griner, from the Phoenix Mercury
In Conclusion
Yes, not everyone in the WNBA can dunk, which may be the cause of why it is not as popular as the NBA, but this is an exciting sport. Another way to look at it is, Look at all the things these women can do without being able to dunk. Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird are more exciting passers than most point guards in the NBA, and Alex Bentley and Allie Quigley are arguably better shooters than their NBA counterparts. All in all, I am excited to see how the WNBA Finals turn out and even more excited to see what the next season has to offer. Catch the Finals on ESPN2 tonight, Wednesday, September 12.
Editor: Bella Bier
Stranger Than Fiction
By Reddit Investigator Brennan Nick
Most people know what The Onion is. It is a “news” source that posts hilariously fictional articles on ridiculous subjects. However, you do not need to look to fiction to laugh at stories that may seem as if they’re fake. Below are some ecstatically funny headlines that were found in actual news sources:
1. “Restaurant arms diners with squirt guns to ward off… seagulls”
Source: The Takeout
2. “Farmer accused of shooting murder blames gunfire on eggplant”
Source: 9news
3. “Scientists plan DNA hunt for Loch Ness monster next month”
Source: Reuters
4. “Man rescued from Taliban didn’t believe Donald Trump was President”
Source: Newsweek
5. “Uber’s search for a female CEO has been narrowed down to 3 men”
Source: The Denver Post
6. “Passenger turned away from two flights after wearing 10 layers of clothing to avoid luggage fee”
Source: The Telegraph
7. “UPS loses Family’s $846K Inheritance, Offers to Refund $32 Shipping Fee”
Source: Newsweek
8. “Justin Bieber banned from China in order to ‘purify’ nation”
Source: The Telegraph
9. “NPR tweets the Declaration of Independence, and people freak out about a ‘revolution’”
Source: The Kansas City Star
10. “Man who mowed lawn with tornado behind him says he ‘was keeping an eye on it.’”
Source: Times Colonist
11. “Ferry McFerryface to be name of new Sydney ferry after public vote”
Source: ABC News
12. “Alt-Right White Supremacists Claim Papa John’s as Official Pizza”
Source: Newsweek
13. “White supremacists taking DNA tests sad to discover they’re not 100% white”
Source: Global News
14. “Palestinian judge bans divorce during Ramadan because ‘people make hasty decisions when they’re hungry’”
Source: Independent
15. “After 4th DWI, man argues legal limit discriminates against alcoholics”
Source: Statesman
16. “Argentinian officers fired after claiming mice ate half a ton of missing marijuana”
Source: The Guardian
17. “‘Nobody kill anybody’: Murder-free weekend urged in Baltimore”
Source: The Baltimore Sun
18. “Texas judge interrupts jury, says God told him defendant is not guilty”
Source: Statesman
19. “Saudi Arabia accidentally prints textbook showing Yoda sitting next to the king”
Source: The Telegraph
20. “‘Japan’s slowest roller coaster’” derails, passengers don’t notice”
Source: Sora News 24
Editor: AJ Patencio
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