Veteran Candice Parker (Las Vegas) showed off her brilliant potential as the 2nd MVP from the opening game.
The Las Vegas Aces smashed the Seattle Storm’s festivities in their home opener with a sweeping 105-64 win in their 2023 WNBA season opener at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington, USA. The 41-point victory is the largest margin of victory in a WNBA Opening Day.
Parker, who joined Las Vegas, the ‘defending champion’ after obtaining FA qualification this season, recorded 12 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocked shots. Along with the team’s complete victory, his own record was raised to a slightly higher place.
With the 12 points added that day, Parker scored her personal career 6417 points, moving her past Sylvia Fowles (6415 points) to 9th in the all-time WNBA scoring rankings. If you add 35 points, you will overtake Katie Smith.
Parker’s addition made Las Vegas, which dominated the league last season, even stronger.
Las Vegas acquired Alicia Clark and Parker in the off-season and formed a higher power than last year. Along with New York Liberty, which recruited two MVPs (Briana Stewart and John Quell Jones), it is evaluated as a ‘super team’.
In particular, Parker’s recruitment was expected to be a great boost to Las Vegas, which had a relatively weak center position.
The existing Las Vegas center is Kia Stokes, who also played an active role in WKBL Samsung Life Insurance. Stokes is staying true to her domestic display.
It has strengths in rebounding and defense, but has clear limitations in offense. Not only does his scoring ability drop, but his shooting range isn’t wide either. Unlike before, he also throws a 3-pointer, but it’s not a terribly reliable option.
Although he showed a good performance by devoting himself as a member of the championship, it is true that he has less weight compared to other positions held by Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, and Azar Wilson.
However, Parker, who had already booked induction into the WNBA Hall of Fame, came in and the power and structure of Las Vegas became more frightening.
Last season, Parker, who surpassed 6400 points in his career, is a player who broke through 6400 points, 3300 rebounds, 1500 assists and 600 blocked shots in his professional career. She even surpasses 500 steals when she adds 5 steals. He is not just a player under the goal, but a versatile player in all areas of offense and defense.
The scoring range and activity radius are also wide, so it can help a lot in breaking through not only the devastating forward Azar Wilson, but also the main attacking Las Vegas guards. Plus, Parker is a big man who doesn’t just create space, he makes plays through clever passes.
Fager played just 23 minutes and 3 seconds in the opener, more than five minutes less than his average playing time last season. However, in all aspects of offense and defense, he fully demonstrated his strengths.
In Las Vegas, where there were six double-digit scorers, he faithfully took his own scoring opportunity and made plays like a big man with the best passing ability in the WNBA. Parker’s defensive ability, which also serves as a rim protector, is fully demonstrated by the three blocked shots he recorded that day.
CBS Sports of the United States, which initially predicted that of the two teams that were considered the two strongest teams this season, had a slightly higher chance that New York would surpass Las Vegas in the finals, after the opening game ended, Parker is likely to become the first player in history to win the championship in three teams. reported that this is sufficient.스포츠토토
Parker won the MVP with the LA Sparks in 2016, and in 2021 moved to his hometown team, the Chicago Sky, and won the championship. If she also wins in Las Vegas, she will be the first player in the WNBA to win three teams.