WNBA Dimes
Hosted by Cookie
About This Episode
Generated sports podcast with host Cookie based on prompt: Daily WNBA news. Scores, highlights, and general news. Call it WNBA Dimes
Transcript
Hey! It's Cookie O'Clock! Welcome to WNBA Dimes, your go-to source for all things hoops, headlines, and highlights. I'm Brooke, and today we're serving up a sizzling roundup of last night's thrilling action on the court.
First up, the Minnesota Lynx and the New York Liberty. In a fierce rematch of last season's Finals, the Lynx defended their turf, coming out on top 100 to 93. Napheesa Collier was on fire, posting her sixth double-double of the season with a whopping 30 points and 10 rebounds. She's now tied with A’ja Wilson for the most 30-point games. And let's not forget Courtney Williams, who was dishing out assists like they were free samples at the supermarket—13 to be exact—while nearly snagging a double-double herself.
The Liberty, despite a 15-point third-quarter deficit, weren't going down without a fight. Enter Sabrina Ionescu with 31 points, leading a gutsy 11-0 run to close the gap. But in the end, it was Collier's clutch and-one play that sealed the deal for Minnesota. The Liberty, missing star Breanna Stewart, are on a rare three-game skid. Coach Sandy Brondello is eyeing those offensive boards like a hawk, hoping for a spark from Emma Meesseman's anticipated debut.
Over in Atlanta, the Dream soared past the Dallas Wings, 88 to 85, thanks to Naz Hillmon's electrifying tiebreaking three-pointer with just 2.6 seconds left. Talk about a dramatic finish! Hillmon wrapped up with a career-high 21 points, proving she's not just here for the snacks.
On the Wings side, rookie sensation Paige Bueckers dazzled with 21 points and seven assists. She's setting the league on fire as the fastest rookie since 1997 to hit 400 points and 100 assists in a season. Impressive, right? I might need a new nickname for her because "rookie" just doesn't cut it anymore.
Meanwhile, the Indiana Fever outlasted the Phoenix Mercury, 107 to 101. Despite being short-handed, Aari McDonald led the charge with a career-high 27 points, while Aliyah Boston added another double-double to her growing collection. On the Phoenix side, Alyssa Thomas put up a valiant 32-point effort, but those pesky turnovers were their undoing. And while Caitlin Clark is sidelined with a groin injury, there's plenty of buzz around McDonald’s surprising emergence.
Now, let's highlight some standout moments. Sophie Cunningham's rare four-point play against Phoenix had us all doing a double-take. It's not something you see every day, and it added some extra spice to the Fever's third-straight win.
And how about Liberty's injury front? Breanna Stewart’s still nursing that bone bruise, but Emma Meesseman's arrival is highly anticipated—and could be a game-changer for the team's frontcourt.
Finally, let's keep an eye on Caitlin Clark, who's taking a breather with that groin issue. The Fever are playing it safe as they maneuver for playoff positioning.
That's all for today’s episode. Keep tuning in to *WNBA Dimes* for your daily dose of basketball brilliance. I'm Brooke, reminding you to enjoy your day and savor every swish. Until next time, stay hoopin’!
**WNBA Dimes**
*Daily roundup for July 31, 2025*
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### Minnesota Lynx 100, New York Liberty 93
In a rematch of last season’s Finals, the Minnesota Lynx handed the New York Liberty a 100–93 defeat in Minneapolis. Napheesa Collier posted her sixth double-double of the season with 30 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks, two assists and one steal, and now shares the league lead for 30-point games with A’ja Wilson ([worldbizreview.com](https://worldbizreview.com/2025/07/31/lynx-down-liberty-in-finals-rematch-highlights-2/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)). Courtney Williams orchestrated Minnesota’s attack, matching her career high with 13 assists while adding nine rebounds and six points ([worldbizreview.com](https://worldbizreview.com/2025/07/31/lynx-down-liberty-in-finals-rematch-highlights-2/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)).
New York battled back behind Sabrina Ionescu’s 31 points and five rebounds, cutting a 15-point third-quarter deficit to four with an 11-0 run late ([worldbizreview.com](https://worldbizreview.com/2025/07/31/lynx-down-liberty-in-finals-rematch-highlights-2/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)). However, Collier’s driving and-one layup with 1:02 to play pushed the lead back to seven and sealed the win. The Liberty, playing without Breanna Stewart (bone bruise), Nyara Sabally (knee) and Kennedy Burke (calf), dropped their third straight game—their longest skid since 2022 ([worldbizreview.com](https://worldbizreview.com/2025/07/31/lynx-down-liberty-in-finals-rematch-highlights-2/?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [worldbizreview.com](https://worldbizreview.com/2025/07/31/liberty-vs-lynx-live-updates-score-highlights-for-finals-rematch/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)). Liberty coach Sandy Brondello cited rebounding struggles (11 offensive boards allowed) as the difference, though Emma Meesseman’s anticipated debut could provide reinforcements soon ([netsdaily.com](https://www.netsdaily.com/2025/7/31/24476954/ny-liberty-minnesota-lynx-wnba-recap-napheesa-collier-sabrina-ionescu?utm_source=chatgpt.com)).
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### Atlanta Dream 88, Dallas Wings 85
Naz Hillmon delivered the game-winner for the Atlanta Dream, drilling a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 2.6 seconds remaining to lift Atlanta to an 88–85 victory over the Dallas Wings ([outlookindia.com](https://www.outlookindia.com/sports/dallas-wings-vs-atlanta-dream-wnba-2025-naz-hillmon-in-pics?utm_source=chatgpt.com)). Hillmon finished with a career-high 21 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter. Allisha Gray added 15 points, while Brionna Jones (14) and Maya Caldwell (13) provided balanced scoring for the Dream ([outlookindia.com](https://www.outlookindia.com/sports/dallas-wings-vs-atlanta-dream-wnba-2025-naz-hillmon-in-pics?utm_source=chatgpt.com)).
For Dallas, rookie Paige Bueckers poured in 21 points—nine of those in the final five minutes—and dished out seven assists, marking her 11th 20-point outing of the season ([outlookindia.com](https://www.outlookindia.com/sports/dallas-wings-vs-atlanta-dream-wnba-2025-naz-hillmon-in-pics?utm_source=chatgpt.com)). Despite the narrow loss, Bueckers recently became the fastest WNBA player since 1997 to reach 400 points and 100 assists in a season, underscoring her Rookie of the Year candidacy ([talksport.com](https://talksport.com/basketball/3431057/caitlin-clark-paige-bueckers-sophie-cunningham-wnba-indiana-fever/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)).
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### Indiana Fever 107, Phoenix Mercury 101
Short-handed but undeterred, the Indiana Fever rallied past the Phoenix Mercury, 107–101, for their third consecutive win ([foxsports.com](https://www.foxsports.com/articles/wnba/mcdonald-scores-a-careerhigh-27-and-the-shorthanded-fever-beat-the-mercury-for-3rd-straight-win?utm_source=chatgpt.com)). Aari McDonald exploded for a career-high 27 points, shooting efficiently and sparking Indiana’s offense, while Aliyah Boston secured her fourth straight double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds ([foxsports.com](https://www.foxsports.com/articles/wnba/mcdonald-scores-a-careerhigh-27-and-the-shorthanded-fever-beat-the-mercury-for-3rd-straight-win?utm_source=chatgpt.com)). Ariel Dantas and Chloe Bibby each chipped in 12 points off the bench, and Indiana’s depth proved decisive.
The Fever overcame a 30–20 first-quarter deficit by unleashing a 13–0 run early in the second quarter. Despite Alyssa Thomas’s 32 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists for Phoenix, Turnovers (19) stymied the Mercury’s comeback efforts ([yardbarker.com](https://www.yardbarker.com/wnba/articles/mercury_falter_after_hot_start_against_indiana_fever/s1_17087_42523390?utm_source=chatgpt.com)). Indiana played without all-star guard Caitlin Clark (right groin), who remains day-to-day ([foxsports.com](https://www.foxsports.com/articles/wnba/mcdonald-scores-a-careerhigh-27-and-the-shorthanded-fever-beat-the-mercury-for-3rd-straight-win?utm_source=chatgpt.com)).
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## General News & Notes
• **Aari McDonald’s Emergence**
Signed under a hardship exemption, McDonald has swiftly become a key contributor for Indiana. Over her nine starts, she’s averaging 8.8 points, 5.0 assists and 1.3 steals per game, capped this week by her 27-point outburst ([sbnation.com](https://www.sbnation.com/wnba/2025/7/31/24478367/aari-mcdonald-fever-mercury-wnba-stephanie-white-caitlin-clark-playoff?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [swishappeal.com](https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2025/7/31/24478047/wnba-games-scores-lynx-libety-finals-rematch-sabrina-stewie-napheesa-mcbride-dream-fever-naz-aari?utm_source=chatgpt.com)).
• **Sophie Cunningham’s Rare Four-Point Play**
In Indiana’s win over Phoenix, Cunningham hit a three-pointer while being fouled and converted the free throw—one of only a handful of four-point plays in WNBA history—and scored nine of her 12 points in the fourth quarter, earning plaudits for her composure ([the-sun.com](https://www.the-sun.com/sport/14882067/sophie-cunningham-indiana-fever-four-point-play/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)).
• **Rookie Breaststrokes: Paige Bueckers’ Milestones**
Bueckers’s 21-point, seven-assist night continued her historic start: she’s the fastest player since 1997 to record 400+ points and 100+ assists in a season, joining Caitlin Clark in breaking new ground for WNBA rookies ([talksport.com](https://talksport.com/basketball/3431057/caitlin-clark-paige-bueckers-sophie-cunningham-wnba-indiana-fever/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)).
• **Liberty Injury Updates**
Breanna Stewart (bone bruise) remains sidelined with no timetable for return, but Emma Meesseman has arrived in New York and could debut imminently, bolstering the Liberty’s frontcourt rotation ([netsdaily.com](https://www.netsdaily.com/2025/7/31/24476954/ny-liberty-minnesota-lynx-wnba-recap-napheesa-collier-sabrina-ionescu?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [swishappeal.com](https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2025/7/31/24478047/wnba-games-scores-lynx-libety-finals-rematch-sabrina-stewie-napheesa-mcbride-dream-fever-naz-aari?utm_source=chatgpt.com)).
• **Clark’s Status**
Indiana’s Caitlin Clark sat out Wednesday’s win over Phoenix with a right groin injury; the Fever have not set a return date as they navigate playoff positioning ([foxsports.com](https://www.foxsports.com/articles/wnba/mcdonald-scores-a-careerhigh-27-and-the-shorthanded-fever-beat-the-mercury-for-3rd-straight-win?utm_source=chatgpt.com)).
Stay tuned to *WNBA Dimes* for thorough coverage of scores, standout performances and breaking news around the league.
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