3 takeaways from WNBA opening night: Aces ring in new season how they ended last

The 2024 WNBA season tipped off on Tuesday night night in style with a four-game lineup. The New York Liberty survived a close call against the new-look Washington Mystics and the Caitlin Clark era began on a low note as the Indiana Fever lost to the battle-tested Connecticut Sun.

The second half of the W's opening night ended with the defending champion Las Vegas Aces disposing of the Phoenix Mercury and the Minnesota Lynx defeating the reloaded Seattle Storm.

All four games didn't disappoint and all were televised through ESPN2, ESPN 3, and ESPN+. The 28th WNBA season has been one of the most anticipated seasons because of Caitlin Clark and how she has elevated women's basketball, Angel Reese, and the flavor she brings to the game.

Fans, critics, and analysts want to see how rookies Cameron Brink, Rickea Jackson, Alissa Pili, and others will develop. Not to mention, all eyes will be on the Aces as they try to three-peat for the first time since the Houston Comets.

Other interesting topics that people want to see play out are the new look Mercury, Storm, and Atlanta Dream and how they will fair this season. With day one in the books, it's clear that this season will be one for the ages as the league continues to grow.

Here are three takeaways from opening night in the WNBA.

Connecticut Sun continue to reload

At home, Connecticut defeated the Fever, 92-71, despite the crowd constantly cheering for Clark all night. She finished the game with 20 points, leading Indiana in scoring.

Some would argue that the Sun were simply supposed to win against Indiana. Regardless of who Connecticut played, however, their ability to reload their roster and dominate speaks volumes.

During the offseason, the franchise lost two key guards, Natisha Hiedeman and Rebecca Allen. However, they were able to add both Tiffany Mitchell and Rachel Banham to replenish their depth at guard.

Alyssa Thomas added another triple-double to her belt finishing the game with 13 points, 13 assists, and 10 rebounds. She is the leader of this team and makes sure that everyone gets involved. DeWanna Bonner moved into fifth on the all-time scoring list and finished the game with 20 points and 6 rebounds. She was a defensive magnet and helped shadow Clark with DiJonai Carrington.

Carrington and Tyasha Harris stepped up major as they were inserted into the starting lineup. Both scored 16 points in the game adding to the team's balanced offensive attack. Carrington's defensive ability was displayed as she picked up Clark at half-court and quarter-court. While guarding Clark, she forced eight turnovers and held her to 20 percent shooting.

Harris, on the other hand, shot 4-of-6 from three and 6-of-11 from the field. Her ability to shoot efficiently will go a long way in helping her veterans trust her with the ball in her hands.

The Magic of the Mystics

The Mystics lost to the Liberty, 85-80, within the last minute of the game on opening night. Although Washington lost, there are a few positive takeaways from the game.

Shakira Austin looked healthy after missing a large amount of the 2023 season due to a hip injury. Last night, she had the assignment of guarding Breanna Stewart and held her to only eight points.

Austin finished the game with 13 points, five rebounds, five blocks, and two assists. Her energy was contagious and it was clear that she was back and ready to go. This is a good sign for the Mystics who look to remain competitive and figure out their roster without Elena Delle Donne, who is sitting out this season, and Natasha Cloud who left in free agency.

Brittney Sykes (14 points) and Ariel Atkins (20 points) elevated the backcourt play and scored in double figures. As the game went on, both started to lock in with a fierce level of focus.

This game could have gone either way but one thing that head coach Eric Thibault should consider is how long Sykes can sustain her level of play as the point guard. She can initiate the offense and hone in on her floor general skills but can she sustain putting out that much energy when the team needs scoring?

Washington played excellent defense and forced the Liberty to take tough shots or force-feed Jonquel Jones who had a strong outing. The Mystics held the Liberty to 28.6 percent shooting from behind the arc and they forced 18 turnovers.

Last season, the Mystics struggled to play with energy in spurts and didn't force the issue. In yesterday's matchup, they were intentional on both sides and played with a different level of focus.

Aces vs. Everybody

The Aces night began with the team receiving their rings from the 2023 championship. Often, championship teams lose their opening night game because of the emotional weight of receiving their rings and a banner raising in the arena.

Needless to say, that was not the case due to the leadership of A'Ja Wilson and her mentality of it being a new season and everyone wanting to knock them off. The South Carolina product looked unbothered no matter who was guarding her. She drummed up a double-double and finished the game with 30 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Wilson's ability to score is impressive but how she brings the best out of her teammates and leads vocally isn't discussed enough.

Las Vegas didn't lose a step and picked up from where they left off after winning the championship. Jackie Young (23 points) and Kelsey Plum (19 points) finished the game with double digits.

Aces' head coach Becky Hammon played an eight-women rotation last night and the team was without Chelsea Gray due to injury. However, the champions took care of business and limited Phoenix on the offensive end.