So, I was very, very impressed with Raven Johnson yesterday. Really, really impressed with Raven. And it’s one of those funny things where it’s like everyone’s like, “Oh, yeah, she should be the starting point guard. Play Caitlin at the two, man. Trade Caitlin if you’re going to play her at the two.” I mean this.
If you want to play she could play at the three, you know. Because people are like, “Oh, she’s like 5’9″.” Yeah, but she’s got like a 6-ft 4 wingspan. That is the equivalent of being 6-ft with a 6-ft wingspan. Which is Sophie Cunningham. She’s fine playing the three.
But I was very, very impressed at the defense of Raven Johnson. I was very impressed at the control of Raven. Because there are times you need to control a game. And that’s what I was as impressed with as anything. And by the way, I was more impressed with how she played in the first half than the second half.
In the first half, like in the second half she basically it was the scrubs versus, for lack of a better word, the bench. The third stringers versus third stringers. She played a few minutes when they pulled Justin out of the game. That being said, it is one of those things where when it comes down to it I think there are times when you need absolute control of the game.
One of my only problems with Raven Johnson as an individual point guard is not that she doesn’t run the floor, because she does. She doesn’t really put her head up in transition. She doesn’t put her head up at all really in transition. And we saw a couple of times where it’s like okay. Let’s be fair.
I’m not even going to say she does it less than anyone else. She’s just not Caitlin Clark. And what the Indiana Fever get from that transition point guard in Caitlin Clark is something that no other point guard does. That being said, she is a connective piece. She’s a good passer. She had a nice jump shot.
She isn’t really looking for a shot, which can be a bit of a problem, but also maybe not to an extent. Doesn’t really look for a shot too much. Doesn’t slash a lot. Is genuinely a possible offensive player because if she’s a connective passer, she’s Marcus Smart. She is Marcus Smart. And maybe she will eventually improve the offensive game.
But this is a perennial DPOY candidate. I was shocked at it. I understood her on-ball defense and I knew about some of the off-ball things. And by the way, stop saying she can guard power forwards in the league. There is not one power forward in the league that would not eat Raven Johnson alive.
But what she can do is if she occasionally gets switched onto a power forward, she might not get absolutely destroyed. But I really liked her defensive reads. It was the off-the-ball defense that I’m like, “Okay.” Because it’s very different watching someone play at South Carolina and watching someone play in the W.
Like when you’re playing a team that’s meant to win every game, it’s very different. But she made one unbelievable play. I don’t even know if they count this as her steal. Where she kind of basically played like a fullback in rugby. And she just almost played like a sweeper role. She saw her player wasn’t going to get the ball and just decided, “You know what? I can see the eyes of what this point guard’s throwing the ball.”
“I’m going to make a read.” And I’m like, “Holy shit.” Like that was impressive.
Her two blocks were what they were. They’re defensive recovery plays. That happens. We all know that Raven’s got long arms. Defense is not steals and blocks. There were a couple of reads that she made in the defensive end.
The read that she made in the end of the third quarter where they called a timeout. It was after a three, I think. Or was it for two? But either way, they kind of ran some play to get an over-the-top three for the opposite corner.
Raven just stood there seeing exactly what was going on, knew exactly where it was so that she could go and guard the shooter on that play. Her defensive instincts and defensive awareness are incredible.
And I think long-term I am concerned for how little she’s going to play this year because I think her minutes this year are going to start with a zero. I think she plays sub-10 minutes a game this year. But I see the vision. I see the vision.
Because I can see Raven Johnson becoming, if they can’t keep Kelsey next year, the likelihood of Raven Johnson starting is kind of high. I think she takes a lot of Lexie’s minutes. Lexie Hull has to shoot the ball.
Because if you’re like, “Oh, Lexie’s bigger.” Yeah, but Raven’s equally as good a rebounder. If they both put their hands up in the air, I think Raven Johnson and Lexie Hull reach about the same amount. Just because someone’s head’s taller doesn’t really mean anything.
She’s fighting it with Lexie for minutes. And everyone’s like, “Oh, she’s going to play point guard.” A couple of minutes. Ty Harris is a better point guard than Raven Johnson. Ty Harris averaged 10 a game for the third best team in the WNBA.
And by the way, if you want to say, “Oh, but Raven Johnson won that year.” So did Ty Harris at South Carolina. Ty Harris is the greatest guard Dawn Staley’s ever produced.
And if I’m being real here, Raven Johnson is going to be a Swiss Army knife utility player. There are going to be games where it’s one of those things where it’s like she almost is going to have to stay ready. Stay ready so that you don’t have to get ready type thing.
And I wouldn’t be surprised if when it comes down to the playoffs she ends up playing big minutes at the three. Because what will happen with her at the three? The Indiana Fever, depending on who you’re playing, can run three-guard lineups.
You can’t against the Liberty. You cannot against Liberty. But if you’re playing the Aces and they’re running with Kennedy, Jackie, and Chelsea, they’re going with a three-guard lineup.
You then match it up with Caitlin on Chelsea, Kennedy, Caitlin or Kelsey on Kennedy, and she goes and guards Jackie. Or you can run that lineup.
When you’re playing the Atlanta Dream, nobody on the team can guard Rhyne Howard. Raven might be able to. Lexie Hull has been cooked every single time by Rhyne Howard. So no one say Lexie Hull there. Raven might be able to do play that role.
There are a lot of things when it comes to Raven Johnson where I’m like there are certain games where she really will suit. I don’t know if it’ll be this season. I don’t think it will be this season.
We’ve got a situation where she could be the long-term Marcus Smart. And I’m actually okay with having a long-term Marcus Smart beside Caitlin Clark. Especially somebody who is able to get the ball.
And by the way, I think it’s going to be long after Steph White is gone as a head coach. I think the Indiana Fever are going to be, I’m not going to say disappointing, but is fifth seed disappointing? Is 26 and 18 disappointing?
That’s my kind of prediction for the Indiana Fever. 24 to 26 wins. Fighting for that fourth seed in the playoffs and winning a round in the playoffs. I think they win a round. I think this is a team that’s more suited to the playoffs.
I think they win a round and lose in the second round. Is that a disappointing season? Matching what they did last year? I would say possibly.
And I just think this is going to be a weird season. I think it’s going to be a lot of weird things happen this season. Compared to last season, I think it’s going to be a lot of games where you’re like, “What is going on?”
And the size is an issue. I don’t think this team is ready. I don’t think this team really can compete at the highest level.
That being said, I think Raven Johnson is somebody who in the long-term could.
So look, when I was looking at the Fever’s draft pick, I said it. I was like, “Look, how do you make this pick when you just took Ty Harris?” And I still don’t think she breaks in ahead of Ty Harris.
But there was enough in yesterday’s game that I’m like okay. There’s a baseline level that this is a WNBA player.
By the way, I watched Gabriela Quevedo play for the Sky yesterday. Raven Johnson is better than Quevedo. Raven’s better than Quevedo.
I watched the Washington Mystics play. Betts looked active. She’s better than players who went ahead of her. Much better than players who went ahead of her.
She is better than players who went ahead of her. I could tell you that for a fact.
So yeah. Maybe they saw something. Anyway, see you guys. Bye.
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