Duke in the WNBA: Gray and Williams continue dominance in second week

<p>Lexie Brown earned her first professional block in her limited minutes with the Sun.</p>

Lexie Brown earned her first professional block in her limited minutes with the Sun.

With the 2018 WNBA season in full swing, the Blue Zone takes a look at the eight former Blue Devils currently playing across five WNBA teams in the league's second week of games for the year.

Alana Beard and Chelsea Gray, Los Angeles Sparks 

Chelsea Gray’s fourth season has gotten off to a very strong start. For the first time in her career, the former Blue Devil was named Western Conference Player of the Week. In a May 24 eight-point loss to the Connecticut Sun, Gray hit three of five triples along with four free throws for 21 points. The 5-foot-11 guard finished the game with five assists and four rebounds. Alana Beard filled up the box score with a pair of rebounds, assists and blocks along with a season-high six points.

In the Sparks’ fourth game of the young season, Beard registered two more steals and a block to help her campaign to repeat as the Defensive Player of the Year. The Shreveport, La., native brought down five offensive and two defensive rebounds along with two assists and one point. Gray continued her dominance with a game-high 23 points and eight assists in an 80-72 victory against the Phoenix Mercury. With her team up only seven points and 1:45 remaining in the game, Gray backed down her defender and then faded away in the paint for the final two points on the afternoon. The Sparks guard also notched point No. 1,000 of her career.



Upcoming: June 3 vs. Minnesota Lynx

Lexie Brown and Jasmine Thomas, Connecticut Sun

In the aforementioned 102-94 win against the Sparks, Jasmine Thomas scored a season-high 13 points and eight assists. The former first round pick made all four of her free throws and a trio of 3-pointers to help lead her team to victory. Rookie Lexie Brown did not see action in the team's win.

Connecticut was back on the court two days later and remained undefeated as it came out on top against the Indiana Fever 86-77. Thomas registered 11 points and four assists on the offensive end while shooting 3-of-10 from the field. The 5-foot-9 guard finished the game with three assists. Brown played only six minutes as part of Connecticut’s crowded backcourt, but picked up her first ever professional block.



Upcoming: June 1 at Chicago Sky; June 3 at Washington Mystic; June 5 at Atlanta Dream

Monique Currie and Krystal Thomas, Washington Mystics

Like the Sun, the Washington Mystics have begun their season off well. On May 24, the Mystic defeated the Indiana Fever 93-84 for their third win of the year. Monique Currie scored a season-high 12 points on an almost perfect night from the field. She shot 5-of-6 from the field and knocked in her only three-point attempt to go along with two rebounds in the victory. Krystal Thomas only scored two points and grabbed four rebounds in her 13 minutes of action at the starting center position.

Three days later, the Mystic found themselves in the win column once again. This time, Washington defeated the defending champion Minnesota Lynx 90-78. In 10 minutes, Thomas registered four points and two rebounds on two made baskets. Currie did not shoot as well as the previous game. The forward only made one of her four triples and missed another field goal en route to a three-point outing and three rebounds.

But the Mystic success ran out as they suffered their only defeat of the season May 29 in a 81-77 loss to the Seattle Storm. But the team was without its best player and one of the top players in the league, Elena Delle Donne, who left the Mystics previous game due to dehydration. Currie turned the ball over five times, but picked up four rebounds and one assist in a two-point showing. Thomas was held scoreless for the first time this season as she did not attempt a field goal in 12 minutes. The center added two rebounds and a steal in the loss.

Currie and Thomas were back on the court the next night looking to get back to their winning ways. The veteran Currie scored four points in the opening frame and finished with six points with 4-of-6 shooting from the free throw line. The forward added three rebounds, two assists and a steal in 14 minutes of action. Thomas, who connected on one field goal in the first quarter while grabbing three rebounds, finished the game with eight points and four rebounds. The 6-foot-5 center added two assists and a steal in 26 minutes. Without Delle Donne for the second straight game, the Mystic picked up a 103-95 road victory against the Mercury.

Upcoming: June 1 at Las Vegas Aces; June 3 vs. Connecticut Sun

Elizabeth Williams, Atlanta Dream

On May 26, Elizabeth Williams registered her best performance of the season in a 78-70 defeat against the Dallas Wings. The 2017 All-Star dropped in 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting in 27 minutes. Williams brought down six rebounds on the offensive end and two on defensive end for a season-high eight boards. On the defensive end, the former Duke star had three steals and two blocks.

The Atlanta center finished her game on May 29 with eight points and seven rebounds. The 6-foot-3 defensive star once again registered three steals while blocking a layup in the second quarter.



Williams ended the game with one assist in the team’s tight 76-74 victory against the Minnesota Lynx.

Upcoming: June 3 vs. Phoenix Mercury; June 5 vs. Connecticut Sun

Karima Christmas-Kelly, Dallas Wings

In her fourth game this season, Karima Christmas-Kelly delivered her best all-around performance. Although the 6-foot forward tied her season-low scoring at seven points, she brought down six rebounds and a season-high four assists. Christmas-Kelly also picked up a pair of blocks and steals for her only two blocks and steals this year. Most of the former Blue Devil’s points came from the charity stripe, going 5-of-6 in a season-high 34 minutes. The Wings defeated the Dream 78-70.

But on May 29, Dallas was unable to upend the New York Liberty on the road as the Liberty took the decision 94-89. Christmas-Kelly drained three of her four 3-point attempts for 12 points to go along with a perfect 3-for-3 game from the free throw line. The Liberty did not pressure the Wings enough from the perimeter in the first quarter as Dallas led 31-14 after the first quarter. But the Liberty bounced back and used a 14-point fourth quarter advantage to take their first win of the year.

Upcoming: June 2 vs. Seattle Storm

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