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    <title>WNBA.com: News and Scores</title>
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	 <lastBuildDate>Sun, 5 Sep 2010 11:34:14 EST</lastBuildDate>
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      <title><![CDATA[Dream Well Rested]]></title>
      <link>http://www.wnba.com/playoffs/2010/playoffs_dream.html?rss=true</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Atlanta Dream may have posted an impressive start to the season when they shot out to a strong 6-0 start, but the second half of the season raised a number of concerns when they followed up a first-half 14-5 record with a 5-10 second-half run. To Atlanta's credit, the team did manage to crack the top four in the tough Eastern Conference to secure a playoff spot, but as the fourth seed lacking home-court advantage the battle would be an uphill one.
And yet in the Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup against the No. 1 seeded Mystics, Atlanta stepped up its game, swept the Mystics and showed on-court signs that the Dream team that started the season was only in hiding, dormant for periods in the second half and ready to strike when it counted.
“I guess the defining point was when Washington beat us so poorly on Sunday afternoon in Atlanta in the final game of the regular season,” said Dream head coach Marynell Meadors. “Then, somehow between Sunday and Wednesday, we put things together like we're capable of doing. It was just amazing to watch them. I don't think it was anything that I said. Maybe it was a lineup change, I don't know.”
No matter the reasons, Meadors won't argue with the results.
“This team is based on energy, it's based on defense and rebounding and balance,” the 2009 Coach of the Year said. “I think we have gotten back to that. We were so one-on-one against other teams offensively that it just took us right out of our game. And we were always back on our heels because the offense was not clicking like it should.”
Although only two playoff games stand as evidence, Atlanta's averaging 98 points per game. During the regular season, Atlanta ranked second only to Phoenix in points per game with an average of 85.4 per outing. The second win over Washington in the Semifinals, a 101-77 rout, saw the Dream string together a high-flying, unprecedented 26-0 run that ultimately put the game in their hands.
“I really think that that is our game,” Meadors said. “We'd love to be able to do that every game but I'm not sure that's possible. Our game is to try and do a better job on the defensive end and that creates offensive opportunities for us and that's exactly what we're trying to do.”
Now in the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in its young history, the Dream will take on the New York Liberty, a team that really put it all together in the second half.
“New York has come from behind and really started playing well after the All-Star break,” Meadors said. “Every team goes through a situation where they're up and down. There's peaks and valleys during the year.”
Perhaps the biggest issue now for the Dream as they head into Sunday's Game One matchup against the Liberty is staying fresh and ready for playoff basketball. Nice as it was to sweep the first round, the downtime between series presents another challenge altogether. By the time Atlanta tips off with New York, they will have gone a full nine days without playoff basketball.
“We haven't played since Friday, so that's a long time this time of the year to have a huge break like this,” said Meadors, “but we're trying to make sure that we keep our intensity up and our focus on what we're trying to do and the goals we're trying to reach. We're doing scrimmages against guys with officials, which I think really helps us. We shorten the practices but they're more intense.”
The first round win was a gift of sorts for Meadors, who celebrated her 67th birthday with the first playoffs sweep in franchise history.
“I told them I didn't want anything else. No cake or anything,” she said. “But I got cake, a great card from the whole team and then we got a win and they said, ‘Happy Birthday, Coach,' so that was great. I wish I had a birthday again in about three weeks.” ]]></description>
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      <title><![CDATA[Johnson Expects Adjustments in Game Two]]></title>
      <link>http://www.wnba.com/playoffs/2010/playoffs_mercury.html?rss=true</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Phoenix Mercury's Temeka Jonson is ready to get back to business as the team prepares to host the Seattle Storm Sunday afternoon in Game Two of the Western Conference Finals. While the team may have experienced a loss in Game One at KeyArena in Seattle, a return to home court could be just the thing they need to even up the best-of-three series.
“We just have to approach the game like it's our last,” said Johnson. “Whether it's in Seattle or it's in Phoenix, we have to play Phoenix Mercury basketball and not worry about what happened in the regular season, not worry about what happened in Game One. We just have to play the way we know how we can play.”
There's no secret to the Mercury's style of play. Phoenix wants to run the floor, shoot the ball and leave teams out of breath as they try to keep up. But in Game One against the Storm, Phoenix got off to a slow start, falling into an early hole against a team that ranked second overall in points allowed per game during the regular season. It's certainly not an area Johnson wants to see the Mercury in again in Game Two, as the lead stayed in Seattle's possession for the entire 40 minutes of play.
“We need to come out aggressive,” said Johnson, looking ahead to Sunday's matchup. “We can't allow ourselves to get put into that big of a hole against a team like Seattle. I think we're going to have to come off the block early and try to sustain the momentum for us.”
Minor adjustments aside, Johnson liked what she saw.
“We didn't knock down a lot of shots and we had some defensive mishaps, but other than that I think we played well,” Johnson said. “We played with a lot of energy. We played hard. But the little mistakes that we had, it adds up, and you can't have that again.”
Although the Mercury fell short in the first game of the series, the league's top-scoring team during the regular season (93.9 points per game) is not one the Storm will take lightly. The same can be said of 2009 MVP Diana Taurasi, whose Game One performance in which she shot 2-of-15 for nine points is not exactly commonplace.
“A player like Diana is not somebody that you need to get on,” Johnson said. “There are many times where Diana knocks those shots down, so for us to know her and to know she's won a lot of games with those kind of shots, as a team we are behind her 100 percent and believe she's going to do what she needs to do to bounce back from that.”
As defending champs, the target has been on Phoenix's back throughout the entire season. Teams have been gunning for a chance to knock off the Mercury as they continue to defend the 2009 championship and battle for a repeat title. Despite being in an early hole, Johnson says there's no added pressure as the team remains confident and focused on the task at hand.
“You always want to defend the title, but I think with the up-and-down season that we've had and starting the playoffs, making it to the playoffs and starting fresh, the main focus is to play well,” said Johnson. “We leave everything else where it is and we just really want to play well and do it to the best of our ability.”
“Where I've come from to where I am now, it definitely feels good to be in this position and I know we're going to do whatever we can to repeat and get past a very good Seattle team.” ]]></description>
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      <title><![CDATA[Abrosimova Wants a Championship]]></title>
      <link>http://www.wnba.com/playoffs/2010/playoffs_storm.html?rss=true</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Seattle's Svetlana Abrosimova has one thing in mind: winning a championship. The eight-year veteran spent seven seasons with the Minnesota Lynx between 2000 and 2007, never advancing past the Western Conference Semifinals in any of those campaigns. After a short stint with the Connecticut Sun in 2008, Abrosimova took the remainder of the season and the 2009 summer off to collect her thoughts.
“I felt like sometimes when you're trying too hard – and obviously my main goal was winning a championship – every year was kind of a struggle,” she said. “I felt like maybe taking a stop, [taking] a break and just thinking if I really want to play every summer and have year-round basketball in my life.”
The down time wasn't without basketball though, as Abrosimova continued to play back home in her native St. Petersburg, Russia. But even during her time away from the league, a time in which she also contemplated retirement, the itch was still there. She wanted a WNBA championship. On April 22, Abrosimova signed with the Storm and returned to the WNBA.
“It was a new team but I've played with these players,” she said. “I knew this coach, so they were familiar to me and it was comfortable so everything was working out.”
Storm head coach Brian Agler coached the Lynx for three seasons from 1999 to 2001 and watched Abrosimova enter the league as a rookie out of UConn where she had just come off playing alongside her current teammates Sue Bird and Swin Cash. Reuniting in Seattle gave Abrosimova an opportunity to win a championship while also taking on a more reserved role.
“I knew that they had Swin Cash and a couple of other players who were just playing really good together,” she said. “It was never my goal to get in the starting lineup. I just wanted to help them.”
And help them she did. Throughout the Storm's 28-6 regular season run, Abrosimova led the Seattle bench with 20.2 minutes, 7.6 points and 3.1 rebounds per game, posing as the proverbial “spark” every team needs. Now, as she and the Storm find themselves just four wins away from securing a championship, Abrosimova is prepared to do whatever it takes.
“I like my role,” she said. “I'm not the type of player who sits on the bench thinking, ‘I hope somebody misses the shot so I can get in.' Sometimes I don't want to get in because they're playing so well together. And other times, when I see something is not going well or they're just not being aggressive enough or it's not working out, I want to be there.”
“I want to create that spark.” ]]></description>
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      <title><![CDATA[Vaughn: New York's Spark]]></title>
      <link>http://www.wnba.com/playoffs/2010/playoffs_liberty.html?rss=true</link>
      <description><![CDATA[When Janel McCarville was forced to sit out Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals Wednesday night against the Fever with a sprained ankle, the New York Liberty turned to the bench for an answer. Although Plenette Pierson started the game in McCarville's place, Kia Vaughn owned the role, scoring 13 points and snagging seven rebounds over 26 minutes of play.
“I knew I had my teammates behind me,” Vaughn said after the 77-74 win. “It wasn't on me, I just had to fill a role and actually go out there and be myself. Be aggressive, attack, keep the mindset and get what my teammates were going to give me.”
Vaughn, who averaged just 8.1 minutes and 2.1 points per game during the regular season, not only worked with what her teammates sent her way but was also a big presence all on her own on defense, on the boards and at the line. In fact, Vaughn's night came to a head when she was sent to the line for two shots with 9.7 seconds remaining in the game, the score set at 76-74 in favor of the Liberty. Make both, and it all but takes Indy out of the game. Make one, and it's on New York to limit the three. Miss both, and Indiana could steal the win.
One: Swish.
Two: Off the rim, out of bounds.
Indiana's ball.
“I was just thinking, ‘Get back and get a stop,'” laughed Vaughn.
New York did just that, as a charging Briann January rushed down court and let a runner go from beyond the top of the arc, bouncing it off the rim, off the hardwood and right into the clutches of the Liberty's Essence Carson. Time expired, and the Liberty burst into celebration.
“[If] you don't know Kia Vaughn, you know Kia Vaughn now,” said an elated Cappie Pondexter following the win. “She was amazing. I feel her presence from the moment she stepped in the game to the end. We wouldn't have won this game without her presence. The way she stepped up and made shots, grabbed rebounds, made plays on the defensive end – no way we would've walked out of here with a win without her.”
Head coach Anne Donovan shared the same sentiment.
“There is nobody that has worked harder this year and not really seen the results. Last game, I thought she had good minutes at Indiana which fortunately gave her confidence coming into the game tonight and with Janel out, we had to have her in the rotation. I think she surprised herself with how well she played and I know she surprised Indiana.”
McCarville remains listed as day-to-day for Sunday's Conference Finals opener against the Dream. Whether she returns to the lineup or not, the Liberty can remain confident knowing that Vaughn is not far off, waiting for her chance to absorb the pressure.
“Opportunity was handed to me and I was on it,” said a proud, jubilant Vaughn.
“I got it done.” ]]></description>
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      <title><![CDATA[MVP Jackson leads Storm past Mercury in Game 1]]></title>
      <link>http://www.wnba.com/games/20100902/PHOSEA/gameinfo.html?rss=true</link>
      <description><![CDATA[SEATTLE (AP) Lauren Jackson had 23 points and 17 rebounds to lead the Seattle Storm to an 82-74 victory over the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday night in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.
Jackson, who won her third WNBA MVP award before the game, set a team playoff record for rebounds.
Svetlana Abrosimova added 16 points for the Storm, Le'Coe Willingham had 10, and Sue Bird handed out 10 assists in Seattle's 19th straight home win.
Penny Taylor scored 16 points and Candice Dupree added 15 for the Mercury. Diana Taurasi, who averaged 22.6 points during the regular season, scored nine on 2-of-15 shooting.
Seattle held the Mercury 25 points below their postseason scoring average. Phoenix averaged 93.8 points during the regular season.
Jackson had her double-double in the books with 3:15 left in the first half when she grabbed her 10th rebound.
The Storm jumped out to a 22-7 lead in the first quarter, helped in part by the cold-shooting Mercury, who hit only one of their first 11 shots and went more than four minutes between their first and second baskets.
The Mercury pulled to 23-20 early in the second quarter with a 13-1 run capped by back-to-back 3-pointers from Temeka Johnson and Taurasi, but would get no closer.
Taurasi picked up her third foul with 7:05 left in the half, but sat out 2 1/2 minutes before returning and playing the rest of the way until the break.
Seattle took a 47-33 lead into halftime.
The Mercury trailed 59-55 late in the third quarter, but the Storm stretched the lead back to 10 early in the fourth and Phoenix trailed by at least seven points the rest of the way.
Game 2 of the best-of-3 series is Sunday at Phoenix.
Copyright 2010 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited]]></description>
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      <title><![CDATA[Seattle Storm's Lauren Jackson Named 2010 WNBA Most Valuable Player Presented by Kia Motors]]></title>
      <link>http://www.wnba.com/playoffs/2010/jackson_mvp_2010.html?rss=true</link>
      <description><![CDATA[NEW YORK, Sept. 2, 2010 – Seattle Storm forward-center Lauren Jackson was named the 2010 WNBA Most Valuable Player presented by Kia Motors, the league announced today. Jackson, who received 323 points (22 first place votes) from a national panel of 39 sportswriters and broadcasters, previously earned MVP honors in 2003 and 2007. Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings ranked second with 262 points (10 first place votes) and New York Liberty guard Cappie Pondexter finished third with 207 points (five). Phoenix Mercury guard-forward Diana Taurasi, the 2009 WNBA Most Valuable Player presented by Kia Motors, finished fourth with 73 points.
Players were awarded 10 points for each first-place vote, seven points for each second-place vote, five for third, three for fourth and one for each fifth-place vote received.
In honor of being named the WNBA Most Valuable Player presented by Kia Motors, Jackson will receive $15,000 and a specially-designed trophy from Tiffany &amp; Co.
Rounding out the top eight vote getters were Washington Mystics forward-center Crystal Langhorne with 54 points, Atlanta Dream forward Angel McCoughtry with 41 points, Connecticut Sun center Tina Charles with 19 points, and Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird with 14 points.
En route to her third MVP award, Jackson helped propel the Storm to the best record in the WNBA at 28-6, which equaled the most wins in league history (by the 28-4 Los Angeles Sparks in both 2000 and 2001). Seattle also posted the first 17-0 home record in WNBA history.
The Australian native captured the WNBA Western Conference Player of the Month presented by Kia Motors honors in May, June and July of this year. She also set a single-season record (later equaled by New York's
Cappie Pondexter) for most Conference Player of the Week presented by Kia Motors awards with five, all coming in the first nine weeks of the season. In the process, Jackson increased her total haul of weekly honors to 19, the most in WNBA history.
The 10-year pro started all 32 games in which she played and ranked among the WNBA's top 10 in numerous categories, including finishing fourth in points (20.5 ppg) and seventh in rebounds (8.3 rpg). She also ranked fourth in free-throw percentage (.910), fifth in blocks (1.19 bpg) and seventh in double-doubles (nine).
Jackson finished the season with 656 total points (tallying double figures in all but one game), 264 rebounds (including 175 defensive boards), 38 assists, 38 blocks, and 30 steals. She made 220 of her 476 shots from the field, including 54 of 156 from three-point range.
Jackson, whose Seattle team hosts the Mercury in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals tonight, led the Storm to a 5-0 mark against Phoenix during the regular season. It was against the Mercury that Jackson logged her best performances of the year. She first recorded her top rebounding effort of the season at Phoenix, pulling down 18 boards and contributing 31 points in a 111-107 triple overtime victory on July 14. In their next meeting she posted a season-high 33 points and added 11 rebounds in a 91-85 home win over the Mercury.
This marks the second season that Kia Motors, an official WNBA marketing partner, has presented four of the league's most illustrious season-ending awards – the WNBA's Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player of the Year, and Sixth Woman of the Year – grouped under the banner of “The WNBA Performance Awards presented by Kia Motors.”
For more information on this year's WNBA Performance Awards presented by Kia Motors, visit www.wnba.com/awards.
Below are the complete results of the 2010 WNBA Most Valuable Player of the Year award presented by Kia Motors votes and a list of past recipients:
2010 WNBA MOST VALUABLE PLAYER PRESENTED BY KIA MOTORS RESULTS
Points 	Player 	Team
323 	Lauren Jackson 	Seattle Storm
262 	Tamika Catchings 	Indiana Fever
207 	Cappie Pondexter 	New York Liberty
73 	Diana Taurasi 	Phoenix Mercury
54 	Crystal Langhorne 	Washington Mystics
41 	Angel McCoughtry 	Atlanta Dream
19 	Tina Charles 	Connecticut Sun
14 	Sue Bird 	Seattle Storm
6 	Tina Thompson 	Los Angeles Sparks
3 	Penny Taylor 	Phoenix Mercury

ALL-TIME WNBA MOST VALUABLE PLAYER PRESENTED BY KIA MOTORS WINNERS
Year 	Player 	Team
2010 	Lauren Jackson 	Seattle Storm
2009 	Diana Taurasi 	Phoenix Mercury
2008 	Candace Parker 	Los Angeles Sparks
2007 	Lauren Jackson 	Seattle Storm
2006 	Lisa Leslie 	Los Angeles Sparks
2005 	Sheryl Swoopes 	Houston Comets
2004 	Lisa Leslie 	Los Angeles Sparks
2003 	Lauren Jackson 	Seattle Storm
2002 	Sheryl Swoopes 	Houston Comets
2001 	Lisa Leslie 	Los Angeles Sparks
2000 	Sheryl Swoopes 	Houston Comets
1999 	Yolanda Griffith 	Sacramento Monarchs
1998 	Cynthia Cooper 	Houston Comets
1997 	Cynthia Cooper 	Houston Comets]]></description>
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      <title><![CDATA[Seattle Storm's Brian Agler Named 2010 WNBA Coach of the Year]]></title>
      <link>http://www.wnba.com/playoffs/2010/agler_coty_2010.html?rss=true</link>
      <description><![CDATA[NEW YORK, Sep. 2, 2010 – The Seattle Storm's Brian Agler is the recipient of the 2010 WNBA Coach of the Year Award, the WNBA announced today. Agler received 17 votes from a national panel of 39 sportswriters and broadcasters. New York's Anne Donovan finished second with 13 votes while Washington's Julie Plank placed third with nine votes.
Agler earned his first Coach of the Year Award after leading the Storm to a 28-6 record regular season record, earning the No. 1 overall seed in the 2010 WNBA Playoffs presented by adidas. The Storm has since advanced to the Western Conference Finals, where they will host the Phoenix Mercury in Game 1 tonight. Under Agler, the Storm became the second team to finish with a perfect record at home, going 17-0 at KeyArena. The 2001 Los Angeles Sparks accomplished the feat with a 16-0 record. The Storm also made franchise history with a 13-game winning streak that ended with a one-point loss at Minnesota on Aug. 1.
With Agler at the helm, the Storm ranked third in the league in scoring (81.8 ppg), third in rebounds (36.3 rpg), fifth in field goal percentage (44.5 percent), and sixth in steals (8.26 spg). Seattle also tied for second in offensive rebounds per game (11.6). A year ago, the Storm ranked 11th in the league in scoring (74.8 ppg), seventh in field goal percentage (43.0 percent), and ninth in both rebounds (32.5 rpg) and offensive rebounds per game (9.3).
Under Agler's tutelage, Lauren Jackson earned the 2010 WNBA Most Valuable Player Award presented by Kia Motors, the third such honor of her career. Along the way, Jackson also earned the Western Conference Player of the Month award presented by Kia Motors for three consecutive months (May-July). She also earned the Player of the Week award presented by Kia Motors five times during 2010, tying her own mark for the most such awards in a single season. Jackson finished fourth in points (20.5 ppg) and seventh in rebounds (8.2 rpg). Teammate Sue Bird finished second in the league in assists (5.8 apg).
In his three seasons as Storm head coach, Agler has had three winning seasons, all three with 20 or more wins. The 28 victories in the 2010 season marked the most wins in one season for Agler's WNBA coaching career. The previous two seasons, the Storm lost to the Los Angeles Sparks in the Western Conference Semifinals.
Agler has been in the WNBA since 1999, and began his career as head coach for the Minnesota Lynx for four seasons. Agler was an assistant coach with the Phoenix Mercury in 2004 and then worked on the Silver Stars coaching staff from 2005 until the 2008 season, after which he joined the Storm. Prior to his experience in the WNBA, the Ohio native coached for a combined 13 years at Northeastern Oklahoma A&amp;M Junior College, Missouri-Kansas City, and Kansas State University.
Below are the voting results for 2010 WNBA Coach of the Year Award as well as a list of past recipients:
2010 COACH OF THE YEAR RESULTS
Votes 	Coach 	Team
17 	Brian Agler 	Seattle Storm
13 	Anne Donovan 	New York Liberty
9 	Julie Plank 	Washington Mystics

COACH OF THE YEAR WINNERS
Year 	Coach 	Team
2010 	Brian Agler 	Seattle Storm
2009 	Marynell Meadors 	Atlanta Dream
2008 	Mike Thibault 	Connecticut Sun
2007 	Dan Hughes 	San Antonio Silver Stars
2006 	Mike Thibault 	Connecticut Sun
2005 	John Whisenant 	Sacramento Monarchs
2004 	Suzie McConnell Serio 	Minnesota Lynx
2003 	Bill Laimbeer 	Detroit Shock
2002 	Marianne Stanley 	Washington Mystics
2001 	Dan Hughes 	Cleveland Rockers
2000 	Michael Cooper 	Los Angeles Sparks
1999 	Van Chancellor 	Houston Comets
1998 	Van Chancellor 	Houston Comets
1997 	Van Chancellor 	Houston Comets]]></description>
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      <title><![CDATA[Facing a Familiar Foe]]></title>
      <link>http://www.wnba.com/playoffs/2010/playoffs_storm.html?rss=true</link>
      <description><![CDATA[It was just last year when Le'coe Willingham was celebrating her first WNBA title. As the starting forward on the Phoenix Mercury, she helped the team to a memorable Finals victory over the Indiana Fever. But after signing with Seattle in the offseason, now Willingham finds herself trying to prevent the Mercury from duplicating the feat with the Western Conference Finals set to commence Thursday.
“I don't really look at it as going against my old team or anything like that,&quot; said Willingham. &quot;We won a championship last year and everything we did last year was very special, but at the same time we've moved on and Phoenix is a different team. I'm just not looking at it as my old team. I'm looking at it as it's just the team that we have to play in the Western Conference Finals, and I'm with Seattle now and we have a goal to accomplish and hopefully it'll be a good series.&quot;
Willingham spent only two seasons with Phoenix, although she started all but seven of the 68 games she played for them (79 if you include postseason) and had her two most successful WNBA campaigns in terms of statistics. Meanwhile, the move to Seattle has meant a move to the bench with Lauren Jackson, Camille Little and Swin Cash ahead of her on the frontcourt depth chart. That has meant a decrease in Willingham's production, but team-wise the regular season concluded with Seattle 13 games ahead of the Mercury in the standings, so in theory her odds to repeat are better than the Mercury's.
Some may say regular season records are meaningless right now. Even Willingham admits that Phoenix is better than their 15-19 record suggests. But winning the West resulted in home-court advantage for Seattle, which hasn't lost a game in its building all year, and every edge right now is crucial.
And by virtue of having Willingham, someone who knows Phoenix's system well, the Storm might have another advantage.
&quot;I know the tendencies and [Phoenix coach Corey Gaines'] philosophy,&quot; said Willingham. &quot;I don't think Corey really hides what his philosophy is. He's going to let you know pretty much that it's going to be an up-tempo game and they want to put up a lot of shots and hopefully stay even or control the boards so they can get out and run and control the transition. The philosophy is hopefully you can wear teams down by the fourth quarter in those last five minutes and to keep the push on.”
Even though Seattle is known more as the defensive-minded team in this series, they can keep up with the Mercury. They have stars. They can score. You don't go 28-6 without being able to put up some points.
“I don't want to say you can't get caught up going up and down in a frenzied pace. We definitely run also,&quot; said Willingham. &quot;We pick and choose our times to run. At times we want to push the pace and then at other times we need to slow the ball down and execute and make them play a full 24 seconds on defense, a whole possession instead of putting up that quick shot and allowing them to get long rebounds and get out in the running game because they're very, very good at running.”
On the flip side, while the Mercury's calling card is their offense, they can play defense when necessary. You don't win two titles in three years without making a few stops.
“Basically the advantage is, and this is similar to what it was like when I was in Phoenix playing in the Finals against Indiana, it's who can impose the will and style of play on the other team,&quot; said Willingham. &quot;Phoenix, they play defense also. They're very tall when they go with that tall lineup. So they can go very big on the court and switch everything.”
Maybe we should forget points-per-game or points-allowed-per-game. The stat that could give you a better sense of what to expect going into the Western Conference Finals is 5-0. That was Seattle's record against Phoenix during the regular season, with three of those victories coming on the road. ]]></description>
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      <title><![CDATA[Series Preview: New York Liberty (2) vs. Atlanta Dream (4)]]></title>
      <link>http://www.wnba.com/playoffs/2010/eastseries3.html?rss=true</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The dream season continues for Atlanta. The reality though is the Liberty hope to wake them up.
The Eastern Conference Finals is set after the New York Liberty (22-12) knocked off the Indiana Fever, 77-74, in the deciding Game 3 of the semifinals on Wednesday. They'll take on the Atlanta Dream (19-15) in the best-of-three series beginning Sunday at Madison Square Garden.
The fourth-seeded Dream come into this meeting well rested. They've been off since Aug. 27 after making quick work of the Washington Mystics in their semifinals matchup. Atlanta's uptempo style was too much for the Mystics, who had won three of the four prior meetings this season. The Dream averaged 98 points in the series, while Angel McCoughtry contributed a quarter of those with around 24 a night. In last Friday's win, each one of the 10 players on the Dream roster posted points in the box score, while three (Iziane Castro Marques, Sancho Lyttle and McCoughtry) had at least 20.
Atlanta is dangerous on both sides of the floor. They're the league's second-most potent offense -- their 98 ppg was only second to the Phoenix Mercury's 99 -- and their defense, especially on the boards, is outstanding. The Dream's 43 rebounds a night was best by five ahead of the Mercury in 2010. The number-two seeded Liberty will have to use Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Janel McCarville and their other interior players to prevent Atlanta's bigs, Erika de Souza (12.4 ppg, 8.3 rpg.) and Lyttle (14 ppg., 9.5 rpg.), from hanging around the rim.
Gm 1: at New York, Sun., 9/5, 7 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Gm 2: at Atlanta, Tues., 9/7, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Gm 3*: at New York, Thur., 9/9, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
New York, meanwhile, is one of the league's hottest teams. They won 15 of their last 18 games to end the regular season, which helped propel them up the East standings and into a tie with Washington for the conference's best record. Much of this success has to be attributed to the play of Cappie Pondexter (21.4 ppg), the league's second leading scorer. Pondexter not only put the ball in the hoop, but she distributed it as well, ranking sixth in assists (4.9). Her 30 points on Wednesday, including a clutch two-pointer near the end of regulation, was the difference maker for the Liberty in that tight contest.
On the injury front, it's unknown whether McCarville will miss any part of the series against Atlanta. McCarville grabbed 19 boards over the first two games against Indiana, before sitting out the third with an ankle injury. Plenette Pierson or Kia Vaughn will likely take her place in the lineup if she can't go.
New York has also seen a surge in offense from reserve guard Essense Carson. The Rutgers product averaged just 3.7 points this season, but tallied 20 in Game One, 17 in Game Two and 13 in Game Three for the Liberty. Carson's play, without a doubt, was one of the reasons the Liberty were able to get past a strong, defensive team like the Fever.
While the Eastern Conference Finals is new territory for the Dream -- this is their first trip since the team's 2008 inaugural season -- the Liberty are experts, almost. With four trips to the Finals and 10 to the playoffs, they're still looking for their first title. New York's last playoff appearance came in 2008 when they lost in the conference finals to the Detroit Shock in three. Loree Moore, Leilani Mitchell, Carson and McCarville were all part of that year's squad. McWilliams-Franklin, meanwhile, was on the Shock, which went on to win in the Finals over the San Antonio Silver Stars.
The limelight of big-city basketball is on for both of these teams. Whichever one prevails will be one step closer to the ultimate goal. That's nothing to sleep on.

2010 Regular Season: New York 2, Atlanta 2
Some fast facts about the Eastern Conference Finals matchup:
    * The Liberty have been to six conference finals and are 3-3 in those series
    * Cappie Pondexter averaged 25.7 ppg against the Dream this season. Her average in Philips Arena was 28.5 ppg.
    * Atlanta has never played the same Eastern Conference team in the playoffs out of the three series they've taken part in
    * The Dream haven't played since Aug. 27. Angel McCoughtry averaged 28 points with three-plus days rest in 2010
Friday, May 23, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY: Dream 86, Liberty 77 | Box score
Atlanta Leaders: Angel McCoughtry (21 pts., 6 ast., 4 reb.), Erika de Souza (15 pts., 10 reb., 3 blk.)
New York Leaders: Cappie Pondexter (21 pts., 5 ast., 4 reb.), Janel McCarville (16 pts., 9 reb., 4 ast.)
Friday, June 11, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY: Liberty 91, Dream 79 | Box score
New York Leaders: Cappie Pondexter (25 pts., 7 ast., 3 reb.), Taj McWilliams-Franklin (10 pts., 6 reb. 3 ast.)
Atlanta Leaders: Erika de Souza (21 pts., 10 reb., 1 blk.), Sancho Lyttle (15 pts., 14 reb.)
Sunday, July 25, Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA: Dream 82, Liberty 75 | Box score | Highlights
Atlanta Leaders: Angel McCoughtry (28 pts., 10 reb. 6 ast.), Erika de Souza (14 pts., 10 reb. 2 ast.)
New York Leaders: Cappie Pondexter (26 pts., 6 ast., 3 reb.), Plenette Pierson (12 pts., 6 reb., 1 blk.)
Friday, August 13, Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA: Liberty 90, Dream 83 | Box score
New York Leaders: Cappie Pondexter (31 pts., 6 ast., 5 reb.), Leilani Mitchell (15 pts., 2 reb.)
Atlanta Leaders: Erika de Souza (21 pts., 11 reb. 1 blk.) Angel McCoughtry (22 pts., 4 ast., 3 reb.)]]></description>
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      <title><![CDATA[Pondexter, Vaughn lead Liberty to East finals]]></title>
      <link>http://www.wnba.com/games/20100901/INDNYL/gameinfo.html?rss=true</link>
      <description><![CDATA[NEW YORK (AP) Cappie Pondexter scored 30 points, including a tiebreaking jumper with 28 seconds remaining, to lead the New York Liberty to a 77-74 victory over the Indiana Fever on Wednesday night to advance to the Eastern Conference finals.
Kia Vaughn took advantage of some extended playing time and scored a season-high 13 points, and Essence Carson added 11 as the Liberty reached the conference finals for the second time in three years.
Katie Douglas scored 24 points, Tamika Catchings had 21 and Ebony Hoffman added 13 for the Fever, who fell to 0-7 in postseason series in which they didn't have home-court advantage.
The Liberty will face Atlanta in the East finals beginning Sunday night at Madison Square Garden.
After Pondexter made her go-ahead jumper from the right side of the basket while going out of bounds, Catchings missed a driving layup 4 seconds later and Taj McWilliams-Franklin grabbed the rebound off the side of the rim.
The Liberty called timeout, but were called for a 5-second violation on the ensuing inbounds play, turning the ball over to the Fever. Catchings missed another layup with 12.9 seconds to go, McWilliams-Franklin again corralled the rebound and passed to Vaughn, who was fouled by Douglas. Vaughn then made 1 of 2 free throws to extend the Liberty's lead to three points.
January missed a potential tying 3 with 3.9 seconds left.
New York was without starting center Janel McCarville, sidelined by a sprained left ankle. Plenette Pierson started in her place, and Vaughn played a season-high 26 minutes.
Trailing by five earlier in the fourth quarter, the Liberty rallied in the low-scoring period and took a 74-72 lead on Pondexter's three-point play with 1:14 remaining.
Hoffman rebounded her own missed layup and put it back to tie the score 24 seconds later.
Douglas scored nine points in the third quarter - on two 3s and three free throws - as the Fever, who led by one at halftime, increased their advantage to seven points on three occasions. The last time came when Catchings made 1 of 2 free throws to make it 66-59 with 1 1/2 minutes left in the period.
Pondexter had a layup about 15 seconds later and McWilliams-Franklin had a basket with under 32 seconds left to pull the Liberty to 66-63 heading to the fourth quarter.
Pondexter had a four-point play to give the Liberty a 32-28 lead with about 7:48 remaining in the first half. She hit two free throws less than four minutes later to extend New York's advantage to 42-36.
The Fever scored the final six points of the second quarter, capped by Douglas' two free throws with 41 seconds left, to take a 47-46 lead at the break.
Douglas scored six points to help Indiana get off to a fast start and take a 19-11 lead over the first 6 1/2 minutes.
Pondexter and Vaughn had two baskets each to pull the Liberty to 21-19 with about 1 1/2 minutes to go in the opening period.
Trailing by seven points in the final minute of the first quarter, the Liberty scored nine consecutive points to take a 28-26 lead on Vaughn's jumper with 8:20 to go in the second period.
Copyright 2010 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited]]></description>
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      <title><![CDATA[Home Sweet Home for Liberty]]></title>
      <link>http://www.wnba.com/playoffs/2010/playoffs_liberty.html?rss=true</link>
      <description><![CDATA[“We left in their minds that no matter how bad we've played we're still going to get it together and come back at you. And I think we're going to start Game Three like that.”
Encouraging words from the New York Liberty's Taj McWilliams-Franklin, who now in her 12th season in the WNBA is just six wins away from claiming another championship. She and the New York Liberty will look to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for a date with the Atlanta Dream following a tie-breaker win Wednesday night on their home court.
“Our home fans are amazing, and Madison Square Garden is clearly the best arena in the WNBA,” boasted McWilliams-Franklin. “For us, it's one of the reasons we're so happy we got home-court advantage, to be able to play in Madison Square Garden if there was a Game Three.”
Both teams have each claimed a win on their home turf so far in the series. The Liberty was a dominating 13-4 at Madison Square Garden during the regular season, including a 1-1 home record against the Fever.
On Sunday, the Fever's defense, known for its bruising and smothering style of play, made a conscious effort to single out certain players on the Liberty, something McWilliams-Franklin believes will prove disastrous for the Fever if they look to that again in Game Three.
“I think they made a concerted effort to stop Cappie's penetration and finishes around the rim, and in doing that left a lot of players open,” she said. “I really hope they do that again this game so we can make them pay for that.”
The Liberty nailed 9-of-21 three pointers in Game One, no doubt a contributing factor in the 85-73 win. Having noticed this, the Fever adjusted accordingly in Game Two, limiting New York to only 4-of-12 from behind the arc.
“We weren't looking as much as we should've for our shooters in Game Two,” admitted McWilliams-Franklin. “We did have a lot of penetrations and hits on the ball and jump balls in the middle of the paint, and the post players - we really didn't go to work in the paint, and that'll open up our outside game when we do that.”
“We missed Nicole [Powell] on a lot of fast break opportunities and some skip passes in certain plays,” McWilliams-Franklin added, “so we're definitely going to get our shooters ready and out there on the wings so we can kick them the ball in good spots and they can fire them up.”
If the first two games are any indication of what to expect in the third, than Wednesday's game is sure to be a physical, hard-fought matchup between two teams vying for a title.
McWilliams-Franklin, no stranger to winning, previously claimed a championship as a member of the 2008 Detroit Shock and distinctly remembers the feeling of getting to the Finals, heading to the bench in the final minutes of the game and the smiles matted across the faces of teammates. It's something she hopes to experience again with the Liberty.
“I'm old, that was a long time ago,” she said with a laugh. “I need a new one to make me feel better.” ]]></description>
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      <title><![CDATA[The Connecticut Sun's Tina Charles Named 2010 WNBA Rookie of the Year]]></title>
      <link>http://www.wnba.com/playoffs/2010/charles_roty_2010.html?rss=true</link>
      <description><![CDATA[NEW YORK, Aug. 31, 2010 – Connecticut Sun forward Tina Charles earned the 2010 Rookie of the Year award, the WNBA announced today. A national panel of 39 sportswriters and broadcasters unanimously awarded Charles the honor.
Charles, the No.1 overall pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft presented by adidas, topped all rookies in points (15.5 ppg) and rebounds (11.7 rpg) – leading the league in the latter category – and ranked second in the league in blocks (1.68 bpg). In the process, she set a pair of WNBA single-season records: Charles' 398 total rebounds surpassed the mark of 363 set by Detroit's Cheryl Ford in 2006, while her 22 double-doubles bettered the mark of 19 set by Utah's Natalie Williams in 2000.
A product of the University of Connecticut and Christ the King High School in Queens, NY, Charles finished the season winning all four WNBA Rookie of the Month honors.
The 6-4 center posted her first double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds in a season- opening 74-61 win over the Chicago Sky on May 15. One of her best games came on July 7 in a 108-103 loss to
the Atlanta Dream, when Charles posted a career-high 27 points, collected 20 rebounds, and contributed four blocks. In another notable performance on June 25, Charles posted a career-high and rookie-record 23 rebounds (tied for second most in league history) and added 19 points and two steals in a win over the Phoenix Mercury. She recorded 10 or more rebounds 23 times and scored in double-digits in all but four games this season as the Sun finished the season 17-17, a one-game improvement from last year's 16-18 record.
In addition to setting significant WNBA records for a single season, Charles finished her rookie season by etching her name into the record books in numerous other areas as well. She established new single-season franchise marks for offensive (129) and defensive (269) rebounds; established the second-highest defensive rebound total in league history, behind Lisa Leslie's 276 in 2004; and collected six straight double-doubles, one short of Lauren Jackson's WNBA record of seven.
Charles averaged a double-double in every month but May (16.6 ppg and 9.6 rpg). In June, she averaged 15.5 points and 14.0 rebounds. Charles finished her rookie season averaging 16.2 points and 11.5 rebounds in August.
Charles, the all-time leading scorer and rebounder at the University of Connecticut, excelled on the court throughout her college career. As a senior, she earned All-America honors while leading the Huskies to their second consecutive NCAA championship and a record 78 straight wins. She was also the Big East Player of the Year as a senior and a three-time All-Big East First Team member.
In honor of being named the 2010 Rookie of the Year, Charles will receive $5,000 and a specially designed trophy by Tiffany &amp; Co.
Below are the complete results of the 2010 Rookie of the Year voting, followed by a list of previous winners:
2010 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR RESULTS
Votes 	Player 	Team
39 	Tina Charles 	Connecticut Sun
A national panel of 39 sportswriters and broadcasters unanimously awarded Charles the honor.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR WINNERS
Year 	Player 	Team
2010 	Tina Charles 	Connecticut Sun
2009 	Angel McCoughtry 	Atlanta Dream
2008 	Candace Parker 	Los Angeles Sparks
2007 	Armintie Price 	Chicago Sky
2006 	Seimone Augustus 	Minnesota Lynx
2005 	Temeka Johnson 	Washington Mystics
2004 	Diana Taurasi 	Phoenix Mercury
2003 	Cheryl Ford 	Detroit Shock
2002 	Tamika Catchings 	Indiana Fever
2001 	Jackie Stiles 	Portland Fire
2000 	Betty Lennox 	Minnesota Lynx
1999 	Chamique Holdsclaw 	Washington Mystics
1998 	Tracy Reid 	Charlotte Sting]]></description>
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      <title><![CDATA[WNBA Announces 2010 All-Rookie Team]]></title>
      <link>http://www.wnba.com/playoffs/2010/all_rookie_2010.html?rss=true</link>
      <description><![CDATA[NEW YORK, Aug. 31, 2010 – The WNBA announced its 2010 All-Rookie Team today, headlined by Rookie of the Year Tina Charles, the Connecticut Sun's star center, and Minnesota Lynx guard-forward Monica Wright. New York Liberty guard Kalana Greene, Connecticut Sun forward Kelsey Griffin and Chicago Sky guard Epiphanny Prince round out the group of elite rookies.
The voting panel consisted of the WNBA's 12 head coaches, who chose five players regardless of position. Coaches were not permitted to vote for players on their own team. Charles and Wright each received 11 votes, while Greene, Griffin and Prince each got 10.
Charles, the No.1 overall pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft presented by adidas, topped the charts among all WNBA rookies by averaging a double-double in points (15.5 ppg) and rebounds (11.7 rpg), leading the league in the latter category. She finished the season winning all four Rookie of the Month honors and ranked second in the league in blocks per game (1.68 bpg). Charles set new single-season league records with 22 double-doubles and 398 rebounds, and established new franchise marks for offensive (129) and defensive (269) boards.
Wright, selected second overall in the Draft by the Lynx, started 24 games and played in all 34. Scoring in double digits in 19 games, Wright averaged 11.1 points, second among rookies. Wright scored a career-high and rookie-high for the season with 32 points in a 92-82 win over the Phoenix Mercury on June 1.
Prince, selected No. 4 overall in the Draft by the Sky, ranked third among rookies in scoring (9.8 ppg) and led first-year players in steals (1.6 spg) and total steals (55), placing her in the top six in the league in both. She ranked second on the team in assists (2.7 apg) and third in scoring.
Greene, the No. 13 overall Draft pick, became a consistent option off the bench in her first season and helped propel the Liberty to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. She averaged 4.5 points, scoring a career-high 17 points in a 77-72 win over the San Antonio Silver Stars on July 27.
Griffin, the No. 3 overall draft pick, played a key role off the bench for the Sun. She averaged 4.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. She placed second among rookies overall and third on the Sun in rebounds per game.
Below are the top finishers in the vote for the 2010 All-Rookie Team:
2010 ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Player 	Team 	Position 	Votes
Tina Charles 	Connecticut Sun 	Center 	11
Monica Wright 	Minnesota Lynx 	Guard/Forward 	11
Epiphanny Prince 	Chicago Sky 	Guard 	10
Kalana Greene 	New York Liberty 	Guard 	10
Kelsey Griffin 	Connecticut Sun 	Forward 	10]]></description>
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      <title><![CDATA[Hoffman, Fever Hoping For Game-Three Win]]></title>
      <link>http://www.wnba.com/playoffs/2010/playoffs_fever.html?rss=true</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Indiana Fever had to win Sunday night. It was the only way for their season to continue.
The Fever knocked off the New York Liberty, 75-67, in Game Two of the WNBA's Eastern Conference Semifinals. With New York taking Game One in this best-of-three series, Indiana was in a lose-or-go-home situation.
“We definitely were a different team,” forward Ebony Hoffman said. “We kind of came out with a different type of urgency.”
That urgency left the Fever with a 21-8 advantage at the end of the first quarter and they entered the half up by 12. Tamika Catchings, who was named to the 2010 WNBA's All-Defensive Team on Sunday, led Indiana with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Tammy Sutton-Brown added 14 and six, while Hoffman had seven points and an equal amount of boards.
“We know how we want to play,” Hoffman said. “It's not a mystery to us how we want to play against this team.”
Thus far, the home team has won each of the two games. The series began in New York, headed to Indiana for Game Two and now shifts back to the Big Apple for the deciding contest. Hoffman believes the Fever are still the team to beat.
“It's going to take a lot of us not trying to do too much. Just to know we play for these moments. This is why we play this game and why we're in this situation. We're still the Eastern Conference champions, so in my mind everybody has to come through us still,” Hoffman said.
“I have no doubts that it will be a physical game. With a team losing and going home and the other team going on to the Eastern Conference Finals, it's going to be extremely physical. I don't think either team wants to leave anything in the locker room. They want to come out and give whatever they got.”
The most critical part of stopping the Liberty is limiting Cappie Pondexter's ability to score. Pondexter is averaging 26 points in the series. On Sunday, she scored 24 points on just 8-for-22 from the field.
“We wanted to have Cappie take some different looks. Instead of letting her go off and making her feel comfortable, we tried to make her uncomfortable,” Hoffman said. “She's a great player but we just tried to throw at her any different matchup we could.”
Another key for the Fever in Game Two was cutting the amount of three-pointers New York made in each of the games from nine to four.
“That's very important. If a team can't make threes, than that's a few less points that they have that they can count on,” she said. “They're really counting on Nicole Powell and Leilani Mitchell and a few others to hit threes in order for them to win, so we tried to make sure that we got out there [and] ran them off the three-point line.”
The reigning Eastern Conference champions swept the Washington Mystics in the semifinals last season, before going to the max three games against Detroit in the conference finals and the full five against the Mercury in the Finals. Hoffman, who was part of the 2009 Fever, says its time to alter the game plans.
“Anne Donovan is a championship coach. She's got a lot of experience and of course she's going to change up her scheme, but we're changing up our scheme as well,” Hoffman said. “We're not going to do the same thing but we are going to be just as aggressive and to come out and attack them as well. We have to get them in foul trouble, we have to get to the free throw line and I think that was the difference in the game as well.” ]]></description>
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      <title><![CDATA[Series Preview: Seattle Storm (1) vs. Phoenix Mercury (2)]]></title>
      <link>http://www.wnba.com/playoffs/2010/westseries3.html?rss=true</link>
      <description><![CDATA[For five straight seasons the Seattle Storm (28-6) has fallen short in the playoffs, never advancing past the first round since last claiming a championship in 2004. That all changed in this season's Western Conference Semifinals, as the Storm swept the Los Angeles Sparks to advance to a second-round meeting with the Phoenix Mercury.
Regular season matchups against the Mercury (15-19) certainly swayed in favor of the Storm, as Seattle went on to sweep the five-game series, winning three on the road at US Airways Center in Phoenix.
Leading MVP candidate Lauren Jackson posted her best single-game outing of the season against the Mercury back on July 27th, as she dropped 33 points and hauled in 11 rebounds to help the Storm secure a 91-85 victory. Jackson played limited minutes against the Mercury on August 20th as a part of Coach Agler's interest in resting starters, but in the four games prior to that second-to-last game of the season Jackson averaged 26.25 points per contest and snagged an average of 10.75 rebounds.
Dominating as Jackson has been this season, she's had plenty of help around her as well. Swin Cash finished second on the team in points per game with 13.8, while Sue Bird finished third in scoring with an average of 11.1 and second in the league with 5.8 assists per game.
Gm 1: at Seattle, Thur., 9/2 at 10 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Gm 2: at Phoenix, Sun., 9/5, 3 p.m. ET, ABC
Gm 3*: at Seattle, Weds., 9/8, 10 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Defensively, the Storm ranked second overall in the league in points allowed per game with an average of 73.9, behind only the Washington Mystics' slightly lower total of 73.3. Phoenix's high-flying offense ranked first overall during the regular season with 93.9 points per game. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Mercury's defense finished 12th overall, allowing an average of 93.8 points per.
Heading into the series against the Mercury, the offensive and defensive highlights that powered Seattle through the regular season have not been lost in the postseason. Over the two games against the Sparks, Jackson averaged 20.5 points and 9 rebounds per, Cash, 18 points and 5 rebounds, and Bird finished with an average of 12 points and 8 assists. The Storm also managed to hold Los Angeles to just 66 points per outing.
While the Storm may find itself breaking a bad streak of postseason appearances, a second-round appearance is nothing out of the ordinary for the Mercury. After completing the sweep over the Silver Stars Saturday afternoon, the Mercury officially advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the third time in four years. The previous two in 2007 and 2009 ended with a fine piece of hardware for the trophy room.
It's already been said that Phoenix didn't fair too well against the Storm during the regular season, but that's not to say individual performances are anything to overlook, specifically that of reigning MVP Diana Taurasi. DT got off to a slow start against Seattle, averaging just 12 points and 2.5 rebounds per outing over the first two games. However, she certainly hit the accelerator over the next two, averaging 35.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game for a final regular season line of 23.75 points and 3.5 rebounds against the Storm. During that span, Taurasi dropped a season-best 44 points in the July 14th outing that resulted in a 111-107 triple-overtime loss for the Mercury. She was a healthy scratch for the final meeting of the season in a game that carried zero implications on altering Phoenix's playoff chances.
Similar to Jackson, Taurasi has plenty of personnel to work with, armed and ready to contribute night in and night out. 2010 newcomer Candice Dupree finished third on the team with 15.7 points per game and averaged a team-high 7.6 rebounds per. Penny Taylor finished with just a slightly higher average than Dupree, rounding out the regular season with 15.9 points per game. Taurasi led Mercury scorers with 22.6.
After only two games, it's safe to say Dupree's first postseason has brought with it the sort of performance the Mercury is more than happy to see. In Game One against the Sparks, Dupree scored 32 points and pulled down 8 rebounds en route to a 106-93 Phoenix win. She quickly followed that up with another double-figure outing in Game Two, dropping 19 points and snatching 11 boards. Dupree stands out as the newest piece to the Mercury's offensive puzzle, but she's certainly shown she fits in just fine.
Taurasi's role in Game One against the Sparks was that of a serviceable set-up artist. She tallied 10 assists in that postseason opener and added 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting just for good measure. She later shot an impressive 9-of-13 for 23 points to close out the two-game sweep of the Sparks.
Each team has plenty to prove in what is bound to be an exciting best-of-three series. The numbers alone suggest that both teams are fully stocked and prepared to make a run, pitting last year's MVP against this year's top candidate and former UConn teammates Taurasi and Bird against one another for just the second time and first since 2007. The Storm's commanding presence throughout the regular season is one they will look to maintain, particularly on home court where they remain undefeated (17-0 regular season, 1-0 postseason). All season long teams were gunning for the Mercury, a championship team dead set on returning to the postseason for a chance to repeat. Regular season meetings aside, it's now a clean slate for both teams to work with.
Who's it going to be? ]]></description>
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