2010 WNBA Preview
By Red Dog Sports
The 2010 WNBA season starts on Saturday, May 15, with five games on the schedule. Here is a preview of the upcoming season.
Eastern Conference
1. Connecticut
They were 16-18 last year and have changed quite a bit. They did pick up 6'4" Tina Charles of the Lady Huskies from the University of Connecticut. She won some player of the year honors in college. It may take time for the Sun to gel but they look to win the east. They play their games at the Mohegan Sun resort.
2. New York
The Liberty picked up Cappie Pondexter from the Phoenix Mercury and she is quite a playmaker and leader. They should improve on their 13-21 record from last year. They are coached by former ODU star Anne Donovan.
3. Indiana
The Fever played Phoenix for the title last year and fell short. They have some key players still playing overseas and may take awhile to get going. They were 22-12 in the weaker eastern conference last year.
4. Washington
Alana Beard is injured and is out for the year and that will hurt the Mystics. They do bring in Katie Smith from Detroit (now Tulsa) and she should provide leadership and scoring.
5. Atlanta
They went from 4 to 18 wins last year. Lehning, their point guard, only averages 3 points per game and she needs to improve on that statistic. Michelle Snow is gone from the Dream and Chaminique Holdsclaw is still getting over her knee surgery.
6.Chicago
The Sky are led by Sylvia Fowles. The team was just 1-9 in the games she missed last year. The team was 16-18 overall but 13-20 ATS. Dupree moves on to the Mercury and that may land them in the basement of the east.
Western Conference
1. Phoenix
Diana Taurasi led the Mercury to the title last year. They picked up Dupree from Chicago (second in rebounding) and have Penny Taylor to score too. Coached by Corey Gaines, who uses Paul Westhead's fast paced offense. They had 22 overs and just 12 unders last year.
2. Los Angeles
The Sparks lose Lisa Leslie, who once scored 100 points in the first half of a high school game. Michael Cooper left to coach at USC and Jennifer Gillom moves in to coach them. Tisha Pinichero comes from Sacramento (dispersal draft) to play point guard.
3. Seattle
6'5" Australian Lauren Jackson is back and is one of the top five players in the WNBA. They allowed just 70 ppg (Lowest in the league) and start with every player in camp which may lead to some early wins.
4. Minnesota
Simeon Augustus is still recovering from her injury and may need time to play into shape. Rebekkah Hodges moves to San Antonio and they did add Brunson in the dispersal draft. Their coach moved on to the Los Angles Sparks and Cheryl Reeve takes over. Look for lower scores from the Lynx this season.
5. San Antonio
This team brings in a new coach and could surprise. They could gel and end up in the top three in the west. They were 15-19 last year but were just 13-20 ATS.
6. Tulsa
They were the Detroit Shock last year. Nolan Richardson takes over the team with his "Forty Minutes Of Hell" and it may take awhile for them to play well but there should be some chances to play the over in their early games. Their one exhibition score was 90-80. Most of the good players (Deanna Nolan, Cheryl Ford, McWilliams, Katie Smith) from last year did not make the move to Tulsa.