Fever - Liberty Preview
By Associated Press
Having already clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference, the Indiana Fever could be headed for an early playoff rematch with the New York Liberty.
However, before the visiting Fever can worry about exacting some postseason revenge, they'll try for a third consecutive win over the Liberty on Friday night.
Indiana (21-11) secured the top spot with an 87-69 win over Washington on Wednesday. Katie Douglas scored 21 points and Tamika Catchings added 17 as the Fever won their second in a row following a three-game skid.
The last time Indiana had the top record in the East, it reached the 2009 WNBA finals. The Fever also can set a franchise high for victories if they win their final two games against playoff-bound clubs New York (18-14) and Atlanta.
"We definitely want to be at our top game, rolling, in a good rhythm and being sharp," said Douglas, who has averaged 19.0 points - 5.7 more than her season average - over the last two games.
"Standing-wise, they're not going to affect us, but we can use these two games to our advantage and get better and get ready for the playoffs."
Friday's contest gives the Fever an up-close look at the Liberty, who sit fourth in the East and would be Indiana's first playoff opponent if the standings remain the same. New York, however, is one-half game behind the third-place Dream with two left.
Though New York eliminated Indiana in the 2010 conference semifinals, the Fever have won the last two meetings. That included an 86-80 road win over the Liberty on June 11.
Douglas was held to nine points in an 82-71 victory over New York on Aug. 13 but has averaged 17.7 against the Liberty this season. Catchings, a league MVP contender, had a season-high 32 points in that August contest and has averaged 21.3 versus New York in 2011.
"Tamika is just a great, great player," Fever coach Lin Dunn said. "She takes what she is being given every night. Her effort is unmatched."
While the Fever look to build momentum heading into the playoffs, they have a chance to rest some players in the final two games. Guard Erin Phillips is not expected to play Friday after she sprained her ankle versus Washington.
With a chance to improve its playoff position, the Liberty likely won't be resting anybody.
New York had won two straight before falling 86-68 to Minnesota on Sunday. Plenette Pierson scored 17 points, but the Liberty shot 35.7 percent while the Lynx made 54.0 percent of their shots. Star guard Cappie Pondexter went 0 for 9 from the field and finished with nine points.
Pondexter, who has shot 4 for 26 in her last two contests, is averaging 21.3 points and shooting 50.9 percent (26 of 51) versus Indiana this season.
Mercury - Storm Preview
By Associated Press
The Seattle Storm and Phoenix Mercury will meet in the playoffs again next week. Where that best-of-three series will start is still up for grabs, and both teams have two games left to stake a claim.
This one will have the biggest impact.
The Storm and Mercury will try to use their final regular-season meeting in Seattle on Friday night to either clinch or move closer to the second seed in the playoffs.
Seattle (19-13) and Phoenix (19-13) met in the conference finals last year, with the Storm winning 2-0 en route to their second WNBA title.
Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, the Western Conference rivals are already slated to meet again in the playoffs, but the owner of home-court advantage in that series is still unknown.
The Storm, 13-2 at home, can clinch the second seed with a win Friday since they lead the season series 2-1 and own the second tiebreaker with a superior conference record. That means Seattle can still wrap up second place if both teams end up tied after the conclusion of the regular season Sunday.
The Storm have won six of seven following Saturday's 70-60 victory at San Antonio.
"We're in a situation where there are a couple of games left, we're trying to get second place and we can really control our own destiny by getting wins," said guard Sue Bird, who had 15 points with six assists and four rebounds.
Bird leads Seattle with 14.8 points and 4.8 assists per game, and is averaging 18.0 and 8.3, respectively, in three season meetings with the Mercury.
The Storm are expected to have Lauren Jackson in the lineup after she insisted on facing the Silver Stars instead of resting her surgically repaired hip that sidelined her for much of the season. The three-time MVP is averaging 12.8 points and 5.1 rebounds in 12 games, but has totaled 33 points and nine boards over the last two.
"She wanted to play," coach Brian Agler said Saturday. "She knows her body better than anybody. We didn't play her big minutes or long stretches, but she wanted to play and be a part of it, so we let her do that."
The Storm have won three in a row against the Mercury at KeyArena, overcoming 31 points from Diana Taurasi in a 78-71 victory in the season opener June 4.
Taurasi is averaging 27.0 points in three meetings this season against Seattle, and another strong effort may give her an edge for the league's scoring title. She's tied with Atlanta's Angel McCoughtry with a WNBA-leading average of 21.2 points.
The Mercury are the highest-scoring team in the WNBA at 89.5 points per game, while Seattle is the best in scoring defense, allowing 69.8.
Shock - Sparks Preview
By Associated Press
The Tulsa Shock and Los Angeles Sparks won't play after this weekend, but the Shock should have some motivation heading into their final games.
Tulsa will try to avoid finishing with more losses than any team in league history by winning at Staples Center on Friday night.
No WNBA team has lost more than 30 games in a season and it appeared the Shock (3-29) might easily become the first as they had one win for most of this campaign and lost a league-record 20 in a row. Tulsa ended that lengthy skid when Sheryl Swoopes hit a jumper with 2.9 seconds left in a 77-75 victory at Los Angeles on Aug. 26.
Following its only road win this season, the Shock beat Connecticut 83-72 on Aug. 28 but have dropped four in a row since then. They're trying to avoid finishing with more losses than the 2008 Atlanta Dream, who were 4-30 in their inaugural season.
Tulsa will likely need a better finish than it had Thursday in Phoenix. The Shock trailed by three at halftime but scored 14 points in the fourth quarter of a 91-76 loss. Rookie center Liz Cambage had 22 points off the bench - two shy of matching her career high - and led four players in double figures.
"I thought we played well, especially against a team like this," coach Teresa Edwards said. "They're a high scoring team and that's how they do, so I thought we did a great job in that first half."
One of those players in double figures was Tiffany Jackson, who had 20 points and 11 rebounds during the previous game in Los Angeles. She also scored 18 points during a loss at Staples on Aug. 9 and has made 14 of 25 shots in the two road games versus the Sparks (13-19), who will miss the playoffs for the first time since drafting Candace Parker before the 2008 season.
Los Angeles was officially eliminated was an 82-65 loss to fourth-place San Antonio on Tuesday. The Sparks had four starters in double figures, led by Tina Thompson with 18 points, but had a combined six points from six other players.
"Here in the Sparks organization, they want championships. The city wants championships," forward DeLisha Milton-Jones said. "In that sense, it's been a down year for us."
Los Angeles has five players averaging in double figures against the Shock this season, led by Milton-Jones' 16.0 points per game.
INDIANA vs. NEW YORK
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Indiana's last 5 games when playing on the road against New York
Indiana is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New York's last 6 games when playing Indiana
New York is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Indiana
PHOENIX vs. SEATTLE
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Phoenix's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Phoenix's last 7 games when playing Seattle
Seattle is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Seattle's last 8 games
TULSA vs. LOS ANGELES
Tulsa is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Tulsa is 1-24 SU in its last 25 games on the road
Los Angeles is 4-8 ATS in its last 12 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Los Angeles's last 5 games
INDIANA (21 - 11) at NEW YORK (18 - 14)
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 75-110 ATS (-46.0 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
INDIANA is 26-45 ATS (-23.5 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points since 1997.
NEW YORK is 33-16 ATS (+15.4 Units) in home games after a loss by 10 points or more since 1997.
INDIANA is 19-11 ATS (+6.9 Units) in all games this season.
INDIANA is 13-6 ATS (+6.4 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
INDIANA is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 8-5 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 8-5 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
9 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX (19 - 13) at SEATTLE (19 - 13)
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 10-23 ATS (-15.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 4-15 ATS (-12.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 29-15 ATS (+12.5 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 34-21 ATS (+10.9 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) off an upset win as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 9-4 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
SEATTLE is 10-4 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
7 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
TULSA (3 - 29) at LOS ANGELES (13 - 19)
Top Trends for this game.
TULSA is 19-32 ATS (-16.2 Units) after allowing 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 12-20 ATS (-10.0 Units) in all games this season.
LOS ANGELES is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 8-17 ATS (-10.7 Units) in a home game where where the total is greater than or equal to 150 over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 16-28 ATS (-14.8 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 11-30 ATS (-22.0 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 18-32 ATS (-17.2 Units) after allowing 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
LOS ANGELES is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record after 15+ games after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
TULSA is 8-2 against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 8-2 straight up against TULSA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons