Fever - Dream Preview
By Associated Press
MVP Tamika Catchings and the Indiana Fever are one win away from their second WNBA finals appearance in three years.
Their path may have become easier Saturday.
On Sunday, Catchings and the Fever look to wrap up the best-of-three series against the Atlanta Dream, who learned they'll be without center Erika de Souza.
After being swept in the four-game regular-season series by Atlanta, Indiana opened the Eastern Conference finals with an 82-74 victory over the Dream on Thursday. Catchings, who hours earlier was named the league's MVP, finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds.
"The MVP trophy was amazing, the win was an exclamation point," coach Lin Dunn said.
The Dream's chances of forcing a Game 3 have become more difficult after learning de Souza will miss the rest of the series to re-join the Brazilian national squad in an Olympic qualifying event.
De Souza scored eight points and grabbed 13 rebounds in Game 1. She's averaged 12.0 points and a team-high 10.7 rebounds in the playoffs.
Without her, it will be difficult for Atlanta to keep Catchings off the boards. Indiana held a 41-38 rebounding advantage Thursday after the Dream dominated Connecticut on the glass in the conference semifinals by a 89-66 margin.
The Fever also showed they weren't a one-dimensional team reliant on Catchings. Five players scored in double figures Thursday, led by veteran Tan Smith, who went 5 of 7 beyond the arc and finished with 25 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots.
"That's why we brought Tan here, because she can spread the floor and knock down threes, and she did exactly what we expected her to do," Dunn said. "She has the green light. If she's open, we want her to shoot."
Smith was a 34-percent 3-point shooter during the regular season. She was 3 of 10 during the conference semifinals against New York.
With de Souza out, the Dream will need Angel McCoughtry to get going after the Indiana defense frustrated her into one of her worst games of the season.
McCoughtry, second in the league in scoring during the regular season, struggled with foul trouble the entire game and finished with 11 points - about 10.5 below her regular-season average. She played 17 minutes and had words with officials after.
"She had a lot of fouls called on her," coach Marynell Meadors said. "I don't think she ever had a chance to get into her game, which really hurt us. So take it for whatever you want to take it. I just don't she had any chance out there tonight."
McCoughtry was instrumental in Atlanta's success against Indiana during the regular season. She averaged 23.8 points in those games.
"Now we go back to their place and play, and for us, we have to put this game behind us already and look at what (McCoughtry is) going to do and what kind of mentality she's going to come out with," Catchings said. "I feel like Angel is going to be a lot more aggressive."
A road win in Atlanta won't be easy for the Fever, who last made the WNBA finals in 2009. The Dream have won seven in a row on their own court.
If necessary, Game 3 would be Tuesday at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Lynx - Mercury Preview
By Associated Press
The Minnesota Lynx opened the Western Conference finals with a convincing win, but they don't expect to have it quite so easy when they visit Phoenix.
The Lynx, the WNBA's best team during the regular season, will try to claim the first conference title in franchise history Sunday by closing out the Mercury at the US Airways Center.
A bevy of scoring was expected in this series between two of the most high-powered offenses in the league. Minnesota and Phoenix also averaged more than 90 points apiece against each other in five regular-season matchups.
In Thursday's series opener, however, it was the Lynx who did most of the scoring in their 95-67 home victory. Seimone Augustus led five Minnesota players in double figures with 21 points and the Lynx shot 50.0 percent to Phoenix's 35.7.
"It probably looked easy, but it wasn't," Augustus said. "That was a very tough team that we played tonight. We know when we go to Phoenix, Arizona, there is going to be a different series."
The Lynx have already proved they can win there. Two of their three victories over the Mercury during the regular season were in Phoenix.
With 22 points, Mercury All-Star guard Diana Taurasi was the only player to score more than 12 for her team Thursday.
"Lose by one or lose by 30, it's a loss," Phoenix coach Corey Gaines said. "I learned that a long time ago. We'll get back home and regroup."
Even while reveling in her team's victory, Minnesota guard Candice Wiggins said she expected to face a motivated Mercury team in Game 2 of the best-of-three series.
"We've just got to be prepared for wrath," Wiggins said. "They're going to be real upset."
Phoenix would do well to channel that emotion into slowing down Augustus, who is averaging 21.5 points during the playoffs - 5.3 more than the regular season. She averaged 21.8 points on 60.8 percent shooting against the Mercury during the regular season and scored a season-high 26 during an 85-80 loss in Phoenix on Aug. 9.
"We just need to limit her touches and try to take her out of the game when we are at Phoenix," Mercury guard/forward DeWanna Bonner said.
Minnesota's Maya Moore, the WNBA rookie of the year, had a season-high 28 points during last month's defeat at the US Airways Center and averaged 21.7 points on 64.5 percent shooting during the final three regular-season matchups. She got her team off to a strong start in Game 1 by tallying 13 of her 15 points in the first quarter.
"It was a great Game 1 for us, but it was only 40 minutes," Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. "There's 80 minutes to go in the series."
INDIANA (24 - 14) at ATLANTA (22 - 15)
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 75-112 ATS (-48.2 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
INDIANA is 26-46 ATS (-24.6 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points since 1997.
INDIANA is 54-77 ATS (-30.7 Units) in road games after a division game since 1997.
INDIANA is 53-76 ATS (-30.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15+ games since 1997.
ATLANTA is 33-20 ATS (+11.0 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA is 26-16 ATS (+8.4 Units) after scoring 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 24-14 ATS (+8.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 8-17 ATS (-10.7 Units) in home games after allowing 75 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 10-3 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 7-6 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
10 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA (30 - 8) at PHOENIX (21 - 17)
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 57-83 ATS (-34.3 Units) in road games vs. division opponents since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 6-19 ATS (-14.9 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game after 15+ games since 1997.
PHOENIX is 31-18 ATS (+11.2 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 23-15 ATS (+6.5 Units) in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 21-11 ATS (+8.9 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 21-11 ATS (+8.9 Units) in August or September games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 18-10 ATS (+7.0 Units) after scoring 75 points or more this season.
PHOENIX is 12-27 ATS (-17.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 6-19 ATS (-14.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 7-7 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 7-7 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
9 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA vs. ATLANTA
Indiana is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Atlanta
Indiana is 2-5-1 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Atlanta's last 7 games when playing Indiana
Atlanta is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Indiana
MINNESOTA vs. PHOENIX
Minnesota is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
Minnesota is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Phoenix's last 7 games at home
Phoenix is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games at home