Sky - Lynx Preview
By Associated Press
Minnesota has given its home crowd plenty to cheer about. With home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, those fans hope to have many more chances to root for the Lynx after Thursday's home finale against the Chicago Sky.
Minnesota (25-7) locked up the best record in the WNBA on Friday despite having its six-game winning streak end. The Lynx fell 78-62 to New York but secured home-court for the postseason when Connecticut beat Eastern Conference-leading Indiana 83-55 earlier that evening.
The loss was just the Lynx's third in 16 games at the Target Center, and they got back on track by earning an 86-68 road win over the Liberty on Sunday.
"We don't like to lose at home. ... We were just disappointed with our overall effort and execution in that game," coach Cheryl Reeve said. "(They) have very high expectations of themselves. It takes very little motivation to get them to bounce back after losses."
Minnesota finishes the regular season Sunday in Phoenix.
"We want to win every game we play in," Reeve said. "When you clinch with games remaining it is difficult because you risk kind of losing that rhythm, that bounce in your step.
"At the same time, the playoffs are what matters."
Chicago (14-17) was eliminated from playoff contention a few hours before it lost 88-80 to the Fever in its home finale Sunday.
The Sky haven't made the postseason since joining the league in 2006, but they have a chance to set a franchise record for wins if they take their final three road games.
"The lessons that you learn when you are on top are not as valuable as the lessons that you learn when you are not on top," coach Pokey Chatman said. "The key is going to be the defense, the scheme, protecting the perimeter. ... That's what I'm going to be evaluating when we go to Minnesota, L.A. and Seattle."
One bright spot for the Sky has been the play of center Sylvia Fowles, who is third in the league with 19.8 points per game, second with an average of 10.2 rebounds and first with 2.1 blocks a contest.
Fowles was named Eastern Conference player of the month for August, and her performance against the Lynx in the middle of the month helped her earn that honor.
The No. 2 selection in the 2008 draft scored a game-high 28 points, shot 11 for 13 and grabbed 13 rebounds in a 79-76 home loss Aug. 12.
Fowles had 15 points Sunday to break her own franchise record for scoring in a season, set last year. She has 615, eclipsing her previous mark of 607.
Chicago won 73-58 at Minnesota last season behind Fowles' game-high 18 points.
Shock - Mercury Preview
By Associated Press
The biggest game of the regular season for the Phoenix Mercury might be Friday night, but they can't afford to slip up on Thursday.
Considering the ease with which they've handled the Tulsa Shock, that shouldn't be a problem.
Battling for home-court advantage in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, the Mercury play what should be the far easier end of a back-to-back Thursday night when they try to complete a four-game season sweep of the visiting Shock.
Phoenix (18-13) can clinch at least the West's third seed with a win over Tulsa, but it's gunning for the second spot - which would provide home-court advantage in the first round of the postseason.
The Mercury's competition is Seattle, which is sitting back waiting for Phoenix to arrive for a game that could ultimately decide the No. 2 seed on Friday. The Storm are 19-13, and would wrap up the second spot by beating Phoenix due to a head-to-head edge.
But the Mercury can take the No. 2 seed from Seattle by winning their final three games, and there's plenty of emphasis being placed on getting it.
"We need to focus on home-court advantage," Candice Dupree told the team's official website after Phoenix wrapped up a playoff spot with a 93-77 win over Los Angeles on Saturday. "We have to go out these next three games with the same mindset we had tonight and get three more wins."
The Mercury appear to already be looking ahead to Friday - guard Diana Taurasi said after Saturday's victory "you have to really focus on that game" - but they might be able to get away with overlooking Tulsa (3-28).
Phoenix has won all three meetings with the WNBA's worst team by an average of 23.0 points, including a 102-63 thrashing on July 10 in the Shock's only trip to US Airways Center.
DeWanna Bonner tied a season high with 25 points and Taurasi added 23 in the Mercury's 96-74 win at Tulsa on Aug. 30.
Taurasi, who's tied with Atlanta's Angel McCoughtry for the scoring lead (21.2 points per game), has scored at least 21 in Phoenix's last six wins.
The loss to the Mercury snapped the Shock's stunning two-game winning streak, and they've dropped two more since then, shooting a woeful 28.1 percent in a 73-52 loss at Atlanta on Sunday.
Tulsa needs one win to avoid finishing with the worst record in WNBA history, but it got a vote of confidence from its owners Wednesday after rumors were swirling that the franchise would fold.
"I don't know who those people are talking to because I feel pretty confident with where we are," owner Bill Cameron said.
Winning again won't be easy without Ivory Latta, who last played in the Aug. 30 loss to Phoenix. The team's leading scorer with 12.2 points per game, Latta suffered a torn meniscus and won't return this season.
CHICAGO vs. MINNESOTA
Chicago is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Chicago is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Minnesota's last 7 games at home
Minnesota is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games at home
TULSA vs. PHOENIX
Tulsa is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Tulsa's last 7 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Phoenix's last 5 games when playing Tulsa
Phoenix is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Tulsa