BY MIKE PEDEN
By no means are the Minnesota Lynx believing they can waltz any way they can with the Phoenix Mercury for game two of the Western Conference Finals Sunday at Phoenix's US Airways Center.
Minnesota can advance to the WNBA Finals with a win Sunday afternoon, but they are aware of how rapidly Phoenix can tilt the balance via the perimeter or pushing the tempo with perennial scoring champion Diana Taurasi, who is averaging 19.5 points per game this post-season.
"Phoenix at home is a deadly combination. Phoenix is like a cobra. You have to go in to game two thinking you're down 0-1," said Lynx center Taj McWilliams-Franklin, who scored 14 points in Minnesota's 95-67 win Thursday night. "They're going to throw everything: kitchen sink, shoes, Corey Gaines (Phoenix head coach). We have to be prepared for whatever they bring us."
While the Mercury were the only team to beat the Lynx twice this season, two Lynx victories in the regular season series came on the road, including a 96-90 win to close out the year.
"They're going to be real upset. If you can't get intense, excited and motivated for this, they've got bigger problems," said Lynx reserve Candice Wiggins, who scored 14 points off the bench in game one.
Scouting the Lynx in the Western Conference Finals is astronomically different than the tentative, jittery exhibition that nearly led to a first-round sweep at the hands of San Antonio. Minnesota rekindled its fluid offensive production after taking scoring pressure off point guard Lindsay Whalen, allowing her to focus on setting up her teammates. She has only eight points in the last two games, but the remaining Lynx starters have scored at least 13 points or more in that span, earning two blowout victories.
To illustrate, Phoenix never got closer than six points in the second half of game one. Their three-point and field goal shooting fell flat for a team considered the bastion of both aspects (Phoenix made 20 percent of their three-pointers and 68 percent of their free throws). As usual, the Lynx dominated the Mercury on rebounds, getting 42 against the Mercury's 26. Had the Lynx not suffered ball control issues early, they could have sealed a victory long before the fourth quarter started.
"We forced the ball out a little bit further, making every shot difficult," said Lynx guard Seimone Augustus.
Minnesota remains mindful of Phoenix's offensive style, as any opponent would when facing the WNBA's top-scoring team. However, the concerns proved to be secret blessings for the Lynx in game one. University of Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma, making a guest appearance for ESPN as a color commentator, believed the Mercury's up-tempo game did not create scenarios for the Lynx to make defensive mistakes on their own.
Another factor favoring Minnesota is emotional stability. While Taurasi's outburst after fouling out in game three of the Western Conference semifinal round at Seattle has faded, Phoenix head coach Corey Gaines was charged a technical foul only 3:14 into game one of the Western Conference Finals. Mercury forward Candice Dupree was called for technical fouls in two consecutive games, earning them in the final game of the Seattle series and in game one of the Minnesota series with 9:00 left in the fourth quarter. Adding to the irony was Dupree's ESPN interview stressing the need to keep Mercury emotions from boiling that aired in the Seattle series.
"From a Dupree standpoint, it's important to keep her out of the transition game. She is such a great rim runner," said Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve after game one.
Of course, Phoenix's upset win over Seattle on the road will keep Minnesota's team in check while providing Corey Gaines' team confidence that one clunker does not define a playoff series.
"Augustus hit some great shots. We have got to limit her touches when we're in Phoenix," said Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner.
Showing posts with label Candice Wiggins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Candice Wiggins. Show all posts
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Lynx season now "a kind of magic"
BY MIKE PEDEN
The Minnesota Lynx added a few more firsts in their 2011 campaign against the Los Angeles Sparks Saturday night at Target Center.
Minnesota's 87-68 win gave them the privilege of being the first WNBA team to reach 20 wins this season and, more importantly, the first team to clinch a playoff spot.
"It couldn't get no worse than where we were at," said Lynx guard Seimone Augustus, referring to the franchise's struggles in her first five seasons. "A weight lifted off our shoulders."
Not that the Lynx felt weighed down leading up to a playoff berth. Clinching a spot has simply been a step all season in the team's ultimate goal of leaving their past behind and winning a WNBA title.
"We have that fire inside of us and we still got some work to do," Augustus said.
The Sparks (10-15) were the more energetic team in the first quarter, taking a 20-14 lead with Candace Parker racking up 10 points in the period.
The Lynx (20-6) communicated to their fans that they had control in the second, starting the quarter with three treys, ultimately taking the lead for good at 23-22 following a Maya Moore 21-foot three-pointer. Minnesota outscored Los Angeles 32-14 in the second and never let up on their way to their fourth straight win over Los Angeles after losing eight in a row.
"Yesterday, I came in the gym and shot 500 mid-range and 500 three-pointers," said Lynx guard Candice Wiggins. "You come in the game and just concentrate and that's going to help."
Augustus led Minnesota with 17 points, with Wiggins chipping in 13. Parker scored a game-high 18 points, although a more stingy Lynx defense would frustrate Parker after the first.
For good measure, the Lynx out-rebounded the Sparks 43-24 for the game.
While the magic number to reach the playoffs is now zero, the Lynx are seeking the magic number they wanted from the start of the season: home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Minnesota is two games ahead of Indiana for the league's best record with eight games remaining for both teams. A combination of seven Lynx wins or Fever losses would cement home-court through the Finals.
"That's when you'll see the locker room excited. To go from second-worst to first, that's when we will celebrate for a short moment," said Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve. "Then you're measured by what you do in the playoffs."
Perhaps the biggest "magic number" of all is Minnesota's win total. In all but one of the WNBA's first 14 seasons, every championship team recorded at least 20 victories in the regular season. The Houston Comets were the only exception finishing 18-10 in 1997 before winning the first of four straight titles.
Maya Moore, who scored seven points in only 16:22 of playing time, may have acknowledged her battle to find consistency with her belief that Minnesota can go far beyond 20 wins.
"That's the scary part. We're continuing to sharpen up on help-side defense, continuing to communicate, making sure we're forcing players to do things they don't want to do," she said.
ALSO
Watch below for special guest interviewer Lisl Von Steinbergs chat with Rebekkah Brunson on the development of Minnesota's young post player tandem of Jessica Adair and Amber Harris.
The Minnesota Lynx added a few more firsts in their 2011 campaign against the Los Angeles Sparks Saturday night at Target Center.
Minnesota's 87-68 win gave them the privilege of being the first WNBA team to reach 20 wins this season and, more importantly, the first team to clinch a playoff spot.
"It couldn't get no worse than where we were at," said Lynx guard Seimone Augustus, referring to the franchise's struggles in her first five seasons. "A weight lifted off our shoulders."
Not that the Lynx felt weighed down leading up to a playoff berth. Clinching a spot has simply been a step all season in the team's ultimate goal of leaving their past behind and winning a WNBA title.
"We have that fire inside of us and we still got some work to do," Augustus said.
The Sparks (10-15) were the more energetic team in the first quarter, taking a 20-14 lead with Candace Parker racking up 10 points in the period.
The Lynx (20-6) communicated to their fans that they had control in the second, starting the quarter with three treys, ultimately taking the lead for good at 23-22 following a Maya Moore 21-foot three-pointer. Minnesota outscored Los Angeles 32-14 in the second and never let up on their way to their fourth straight win over Los Angeles after losing eight in a row.
"Yesterday, I came in the gym and shot 500 mid-range and 500 three-pointers," said Lynx guard Candice Wiggins. "You come in the game and just concentrate and that's going to help."
Augustus led Minnesota with 17 points, with Wiggins chipping in 13. Parker scored a game-high 18 points, although a more stingy Lynx defense would frustrate Parker after the first.
For good measure, the Lynx out-rebounded the Sparks 43-24 for the game.
While the magic number to reach the playoffs is now zero, the Lynx are seeking the magic number they wanted from the start of the season: home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Minnesota is two games ahead of Indiana for the league's best record with eight games remaining for both teams. A combination of seven Lynx wins or Fever losses would cement home-court through the Finals.
"That's when you'll see the locker room excited. To go from second-worst to first, that's when we will celebrate for a short moment," said Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve. "Then you're measured by what you do in the playoffs."
Perhaps the biggest "magic number" of all is Minnesota's win total. In all but one of the WNBA's first 14 seasons, every championship team recorded at least 20 victories in the regular season. The Houston Comets were the only exception finishing 18-10 in 1997 before winning the first of four straight titles.
Maya Moore, who scored seven points in only 16:22 of playing time, may have acknowledged her battle to find consistency with her belief that Minnesota can go far beyond 20 wins.
"That's the scary part. We're continuing to sharpen up on help-side defense, continuing to communicate, making sure we're forcing players to do things they don't want to do," she said.
ALSO
Watch below for special guest interviewer Lisl Von Steinbergs chat with Rebekkah Brunson on the development of Minnesota's young post player tandem of Jessica Adair and Amber Harris.
Friday, August 5, 2011
"Mama" Taj parents 2nd Lynx buzzer-beater of week
BY MIKE PEDEN
In a perfect world, the defense exhibited by the San Antonio Silver Stars Thursday night against the Minnesota Lynx at Target Center would have meant a Stars victory.
Rookie forward Maya Moore failed to score, missing all seven of her shots. Guards Seimone Augustus and Lindsay Whalen, among the league's top guards in field goal percentage, were a combined 6-of-26 from the floor. Minnesota converted 27.5 percent of their shots for the game.
Somehow, the Lynx found themselves on the winning end of a 62-60 game against the Silver Stars, as center Taj McWilliams-Franklin banked the game-winning 18-foot jumper with 1.3 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Not a bad time for Whalen to pick up her sixth and final assist of the game.
"I'm so slow, I was wide open. Everybody else went to Lindsay when she drove baseline. I'm sure she saw me, but it tipped Rebekkah (Brunson's) hand and it came straight to me," McWilliams-Franklin said.
The Silver Stars (11-8) were unable to capitalize on the Lynx's (15-4) shooting struggles, making 38 percent of their shots. San Antonio never led by more than eight, and let a 23-17 halftime lead slip in the third, when Minnesota scored 26 points in the quarter.
Silver Stars guard Jia Perkins helped keep the game close, scoring all 11 of her points in the fourth, including three free throws after being fouled by Augustus with 11.2 seconds left.
San Antonio did have one last chance with an in-bound from half-court following a timeout call, but Moore disrupted a Perkins three-point attempt as the buzzer sounded.
"This is two great teams going at each other's heads. We got to put this in the back of our memory zone and get ready for Tulsa," Perkins said.
For San Antonio, Sophia Young finished with a double-double, getting 18 points and 13 rebounds while Becky Hammon added 15 points.
"Losing games like this is almost deflating. There's two good teams going at each other. You can tell, because it's coming down to the last-second shot," Young said.
Backup guard Candice Wiggins pitched in for Minnesota, scoring 15 points on five-three pointers. All but one of Wiggins' field goals in the last four games are from beyond the arc. The habit is hard to give up when she first grew confident with three-pointers at age eight.
"Strategically, we were down in that game, so I was like 'let's get some three-balls going,' " Wiggins said.
The Lynx did edge the Silver Stars in free throws, sinking 19 of 24 to the Silver Stars' 12 of 16. Minnesota also won the turnover category, committing 10 while forcing 15 against San Antonio.
Including Whalen's buzzer-beater to cap a 70-69 win at San Antonio Sunday, Minnesota has won the first two meetings of the series by a combined 2.8 seconds.
"You can't say this is what we meant to do. Thank goodness luck had a little choice in it for us," McWilliams-Franklin said.
Minnesota's victory increased their franchise-record winning streak to eight games. They now hold a commanding 4-game lead in the Western Conference, as San Antonio's loss created a three-way tie for second place with Phoenix and Seattle.
ALSO
Watch this video for Mike Peden's pregame chat with San Antonio's Tully Bevilaqua
Click play here for Mike Peden's one-on-one with Becky Hammon, named among the WNBA's top 15 players of all time at this year's All-Star Game.
In a perfect world, the defense exhibited by the San Antonio Silver Stars Thursday night against the Minnesota Lynx at Target Center would have meant a Stars victory.
Rookie forward Maya Moore failed to score, missing all seven of her shots. Guards Seimone Augustus and Lindsay Whalen, among the league's top guards in field goal percentage, were a combined 6-of-26 from the floor. Minnesota converted 27.5 percent of their shots for the game.
Somehow, the Lynx found themselves on the winning end of a 62-60 game against the Silver Stars, as center Taj McWilliams-Franklin banked the game-winning 18-foot jumper with 1.3 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Not a bad time for Whalen to pick up her sixth and final assist of the game.
"I'm so slow, I was wide open. Everybody else went to Lindsay when she drove baseline. I'm sure she saw me, but it tipped Rebekkah (Brunson's) hand and it came straight to me," McWilliams-Franklin said.
The game-winner gave McWilliams-Franklin a season-high 18 points, marking her sixth straight game in double-figures. Reaching that score required some coaxing after McWilliams-Franklin committed five first quarter turnovers.
"All those turnovers in the first quarter? I was told to shoot. Rather than get in trouble and get yelled at, I'd rather shoot it," she said.
The Silver Stars (11-8) were unable to capitalize on the Lynx's (15-4) shooting struggles, making 38 percent of their shots. San Antonio never led by more than eight, and let a 23-17 halftime lead slip in the third, when Minnesota scored 26 points in the quarter.
Silver Stars guard Jia Perkins helped keep the game close, scoring all 11 of her points in the fourth, including three free throws after being fouled by Augustus with 11.2 seconds left.
San Antonio did have one last chance with an in-bound from half-court following a timeout call, but Moore disrupted a Perkins three-point attempt as the buzzer sounded.
"This is two great teams going at each other's heads. We got to put this in the back of our memory zone and get ready for Tulsa," Perkins said.
For San Antonio, Sophia Young finished with a double-double, getting 18 points and 13 rebounds while Becky Hammon added 15 points.
"Losing games like this is almost deflating. There's two good teams going at each other. You can tell, because it's coming down to the last-second shot," Young said.
Backup guard Candice Wiggins pitched in for Minnesota, scoring 15 points on five-three pointers. All but one of Wiggins' field goals in the last four games are from beyond the arc. The habit is hard to give up when she first grew confident with three-pointers at age eight.
"Strategically, we were down in that game, so I was like 'let's get some three-balls going,' " Wiggins said.
The Lynx did edge the Silver Stars in free throws, sinking 19 of 24 to the Silver Stars' 12 of 16. Minnesota also won the turnover category, committing 10 while forcing 15 against San Antonio.
Including Whalen's buzzer-beater to cap a 70-69 win at San Antonio Sunday, Minnesota has won the first two meetings of the series by a combined 2.8 seconds.
"You can't say this is what we meant to do. Thank goodness luck had a little choice in it for us," McWilliams-Franklin said.
Minnesota's victory increased their franchise-record winning streak to eight games. They now hold a commanding 4-game lead in the Western Conference, as San Antonio's loss created a three-way tie for second place with Phoenix and Seattle.
ALSO
Watch this video for Mike Peden's pregame chat with San Antonio's Tully Bevilaqua
Click play here for Mike Peden's one-on-one with Becky Hammon, named among the WNBA's top 15 players of all time at this year's All-Star Game.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Lynx put shooting clinic on Storm
BY MIKE PEDEN
When the Minnesota Lynx suffered a 65-55 road loss to the Seattle Storm on June 24, Seattle's radio play-by-play commentator speculated the Minnesota Lynx had drafted over guard Candice Wiggins as a result of subsequent high draft picks.
On Friday night at Target Center, Wiggins showed Seattle and the 7,856 in attendance her role is no less valuable with time, sinking five three-pointers as the Lynx blew out the Storm 92-67.
"I knew about that comment, and I almost laughed at it," Wiggins said. "He doesn't understand what's going on in my mind. I knew it would take me a while to find a rhythm."
Wiggins had no shortage of rhythm with 16 points and five assists off the bench. Her point total matched a team high with guard Seimone Augustus. Augustus sank eight of 10 field goals to reach that figure, finding her groove with the mid-range jumper all game.
The Lynx (12-4) needed seven minutes to find their team rhythm, with the Storm (9-8) holding a 14-11 lead late in the first quarter. A 19-2 Minnesota run initiated by one of Augustus' jumpers ensured that was the last time Seattle would be a threat.
So dominant was Minnesota that head coach Cheryl Reeve found extended minutes for her reserves. Center Jessica Adair took advantage, scoring a career-high eight points in just over 11 minutes, while forward Chardé Houston drained all four of her shots and a free throw to score nine points in almost 10 minutes.
"Jim Peterson (Lynx assistant coach) is always in my ear about poise. I repeat it to myself, it's helping me a lot," Adair said.
"We have so much trust and faith in each other," Houston said. "Coach is always putting pressure on us to make the great plays, help each other on defense. All that really ties in."
Minnesota shot 56 percent from the floor against Seattle's 41 percent for the game, causing Minnesota to outscore Seattle in every quarter but the fourth, when both teams put up 18.
For the Storm, forward Swin Cash scored a game-high 18 points with Le'Coe Willingham adding 14, but the biggest surprise was the Lynx defense hampering the Storm's All-Star guard Sue Bird. Bird was held to four points and one assist, making just one field goal in six tries.
"Lindsay Whalen doesn't get a lot of credit for her defensive prowess. She was really impressive on that end of the floor," Reeve said.
The Lynx win gave them their first series victory over the Storm since 2003, which also means the Lynx own a tiebreaker should the Western Conference playoff picture get murky. Minnesota maintained their one-game lead over San Antonio for first place in the Western Conference and will face them in the first of four meetings Sunday at AT&T Center.
ALSO
Click below for an extended post-game conversation with Candice Wiggins following Minnesota's Faith and Family Night event.
Click below to listen to Swin Cash prior to Friday night's game, as she shares her plans after her playing career is over.
When the Minnesota Lynx suffered a 65-55 road loss to the Seattle Storm on June 24, Seattle's radio play-by-play commentator speculated the Minnesota Lynx had drafted over guard Candice Wiggins as a result of subsequent high draft picks.
On Friday night at Target Center, Wiggins showed Seattle and the 7,856 in attendance her role is no less valuable with time, sinking five three-pointers as the Lynx blew out the Storm 92-67.
"I knew about that comment, and I almost laughed at it," Wiggins said. "He doesn't understand what's going on in my mind. I knew it would take me a while to find a rhythm."
Wiggins had no shortage of rhythm with 16 points and five assists off the bench. Her point total matched a team high with guard Seimone Augustus. Augustus sank eight of 10 field goals to reach that figure, finding her groove with the mid-range jumper all game.
The Lynx (12-4) needed seven minutes to find their team rhythm, with the Storm (9-8) holding a 14-11 lead late in the first quarter. A 19-2 Minnesota run initiated by one of Augustus' jumpers ensured that was the last time Seattle would be a threat.
So dominant was Minnesota that head coach Cheryl Reeve found extended minutes for her reserves. Center Jessica Adair took advantage, scoring a career-high eight points in just over 11 minutes, while forward Chardé Houston drained all four of her shots and a free throw to score nine points in almost 10 minutes.
"Jim Peterson (Lynx assistant coach) is always in my ear about poise. I repeat it to myself, it's helping me a lot," Adair said.
"We have so much trust and faith in each other," Houston said. "Coach is always putting pressure on us to make the great plays, help each other on defense. All that really ties in."
Minnesota shot 56 percent from the floor against Seattle's 41 percent for the game, causing Minnesota to outscore Seattle in every quarter but the fourth, when both teams put up 18.
For the Storm, forward Swin Cash scored a game-high 18 points with Le'Coe Willingham adding 14, but the biggest surprise was the Lynx defense hampering the Storm's All-Star guard Sue Bird. Bird was held to four points and one assist, making just one field goal in six tries.
"Lindsay Whalen doesn't get a lot of credit for her defensive prowess. She was really impressive on that end of the floor," Reeve said.
The Lynx win gave them their first series victory over the Storm since 2003, which also means the Lynx own a tiebreaker should the Western Conference playoff picture get murky. Minnesota maintained their one-game lead over San Antonio for first place in the Western Conference and will face them in the first of four meetings Sunday at AT&T Center.
ALSO
Click below for an extended post-game conversation with Candice Wiggins following Minnesota's Faith and Family Night event.
Click below to listen to Swin Cash prior to Friday night's game, as she shares her plans after her playing career is over.
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