SoMnFan -> RE: Minnesota Lynx (5/8/2017 9:22:56 PM)
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Mechelle Voepel espnW.com We're picking up this WNBA season where we left off last year: The Lynx and the Sparks appear to be the top two teams, which is where they finished in 2016 with a thrill-packed WNBA Finals that went the distance. We start 2017 with the usual caveats: There will be late arrivals from overseas; it will take some teams longer than others to adjust to that; and chemistry is very hard to predict. "There are always the teams that everybody is talking about," Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said. "But each season brings a surprise -- maybe somebody who's gotten better and might be a contender." With that in mind, here are the espnW preseason WNBA power rankings. 1. Minnesota Lynx Ah, the agony of just missing a fourth title last year! But the Lynx are all the more motivated, led by a perennial MVP candidate, forward Maya Moore, and her 19.3 points per game. This team does everything well. Last season, with their offensive (107.2) and defensive (96.4) ratings, the Lynx had the top net rating (10.9). That such a disciplined, balanced squad lost the championship on a putback in Game 5 was agonizing for Reeve and her players. But they aren't dwelling on that now. With gold-standard veterans such as Moore, Lindsay Whalen, Seimone Augustus, Rebekkah Brunson and Sylvia Fowles back, the Lynx remain hungry and focused on being the best again. Last season: 28-6, lost in WNBA Finals 2. Los Angeles Sparks And who hit that shot to beat the Lynx? Nneka Ogwumike, whose 2016 season was flat-out fabulous. Her 9.45 win shares were fourth best in WNBA history, and her 31.5 player efficiency rating ranked ninth best. Ogwumike (19.7 points per game, 9.1 rebounds per game) and Candace Parker (15.3, 7.4) were a dream post duo. And everyone else did her job well too, especially forward Jantel Lavender and guards Alana Beard and Kristi Toliver. But Toliver is gone to the Mystics now, and the Sparks will have some new faces, especially on the perimeter, with Riquna Williams (out with injury last year) and Odyssey Sims (traded from Dallas). The Sparks could repeat, but they'll have to forge a little different identity. Last season: 26-8, won WNBA Finals
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