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David Levine -> RE: Minnesota Lynx (5/26/2014 12:12:28 PM)
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The league's two best teams have started much as they played all of last season: taking care of business nightly. On Memorial Day Monday, these two teams will face off on ESPN2 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
This has come as a bit of a shock considering both teams are missing significant contributors.
The Chicago Sky have set a team record for wins to start the season, moving to 4-0 on Saturday against an Atlanta Dream squad that fielded a new starting lineup for the third consecutive game. That historic start for the Sky has come while playing without defensive player of the year Sylvia Fowles and 2011 All-Star Epiphanny Prince, who is expected to be back in the lineup today. Fowles is likely out another few weeks and a couple first-time starters have held down the fort admirably: Sasha Goodlett and Jessica Breland have combined for 18.3 points, 16.5 broads and 4.5 blocks per night.
Elena Delle Donne continues to impress, upping her scoring average to 23.5 points per night with virtually the same shooting percentage while being the focus of the nightly scouting report. Add in Allie Quigley's 43% three point shooting and Markisha Gatling knocking down 10-12 shots so far, the Sky have to be happy with their current product.
Out west, the injury bug that hit everyone in the league the last three years EXCEPT the Minnesota Lynx finally struck in Minneapolis. Cheryl Reeve's squad has started the season without starter and team metronome Rebekkah Brunson along with players 6 and 7 in the rotation last year Monica Wright and Devereaux Peters. Does Maya Moore care? I'd have to say not.
Moore leads the WNBA averaging a 2006 Kobe-esque 33.8 points while shooting 55% from the field and 52% from trey. In the midst of this tear, Moore broke the WNBA record for consecutive 30-point games. What probably has Reeve most excited is the play of Damiris Dantas who's holding down the fort to the tune of 8.5 boards while shooting 63% from the field. Toss in Seimone Augustus and Lindsay Whalen's Olympic abilities and you've still got quite a team.
Based on what we've seen so far, this game comes down to the perimeter defense of the Sky. The post rotation has been solid but the perimeter has yet to be tested the way the likes of Whalen, Augustus, Moore and Tan White will.
http://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2014/5/26/5751202/wnba-lynx-vs-sky-preview-espn2-may-2014
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