The WNBA is the Women's National Basketball Association. 2008 WNBA training camps opened April 20. Preseason games have begun. The regular season starts May 17. The current WNBA maximum salary is $95,000. Hit this page for daily WNBA basketball news and game roundups, schedules, key info, WNBA rumors and links, exclusive InsideHoops WNBA player interviews, playoff previews and coverage, and more.

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WNBA Basketball News for Sun, May 11

There was one preseason game on Saturday. The Storm beat the Fever, 75-64. In the win for Seattle, Yolanda Griffith shot badly but had 14 points and 9 rebounds. Tanisha Wright had 13 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. And Swin Cash scored 12. In the loss for Indiana, Tan White had 21 points and 5 rebounds.

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WNBA Basketball News for Sat, May 10

There was one preseason game on Friday. The Sun beat the Comets, 88-80. In the win, Lindsay Whalen had 18 points and 8 assists, Jolene Anderson had 16 points and 7 rebounds, and Kerri Gardin shot 7-of-8 for 16 points and 5 rebounds. Barbara Turner shot badly to add 12 points. In the loss, Matee Ajavon shot 7-of-15 for 20 points. Mistie Williams added 13.


WNBA Basketball News for Fri, May 9

There were two preseason games on Thursday. The Mystics beat the Liberty, 58-52. In the win, Washington had a balanced scoring effort with no player scoring more than 9 points. Andrea Gardner had 11 rebounds. In the loss, Cathrine Kraayeveld had 8 points and 6 rebounds, and Lisa Willis hit 3-of-3 three-pointers for 10 points off the bench. And the Sparks hammered the Sky, 84-68. In the win, Lisa Leslie had 17 points and 7 rebounds, and Sherill Baker scored 12. Candace Parker didn't play. In the loss, Brooke Wyckoff had 12 points and 6 rebounds. And Sylvia Fowles shot badly, taking 13 shots for 10 points and 9 rebounds.

Cheryl Ford takes over as Detroit Shock leader -- The AP reports: Cheryl Ford played through the injury in last year’s WNBA finals, but said she was at about 40 percent as Detroit lost in five games to Phoenix. The Shock were going for their third title in five years. “If I had been healthy, we would have won without a doubt,” she said. “It just didn’t happen, and there must have been a reason for that.” When healthy, Ford is the league’s best rebounder and a tough defender, much like Laimbeer and assistant coach Rick Mahorn were during their playing days. “I think Cheryl is going to be fine. She’s running without pain, so she just has to get past the mental part of getting hit again,” Laimbeer said. “That’s always the toughest part for a player coming back from an injury.”

WNBA Basketball News for Thu, May 8

There was one preseason game on Wednesday. The Lynx beat the fever 78-64. In the win, guard Navonda Moore had 16 points and 3 steals, forward/center Nicky Anosike had 10 points with 6 rebounds, and forward Charde Houston had 10 with 4 rebounds. Guard/forward Alvine Mendeng dished 5 assists. In the loss, guard Tan White had 16 points, 4 assists and 2 steals, and Constance Jinks and Kasha Terry each scored 15.

Liberty acquire G Mitchell -- Ticker reports: The New York Liberty added backcourt depth Wednesday, acquiring rookie guard Leilani Mitchell from the Phoenix Mercury for a third-round 2009 draft pick.


WNBA Basketball News for Wed, May 7

There were no WNBA preseason games on Tuesday.

Storm center Janelle Burse out for season with injuries -- The AP reports: Seattle Storm center Janell Burse, runner-up for the WNBA’s Most Improved Player award in 2006, will miss this season because of multiple injuries. “We will definitely miss Janell but respect her decision to sit out this season,” coach Brian Agler said in a statement issued by the club Tuesday.

Ticker reports: Burse averaged 8.8 points and 5.3 rebounds during last season. She set a WNBA record for rebounds in a half with 16 and rebounds in a quarter with 10 against the Phoenix Mercury on May 23, 2007.


WNBA Basketball News for Tue, May 6

There was one preseason game on Monday. The Mystics beat the Monarchs, 90-82. There doesn't seem to be a box score anywhere just yet (the league's official site doesn't even have it yet). Wednesday update: The WNBA's official website still has no box score. So, forget this game. It's just preseason.


WNBA Basketball News for Mon, May 5

There was one preseason game on Sunday. The Sun beat the Mercury 94-66. In the win, Amber Holt shot 7-of-11 for 15 points and 5 rebounds. Barbara Turner scored 14. Kerri Gardin scored 11. Tracy Gahan had 8 points and 10 rebounds. In the loss, no one was particularly well.


WNBA Basketball News for Sun, May 4

There were two preseason games on Saturday. The Sky beat the Fever, 81-71. In the win, Sylvia Fowles had 16 points and 11 rebounds in just 16 minutes. Also, the Sparks beat Atlanta, 86-80. In the win, Lisa Leslie had 18 points and 7 rebounds, and Candace Parker was awesome with 14 points, 8 rebounsd and 8 assists.

Parker, Leslie lead Sparks’ exhibition win -- The AP reports: Candace Parker and Lisa Leslie gave the WNBA its first glimpse of just how dangerous the Los Angeles Sparks could be this season. Parker, the league’s No. 1 pick, had 14 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in Los Angeles’ 86-80 exhibition victory over the expansion Atlanta Dream on Saturday night. Leslie played her first game since missing all of 2007 on maternity leave, but the three-time league MVP still finished with 18 points and seven rebounds. After leading Tennessee to a second straight NCAA title last month, Parker is eager to help the Sparks win their third championship under coach Michael Cooper.


WNBA Basketball News for Sat, May 3

There was one preseason game yesterday. The Monarchs beat the Storm 70-68. We'd tell you who did what, but no recap or box score seems to exist for the game anywhere, not even on the WNBA's official website. It's just preseason, though.

Candace Parker already making strong impact on Sparks, WNBA -- The AP reports: Although Parker has yet to make her debut with the Sparks, the former Tennessee Lady Vols star is already boosting the team and the rest of the league at the box office, in merchandise sales and on the Web. Los Angeles sold seven times the number of season tickets during the first week after the April 9 draft compared to the same period last year. Also, individual game ticket sales for the first eight days after the draft increased nearly threefold... No doubt, the Sparks’ ticket sales are also being fueled by the return of Lisa Leslie. The perennial All-Star and three-time Olympic gold medalist is back after a one-year absence following the birth of her daughter last June.


WNBA Basketball News for May 2

There were two preseason games yesterday. The Lynx beat the Sun, 68-57. In the win, Candice Wiggins scored 18, Brittney Vaughn scored 14, and Nicky Anosike grabbed 10 rebounds. No Sun players scored double-digits. And the Comets beat the Silver Stars, 74-68. In the win, Matee Ajavon had 13 points, 6 assists and 3 steals. Marcedes Walker also scored 13. Latasha Byears had 12 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists. In the loss, Sandora Irvin and Adrianne Ross each scored 13.

Monarchs’ DeMya Walker out another season with knee injury -- The AP reports: Sacramento Monarchs forward DeMya Walker will miss the WNBA season after breaking her right kneecap while playing in Russia. The Monarchs said Walker was injured on Sunday and examined Thursday at the UC Davis sports medicine clinic. She will undergo surgery Friday that will keep her out for six months.

Lynx G Harding suffers knee injury -- Ticker reports: Minnesota Lynx point guard Lindsey Harding is out indefinitely after suffering another left knee injury. The team announced Thursday that Harding, the first overall pick of the 2007 WNBA draft, suffered a stress fracture of her left knee cap while playing with the U.S. Senior National Team in China earlier this month.


Apr. 23: Candace Parker signs with adidas

Mar. 14: The Seattle Storm re-sign Sue Bird to a multi-year contract.

Feb. 24: Los Angeles Sparks sign 3-time All-Star guard Marie Ferdinand-Harris - The AP reports: The Sparks signed three-time WNBA All-Star guard Marie Ferdinand-Harris on Friday. Ferdinand-Harris has averaged 11.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in six seasons with the Utah Starzz and the San Antonio Silver Stars. Last season, she averaged just 6.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists with San Antonio.

Feb. 21: Silver Stars sign Vickie Johnson -- Ticker reports: The San Antonio Silver Stars on Thursday re-signed veteran guard-forward Vickie Johnson, who had been a free agent. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Feb. 21: Mercury re-sign G Mazzante -- Ticker reports: The defending WNBA champion Phoenix Mercury on Thursday re-signed guard Kelly Mazzante to a four-year contract. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Feb. 21: Mystics match offer, retain center Nakia Sanford -- The AP reports: The Washington Mystics re-signed center Nakia Sanford on Thursday, matching the three-year offer the restricted free agent received from the Minnesota Lynx.

Feb. 19, 2008: Lynx sign G DeForge -- Ticker reports: The Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday signed free agent guard Anna DeForge.

Feb. 19, 2008: Detroit Shock trade Swin Cash to Seattle Storm for draft pick -- The AP reports: The Seattle Storm acquired Swin Cash from the Detroit Shock on Tuesday in exchange for the fourth overall pick in this year’s draft. Cash, a two-time WNBA All-Star, averaged 11.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists last season. She was a member of the WNBA champion Shock teams in 2003 and 2006. “Swin has done great things for our franchise, helping us win two championships, and has also done great things in the community,” Shock coach Bill Laimbeer said in a statement. “We’re very appreciative of her time here, and we wish her the greatest success in her new start.”

Feb. 19, 2008: Sun sign G Whalen to three-year deal -- Ticker reports: The Connecticut Sun signed guard Lindsay Whalen to a three-year contract on Tuesday. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Feb. 19, 2008: Lynx sign C Sanford to offer sheet -- Ticker reports: The Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday signed restricted free agent center Nakia Sanford to an offer sheet. Sanford’s current team, the Washington Mystics, have five days to match the offer.

Feb. 19, 2008: Fever acquire All-Star F Katie Douglas from Sun -- The AP reports: The Indiana Fever acquired All-Star forward and Katie Douglas in a trade with the Connecticut Sun. The Fever sent forward Tamika Whitmore, the 12th pick in the 2008 WNBA draft, and the rights to former Duke guard Jessica Foley to the Sun. The trade came at Douglas’ request.

Feb. 6, 2008: Dream build roster in expansion draft -- Ticker reports: The WNBA's newest franchise, the Atlanta Dream, set about building a roster Wednesday by selecting 13 players and completing three trades. After starting the day with a blank sheet of paper, the Dream now boast a roster with two WNBA title winners and three internationals. Among the 13 players Atlanta selected in the expansion draft were guard Betty Lennox, a winner with Seattle in 2004, and Kristin Haynie, a guard from Sacramento's title-winning team in 2005.

The AP reports: The Dream, the league's 14th team, also acquired guard Iziane Castro Marques from Seattle and point guard Ivory Latta from the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Shock in trades after the expansion draft.

The AP reports: Others picked in the expansion draft include: Carla Thomas (Chicago Sky), Erika de Souza (Connecticut Sun), Katie Feenstra (Detroit), Roneeka Hodges (Houston Comets), Ann Strother (Indiana Fever), LaToya Thomas (Los Angeles Sparks), Kristen Mann (Minnesota Lynx), Ann Wauters (New York Liberty), Jennifer Lacy (Phoenix Mercury), Kristin Haynie (Sacramento Monarchs), Chantelle Anderson (San Antonio Silver Stars) and Yelena Leuchanka (Washington Mystics).

Jan. 29, 2008: WNBA players officially ratify new 6-year labor deal -- The AP reports: The WNBA players union ratified its new six-year collective bargaining agreement with the league on Tuesday. Approval of the agreement needed a simple majority -- 88 of the 174 eligible players -- to pass... Ticker reports: The new deal commences with the 2008 season and runs through 2013. Under the new CBA, player salaries are guaranteed to increase each year league-wide, and the individual and maximum player salaries also will be increase. In addition, the CBA includes a revenue sharing component should league revenues hit agreed upon benchmarks... Also included in the new agreement are adjustments to the free agency system that will increase player movement - specifically, the number of players that each team may designate as core players decreases from two to one beginning in 2009. When a team designates a player a core player, the team receives exclusive negotiating rights to that player for an offer of a fully guaranteed, one-year contract at the maximum salary.

Jan. 23, 2008: Atlanta's WNBA team unveils 'Dream' nickname and logo -- The newest WNBA team will be called the Atlanta Dream. Atlanta unveiled the nickname Wednesday along with its red and blue logo with stars and a basketball... Atlanta was awarded the franchise in October.

Jan. 10, 2008: Sparks hire former NBA player Larry Smith as assistant coach -- The AP reports: The Los Angeles Sparks hired former NBA player Larry Smith as an assistant coach Thursday. Nicknamed "Mr. Mean" for his tenacious rebounding style, Smith played nine seasons with Golden State from 1980-89, three seasons in Houston and one with San Antonio. He averaged 6.7 points and 9.2 rebounds in his career.

Jan. 9, 2008: Seattle Storm names Brian Agler its new head coach -- The AP reports: Brian Agler spent five years biding his time as an assistant, waiting for another opportunity to be a head coach. He may have landed one of the best positions in the WNBA. The Seattle Storm hired Agler on Wednesday as its new head coach and director of player personnel, replacing Anne Donovan, who resigned Nov. 30. Agler's hiring completes a whirlwind two days for the franchise, which on Tuesday announced that owner Clay Bennett intended to sell the team for $10 million to a group of four Seattle women, who intend on keeping the team in Seattle.

Jan. 8, 2008: WNBA's Seattle Storm to be sold to group of Seattle women for $10 million -- The AP reports: A group of Seattle women, led by former Deputy Mayor Anne Levinson, will buy the WNBA Seattle Storm from SuperSonics owner Clay Bennett for $10 million. The purchase option for the franchise was finalized in the last few days, ensuring the Storm will remain in Seattle, while Bennett continues his push to move the SuperSonics to his hometown of Oklahoma City... One current and one former Microsoft Corp. executive, and an entrepreneur round out the purchase group, disclosed Tuesday. The group, calling itself Force 10 Hoops, has until the end of February to close the sale and would need approval of the WNBA board of governors for the standalone franchise.

2007 WNBA BASKETBALL COVERAGE

2007 WNBA FINALS Shock 2, Mercury 2 Game 1: Detroit 108, Phoenix 100 Game 2: Phoenix 98, Detroit 70 Game 3: Detroit 88, Phoenix 83 Game 4: Phoenix 77, Detroit 76 Game 5: Phoenix 108, Detroit 92 Games 3-5 on ESPN2

PRE-FINALS WNBA PLAYOFFS RESULTS EAST: Conf Finals: Shock 2 Fever 1 First Round: Shock 2 Liberty 1 Fever 2 Sun 1 WEST: Conf Finals: Mercury 2 Silver Stars 0 First Round: Mercury 2 Storm 0 S.Stars 2 Monarchs 1

WNBA DAILY: MONDAY, SEPT. 17

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Fast start gives Phoenix WNBA title, 108-92 over the host Detroit Shock -- The AP reports: A fast start helped Phoenix become the first team in the WNBA's 11-year history to claim the title on the road. Cappie Pondexter, in her second year in the league, scored 26 points and was chosen as the series MVP... Deanna Nolan, who led the Shock with 27 points, said the team's defense faltered early... The Mercury led by as many as 18 points in the second quarter and led 55-43 at halftime. The teams set a finals scoring record for combined points in a half... The Mercury's smallest lead in the second half was nine points. Katie Smith had 18 points for Detroit, which committed 17 turnovers compared to only nine for the Mercury.

InsideHoops.com Game 5 Stat Notes: For Phoenix, Penny Taylor had 30 points on 6-of-11 shooting (18-of-18 free throws), 3 rebounds and 2 steals. Cappie Pondexter had 26 points, 3 rebounds and 10 assists. Diana Taurasi had 17 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Kelly Mazzante scored 12 points, Kelly Miller had 11 with 6 rebounds and 3 assists, and Tangela Smith scored 10. For Detroit, Deanna Nolan had 27 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Katie Smith had 18 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Shannon Johnson had 13 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists. Katie Feenstra had 10 points and 3 rebounds... Phoenix shot 52.3%, Detroit just 43.5%. Although Detroit was slightly better from three-point range, Phoenix went an amazing 29-of-30 from the free throw line. Detroit controlled the boards, but had 17 turnovers, Phoenix just 9.

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WNBA DAILY: SATURDAY, SEPT. 15

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Phoenix 77, Detroit 76 -- The AP reports: With the poor-shooting Phoenix Mercury on the verge of elimination, coach Paul Westhead decided to run the offense through Cappie Pondexter. It was a wise move. Pondexter scored a game-high 26 points, including a driving bank shot with 21 seconds to play, and the Phoenix Mercury defeated the Detroit Shock 77-76 on Thursday night to force a deciding fifth game in the WNBA finals. The finale is Sunday afternoon in Auburn Hills... Plenette Pierson, a former Mercury player, scored 23 points in a reserve role for Detroit. Diana Taurasi added 20 points for the Mercury, who have not lost consecutive games since the two games before the All-Star break... The Mercury came out just as cold this time, hitting two of their first 11 shots and finishing the first period 5-for-18 (27.8 percent). But Detroit was even more out of sync, and the Mercury went on a 14-4 run late in the first quarter and early in the second to take a 22-14 lead... InsideHoops.com Stat Notes: For Phoenix, Cappie Pondexter had 26 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists. Diana Taurasi had 20 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals. Kelly Miller had 13 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. For Detroit, Plenette Pierson shot an amazing 9-of-10 for 23 points and 3 rebounds, though she had 5 turnovers. Deanna Nolan had 17 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks. And Katie Smith had 14 points.

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WNBA DAILY: WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 12

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Detroit takes back control of WNBA finals with road win -- The AP reports: Katie Smith scored 22 points, one shy of her career playoff high, to help the defending champions beat the cold-shooting Mercury 88-83 Tuesday night and take a 2-1 lead in the WNBA finals... Phoenix, meanwhile, shot 35 percent, including a miserable 5-for-31 on 3s, in front of a loud home crowd of 12,024... Deanna Nolan, who scored 20, sank a crucial 3-pointer with 1:53 to go, then sealed the victory with four consecutive free throws in the final 8.3 seconds. Diana Taurasi scored 22 for the Mercury. Tangela Smith scored 17 but made only 6 of 17 shots for Phoenix. She was 0-for-6 on 3s. Penny Taylor was in foul trouble most of the night but still played 33 minutes and had 16 points and 14 rebounds for the Mercury... Down by as many as 12 in the first half, the Mercury cut the lead to 58-55 on Taurasi's 3-pointer with 3:47 left in the third quarter. But Smith responded with consecutive 3s to boost the Shock lead to 64-56. Detroit led 70-64 after three.

Pursuit of WNBA team in Colorado over for now -- The AP reports: A group trying to bring a WNBA team to Colorado said Tuesday that it hadn't found enough interest from investors to continue pursuing a team for 2008. Triple Crown Sports left the door open for the future, though.

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WNBA DAILY: SUNDAY, SEPT. 9

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Taurasi leads Mercury past Shock in Game 2 of the WNBA finals -- THe AP reports: A footwear faux pas is about the only thing that went wrong for the Phoenix Mercury in Game 2 of the WNBA finals. Coach Paul Westhead mistakenly wore two different shoes to the game, much to the consternation -- and amusement -- of his players, who went out and equaled the biggest margin of victory in a finals game, beating the Detroit Shock 98-70 on Sunday. Diana Taurasi bounced back from her woeful Game 1 with 30 points to help the Mercury even the five-game series, which heads back to Phoenix for Game 3 on Tuesday night and Game 4 on Thursday... Taurasi's long 3 made it 76-44 with less than 3 minutes to play in the third quarter and capped a 15-2 Mercury run. She also had eight rebounds and three assists... Taurasi's inspired play helped offset the return of forward Cheryl Ford to Detroit's lineup. The four-time All-Star, who missed the first game with a left knee injury, had five points and seven rebounds, but played less than half the game... Phoenix center Tangela Smith added 18 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Cappie Pondexter also had 18 points for the high-energy Mercury, which held a 14-7 advantage in fast-break points and only turned the ball over nine times, compared with 16 for the Shock. Kelly Miller was the Mercury's fourth player in double figures. She had 13 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Only two members of the Shock scored in double figures: Nolan with 12 and captain Swin Cash, who had 10.

Detroit Shock forward Ford back in lineup for Game 2 of the WNBA finals -- The AP reports: Detroit Shock forward Cheryl Ford was in the starting lineup for Saturday's Game 2 of the WNBA finals against the Phoenix Mercury.

Silver Stars' Hughes named WNBA Coach of the Year -- Ticker reports: Dan Hughes of the San Antonio Silver Stars was named the WNBA Coach of the Year on Saturday, becoming the first individual to capture the honor with more than one team. Hughes, who also won the award with the Cleveland Rockers in 2001, received 20 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. The Phoenix Mercury's Paul Westhead placed second with 14 votes, and Bill Laimbeer of the Detroit Shock was third with six.

Chicago Sky G Price named WNBA Rookie of the Year -- Ticker reports: Chicago Sky guard Armintie Price, who helped keep her team in playoff contention for most of the season, has been named WNBA Rookie of the Year, the league announced Saturday. The third pick in this year's WNBA draft, Price received 30 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters to earn the award. Minnesota Lynx guard Lindsey Harding finished second with 12 votes, while Los Angeles Sparks guard Sidney Spencer was third with 10.

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WNBA DAILY: SATURDAY, SEPT. 8

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Injured Fever star Catchings out 6-9 months -- The AP reports: Tamika Catchings could start rehabilitation on her injured foot in about six weeks. Her complete recovery from a torn Achilles tendon that cost the Indiana Fever a chance at their first WNBA championship appearance will take a lot longer... The perennial All-Star tore the tendon in her right foot during the deciding Eastern Conference playoff game against Detroit on Monday. Two days later, she had surgery. Her recovery now is projected at six to nine months, which could prevent her from playing in Europe this winter, normally part of her offseason routine, or preparing for the Olympics next summer.

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WNBA DAILY: FRIDAY, SEPT. 7

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Fever look to future after losing in Eastern Conference Finals -- The AP reports: The Indiana Fever didn't shy away from talk about winning a WNBA title this season. The franchise seemingly made all the right offseason moves and finally appeared to have a strong team to back star Tamika Catchings. But the best season in franchise history ended up the same as all the others -- short of the ultimate goal -- after Indiana lost to Detroit in the Eastern Conference finals. The Fever won 16 of their first 21 regular-season games, then lost eight of 13 without Catchings after she partially tore the plantar fascia in her left foot. Catchings returned for the playoffs, but tore the Achilles' tendon in her right leg in the first half of Game 3 against Detroit. The team never recovered in an 81-65 loss to the Shock, who moved on to play Phoenix in the WNBA finals.

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WNBA DAILY: THURSDAY, SEPT. 6

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Detroit 108, Phoenix 100 -- THe AP reports: Plenette Pierson and Kara Braxton combined for 45 points and 22 rebounds to lead the defending champion Detroit Shock to a 108-100 win Wednesday night over the Phoenix Mercury in Game 1 of the WNBA finals. Detroit took the lead in the best-of-five series despite the absence of All-Star Cheryl Ford, who sat out with a knee injury. It was the highest-scoring game in the history of the finals... Penny Taylor scored 32 points and Cappie Pondexter had 27 to lead the Mercury, who struggled when All-Star Diana Taurasi missed significant stretches of the game with foul trouble.

Indiana's Tamika Catchings has torn Achilles' tendon surgically repaired -- THe AP reports: Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings had surgery Wednesday to repair a torn Achilles' tendon in her right foot. The Fever said Catchings was resting at her Indianapolis home after the surgery by Dr. Dan Lehman.

Storm star Jackson wins her second WNBA Most Valuable Player award -- The AP reports: Seattle Storm forward Lauren Jackson won the second MVP award of her WNBA career on Wednesday. Jackson, who also won in 2003, led the league in scoring for the third time with a career-best 23.8 points per game and also led the WNBA with a career high of 9.7 rebounds per game. Her scoring average was more than five points better than her career average of 18.6 points entering the season, which ended with Seattle's third consecutive first-round exit in the playoffs... Jackson received a total of 473 points in voting among national sportswriters and broadcasters, including 42 first-place votes. Becky Hammon of the San Antonio Silver Stars finished second with 254 points.

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WNBA DAILY: WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 5

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Mercury at Shock -- The AP reports: Shock coach Bill Laimbeer knows a lot about playing with pain and he isn't sure how much Cheryl Ford will be able to play in the WNBA finals. "I'm very concerned about Cheryl's knee against Phoenix," said Laimbeer, who put together a streak of 685 consecutive games as a player. "We've asked too much of her already." Ford's health is the biggest question mark with Detroit set to host Phoenix in Game 1 of the finals Wednesday night. The series features Laimbeer's gritty, physical Shock and Paul Westhead's warp-speed Mercury but could hinge on the health of the rugged forward... Phoenix struggled badly against Detroit this year, losing both games. The Shock set league records with 40 points in the third quarter and 72 points in the second half in a 111-82 rout of the Mercury on July 8. Detroit outrebounded Phoenix 55-26 in the game, even with Ford at less than 100 percent. Former Mercury post player Plenette Pierson, who went on to win the league's first Sixth Woman award, had more offensive rebounds (five) than the entire Phoenix team (four).

Capsule preview of the WNBA finals -- The AP reports: Detroit: The defending champions survived a tough challenge from fourth-place New York in the opening round, and then beat Indiana in the Eastern Conference finals. Detroit lost the opening game on the road in both series before sweeping at home each time, including an 81-65 win in the finale against the Fever. The Shock, seeking their third title in five years, were dominant in the regular season before losing the last four games after clinching home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.

The AP Reports: Phoenix: The Mercury swept Seattle in the opening round and San Antonio in the West finals. Phoenix closed out the Silver Stars with a 98-92 victory in Game 2 to return to the finals for the first time since 1998. Second-year forward Cappie Pondexter is the league's top scorer in the postseason, averaging 26.3 points -- 9.1 above her production during the season. She had 33 points on 12-for-19 shooting from the field, 10 rebounds and eight assists in the clinching game against San Antonio.

Catchings to have surgery on torn Achilles -- Ticker reports: Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings will have surgery Wednesday to repair a torn Achilles tendon sustained during the second quarter of Monday night's loss to the Detroit Shock in Game Three of the Eastern Conference finals. Surgery will be performed by Dr. Dan Lehman in Indianapolis. Catchings' anticipated recovery time is six to nine months.

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WNBA DAILY: TUESDAY, SEPT. 4

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Detroit 81, Indiana 65 -- The AP reports: The Indiana Fever had two chances in 29 hours to advance to their first WNBA finals. Deanna Nolan wouldn't let it happen. A day after scoring 15 points in the second quarter of Detroit's victory in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals, Nolan had a franchise playoff-record 30 points as the Shock advanced to the championship round with a 81-65 victory in Game 3 Monday. The Fever led by as many as 13 points in the first quarter, but Nolan scored 20 points in a 14-minute span to pull Detroit back into the game... Indiana lost both the lead and All-Star forward Tamika Catchings in the second quarter. Catchings, who missed the final 13 regular-season games with a left-foot injury, strained her right Achilles' tendon in the last minute of the first half and did not return... Cheryl Ford, playing her third game in four days on a bad knee, had 15 rebounds in just 18 minutes... Tammy Sutton-Brown (17) and Tully Bevilaqua (14) were the only Fever players to reach double figures. Tamika Whitmore, who had a league-record 41 points against Detroit in a first-round game last year, finished with nine on 3-for-10 shooting.

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WNBA DAILY: MONDAY, SEPT. 3

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Detroit 77, Indiana 63 -- The AP reports: The defending WNBA champs got 24 points from Deanna Nolan and evened the Eastern Conference finals at 1-1 with a 77-63 win over the Indiana Fever on Sunday... Detroit had five players in double figures, including Swin Cash, who had 12 points and nine rebounds after being benched for a poor effort in Game 1... Anna DeForge led Indiana, scoring 13 points against her former team. Tamika Whitmore had 12, but only two in the second half, and Tamika Catchings finished with just seven... Detroit led 68-47 going into the fourth quarter, but Indiana got within 71-59 before their rally stalled.

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WNBA DAILY: SUNDAY, SEPT. 2

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Phoenix 98, San Antonio 92 -- The AP reports: Cappie Pondexter scored nine of her 33 points in the final five minutes and the Phoenix Mercury advanced to the WNBA finals with a 98-92 win Saturday over the San Antonio Silver Stars... Phoenix outscored San Antonio 17-10 over the final 3:12. Penny Taylor added 23 points and Diana Taurasi had 18 for the Mercury, who have won 15 of their last 16 games... On Saturday, Shanna Crossley made six of 10 3-pointers and led the Silver Stars with 20 points. Sophia Young scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Becky Hammon had 14 points and eight assists while Helen Darling added 13.

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WNBA DAILY: SATURDAY, SEPT. 1

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Indiana 75, Detroit 65 -- The AP reports: The Indiana Fever are one win away from their first trip to the WNBA Finals. Tamika Catchings had 22 points and 11 rebounds to help the Fever beat the Detroit Shock 75-65 on Friday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals... Catchings set a franchise record with her fourth consecutive double-double. She shot just 5-for-15 from the field, but went 10-for-13 from the free-throw line. She is averaging 20.3 points and 14.3 rebounds in the playoffs. Plenette Pierson led Detroit with 19 points and 10 rebounds and Cheryl Ford added 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Shock... Tamika Whitmore scored 18 points for the Fever and Tammy Sutton-Brown, the All-Star center who nearly disappeared in the first round of the playoffs, added 11 points, eight rebounds and six blocks for Indiana... The Fever led 33-31 at halftime. Whitmore shot 5-for-8 from the field in the first half, but her teammates shot 5-for-30.

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WNBA DAILY: FRIDAY, AUG. 31

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Phoenix 102, San Antonio 100 -- The AP reports: Phoenix beat San Antonio 102-100 Thursday night on Cappie Pondexter's two free throws with 2.1 seconds left after being fouled by San Antonio's Shanna Crossley on the inbound play... "She got fouled. Hey, a win is a win," Phoenix's Tangela Smith said. San Antonio disagreed. "She didn't foul her," said Becky Hammon, who tied the score with a 3-pointer right before the inbound play... Pondexter finished with 26 points. Taurasi scored 20, including 4-for-7 shooting on 3s, for top-seeded Phoenix. Penny Taylor added 18 points and 14 rebounds, and Smith had 17 points. Hammon led the No. 2 seed Silver Stars with 32 points, including 12 points in the fourth quarter and seven 3s. Sophia Young added 24 points and 18 rebounds.

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WNBA DAILY: THURSDAY, AUG. 30

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Taurasi's Mercury, Hammon's Silver Stars compete for Western Conference crown -- The AP reports: Despite a 3-1 season series advantage, Phoenix Mercury coach Paul Westhead isn't relaxing as his team prepares for the Western Conference finals against San Antonio. "We know that they are a dangerous team," Westhead said. "I mean, we have some good feelings, but they did beat us at home." All-Star Diana Taurasi is taking the long view. "The beauty about this team this year is that we really don't look at the opponent, as silly as that might sound," Taurasi said. "We're really concentrating on what we have to do, on what we are focused on to be successful. We can't change what the other team does, we can only affect what we do on the court." The best-of-3 conference finals between the Mercury and Silver Stars tips off Thursday in San Antonio. It shifts to Phoenix for Game 2 and, if necessary, Game 3.

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WNBA DAILY: WEDNESDAY, AUG. 29

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Detroit 71, New York 70, OT -- The AP reports: Playing on a bad knee, Cheryl Ford had 17 points and 10 rebounds in 39 minutes, as the Shock beat the New York Liberty 71-70 in overtime of the decisive Game 3 of their Eastern Conference series on Tuesday night to advance to the conference finals... New York led by as many as 10 points in the third quarter as the Shock's All-Star guards Deanna Nolan and Katie Smith struggled from the floor. However, Ford's hard work kept Detroit alive, and Nolan and Smith combined for 20 points in the fourth quarter and overtime to pull out the victory. "We're definitely relieved right now," said Nolan, who finished with 22 points. "We gave Cheryl a new nickname tonight -- she's now the 'Woman-Child."' ... Kraayeveld had 16 points and rookie Tiffany Jackson scored 14 for New York, which made the postseason with a 16-18 record... The Shock missed their first six shots of overtime, including another open layup for Ford, and Kraayeveld's 3-pointer made it 69-64 with 2 minutes left.

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WNBA DAILY: TUESDAY, AUG. 28

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

San Antonio 80, Sacramento 78 -- The AP reports: Vickie Johnson and Becky Hammon were teammates for seven seasons in New York. Their first season together in San Antonio has lifted the Silver Stars a step closer to their first WNBA finals. Johnson scored an easy layup on a pass from Hammon with half a second remaining and the Silver Stars beat the Sacramento Monarchs 80-78 to win their Western Conference playoff series Monday night... Although Sacramento overcame a 20-point deficit and took a lead with just more than a minute remaining in the game, San Antonio won the best-of-3 series behind a franchise playoff-record 26 points from Sophia Young. Hammon added 22 points and seven assists while Johnson scored 14 and also had seven assists. Nicole Powell led the comeback with 10 fourth-quarter points. She led the Monarchs with 20 points. Kara Lawson added 12 while Rebekkah Brunson and Yolanda Griffith each scored 10... Young finished the first half with 17 points and five rebounds while Johnson had 12 points and five assists.

Indiana 93, Connecticut 88, OT -- THe AP reports: With her team comfortably ahead, Connecticut's Katie Douglas started talking trash to a group of Indiana Fever supporters. "Y'all quiet over here today," she yelled in the midst of about 6,000 fans, who had little to cheer about for the first three quarters of Monday's Eastern Conference playoff game. The fans weren't quiet for long. The Fever rallied to force overtime, then completed the biggest comeback in WNBA playoff history by defeating the Sun 93-88 to advance to the Eastern Conference finals... Tamika Catchings, who led the Fever with 30 points and 13 rebounds, said her team never lost confidence... Tamika Whitmore scored 24 points and Anna DeForge added 18 for the Fever. Douglas led Connecticut with 27 points and Lindsay Whalen and Asjha Jones both added 21.

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WNBA DAILY: MONDAY, AUG. 27

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Phoenix 95, Seattle 89 -- THe AP reports: Cappie Pondexter scored 25 points and Diana Taurasi added 20 to help the top-seeded Phoenix Mercury hold off Seattle for a 95-89 win Sunday and a sweep of the best-of-three WNBA Western Conference semifinal series... The Storm had rallied from a 22-point, second-half deficit. Taurasi, who added six assists, hit a 3-pointer with 2:30 left after Seattle had tied it at 85 with 2:50 left. The Storm trailed 60-38 with 8:21 left in the third... Lauren Jackson scored 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, but played the last 14 minutes with five fouls for Seattle... Penny Taylor added 18 points, five rebounds and five assists for the Mercury, who had not been in the playoffs since 2000. Sue Bird scored 21 points and had six assists for the fourth-seeded Storm... Kelly Miller added 16 points for Phoenix, which had never swept a playoff series in franchise history.

Detroit 76, New York 73 -- The AP reports: Cheryl Ford scored 11 points, capped by a wide-open layup with 44 seconds remaining, and the Shock held off the New York Liberty 76-73 in Game 2 Sunday at The Palace to force a decisive game Tuesday... Deanna Nolan split a pair of free throws with 2.3 seconds remaining to close out Detroit's victory. She led the Shock with 16 points... On Sunday, Ford finished as one of five Shock players in double figures, led by Nolan, who scored 14 points in the second half. Swin Cash added 14 and Katie Smith had 12. Shameka Christon and McCarville scored 19 points apiece for the Liberty.

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WNBA DAILY: SUNDAY, AUG. 26

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Indiana 78, Connecticut 59 -- The AP reports: The foot injury that kept Tamika Catchings out of the Indiana Fever lineup for 13 regular-season games has turned out to be a blessing in the playoffs. While Catchings was recovering, Anna DeForge was changing from a good, but reluctant, shooter to a game-changing scorer. DeForge scored 26 points Saturday to help the Fever defeat the Connecticut Sun 78-59 and tie their first-round playoff series at one game apiece. Catchings had 15 points and 13 rebounds for the Fever in her second game back from the injury, but DeForge was the difference in the game. She said she looked for her shot more after Catchings got hurt because the team needed scoring... Katie Douglas, Connecticut's leading scorer during the regular season, led the Sun with 11 points. She is shooting 9-for-33 from the field in the series... Nykesha Sales was held to five points after scoring 25 on Thursday.

San Antonio 86, Sacramento 61 -- The AP reports: Facing playoff elimination, the San Antonio Silver Stars looked to the one player that has carried them all season. And Becky Hammon delivered. She had 20 points to lead the Silver Stars to their first playoff win in San Antonio, an 86-61 victory Saturday over the Sacramento Monarchs. Hammon, who had 15 points in the first half, finished 7-of-11 from the field. She had four 3-pointers, four assists and three steals to help the Silver Stars even the Western Conference series at 1-1... Rebekkah Brunson led the Monarchs with 18 points and eight rebounds, and Kristin Haynie added 15 points... Marie Ferdinand-Harris had a season high 17 off the bench, and Sophia Young added 12 for San Antonio... The Silver Stars shot 53 percent from the field (33-for-63). They dominated the boards, a reversal from Game 1, outrebounding Sacramento 39-25.

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WNBA DAILY: SATURDAY, AUG. 25

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Phoenix 101, Seattle 84 -- The AP reports: Diana Taurasi wasn't the scoring leader in the WNBA's regular season. She wasn't voted as best defender, either. She was both when it mattered most, at the start of the playoffs. Taurasi scored 22 points and bullied Lauren Jackson defensively with elbows and arm locks to lead the top-seeded Phoenix Mercury over the Seattle Storm 101-84 in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference series Friday night... Penny Taylor also upstaged Jackson, her fellow Australian, with 22 points as Phoenix earned its first playoff win since Aug. 27, 1998... But Seattle won't win with Betty Lennox leading it with 23 points and taking 10 more shots than Jackson.

New York 73, Detroit 51 -- The AP reports: The New York Liberty aren't getting overconfident after their surprisingly easy win over the Detroit Shock. Shameka Christon had 16 points and tied a franchise playoff record with 15 rebounds to lead the Liberty to a 73-51 victory over the defending champion Shock in Game 1 of their first-round Eastern Conference series Friday night... Janel McCarville and Cathrine Kraayeveld had 13 points apiece for the Liberty, who closed the season with six wins in their last nine games to earn the East's fourth and final postseason berth. New York, which shot 40 percent from the field, had runs of 18-0 and 16-0 in the second half to pull away from the league-best Shock... Deanna Nolan scored 16 points, Shannon Johnson had 11 and Ivory Latta 10 for Detroit, which lost its last four regular-season games after clinching home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. The Shock rested key players down the stretch, playing reserves in various positions.

Storm's do-it-all Jackson earns WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award -- The AP reports: Not even a minute after being told she had won the WNBA's Defensive Player of the Year award, Lauren Jackson was phoning home to Australia to her equally stunned mother, Maree. "Oh, my God! Can you believe that happened?" Jackson said, gasping into the phone to mom... Indiana's Tamika Catchings was second (to Jackson's 20 points in the voting) with 16.

Liberty center Janel McCarville earns WNBA's Most Improved Player award -- The AP reports: Liberty center Janel McCarville received the WNBA's Most Improved Player award on Friday before New York opened its first-round playoff series against the defending champion Detroit Shock. McCarville, selected by the Liberty in the Charlotte Sting dispersal draft in January, averaged 10.4 points and 4.8 rebounds in 32 games this season. She averaged 14.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 28.4 minutes while starting New York's final 21 games.

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WNBA DAILY: FRIDAY, AUG. 24

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Sacramento 86, San Antonio 65 -- The AP reports: Ticha Penicheiro sensed her Sacramento Monarchs moving into that old familiar playoff mode from the moment they stepped on the court Thursday night. The San Antonio Silver Stars had never been in the postseason, so they don't yet have another gear -- and they've only got one more game to find it. Nicole Powell scored 22 points, Rebekkah Brunson had 17 and the Monarchs played sterling defense in an 86-65 victory in Game 1 of a first-round playoff series. Kara Lawson added 16 points and hit three 3-pointers for the Monarchs, who opened defense of their back-to-back Western Conference championships with their usual defensive effort and a surprising second-half offensive surge... Sophia Young scored 20 points for the Silver Stars, who got off to a rough start in the franchise's first playoff appearance since the erstwhile Utah Starzz moved to San Antonio after the 2002 season.

Connecticut 93, Indiana 88, 3OT -- THe AP reports: The Connecticut Sun appeared to have their playoff opener against the Indiana Fever locked up in the third quarter. But it took the Sun three overtime periods -- the first triple-overtime playoff game in WNBA history -- to come away with the 93-88 victory Thursday night... Douglas had 14 points and a WNBA playoff record eight steale and Nykesha Sales led Connecticut with 25 points. Asjha Jones, who missed the final three games of the season with an ankle sprain, returned to give the Sun 20 points and 10 rebounds. Anna DeForge had a season-high 31 points for the Fever (21-14) and Tamika Whitmore added 24. Playing in her first game since tearing a foot muscle on July 20, Tamika Catchings had 14 points and 20 rebounds.

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WNBA DAILY: THURSDAY, AUG. 23

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Shock ready to open postseason seeking second straight WNBA championship, third overall -- The AP Reports: The Detroit Shock have been doing a better job of defending their WNBA championship this year than when they won it the first time. After finishing with a league-best 24-10 record, the Shock will try to become the third team in the league's 11-year history to win consecutive titles. Detroit followed up its first title in 2003 with two seasons around .500 and first-round exits in the postseason. Last year, The Shock had 23 wins, then rolled through the playoffs in the East before outlasting then-defending champion Sacramento in the finals.

The AP reports: The playoffs get under way Thursday night, with the Connecticut Sun (18-16) hosting the Indiana Fever (21-13) in a best of three Eastern Conference matchup, and the two-time reigning West champion Sacramento Monarchs (19-15) opening at home against the San Antonio Silver Stars (20-14). Detroit opens its first round Friday night at New York (16-18), and Phoenix (23-11) visits Seattle (17-17).

The AP reports: Sacramento is aiming to reach the finals for a third straight year, and become the first team to accomplish that since Los Angeles won consecutive titles in 2001 and '02 before losing to Detroit in '03. Houston won the league's first four championships (1997-2000).

The AP reports: The Silver Stars, who totaled 20 wins the previous two seasons, are in the playoffs for first time since reaching the West finals in 2002 -- the franchise's last year in Utah. All-Star guard Becky Hammon, acquired from New York in a draft-day trade, averaged career highs of 18.8 points and 5.0 assists in 28 games.

Capsule previews of the first-round WNBA playoff series -- THe AP reports: Detroit: The defending champions had another dominant season before cruising down the stretch and losing the last four games after they clinched home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Although All-Star game MVP Cheryl Ford's status is uncertain, the Shock are led by Deanna Nolan (career-bests of 16.3 points and 3.9 assists per game), Katie Smith (13.2 points, 3.8 rebounds), Swin Cash (11.1 points and 6.1 rebounds) and Sixth Woman of the Year contender Plenette Pierson (11.6 points and 5.6 rebounds).

THe AP reports: New York: The Liberty opened the season 5-0 and closed with six wins in nine games. In between, they went 5-15 with a season-high seven-game losing streak. Still, New York was the only team to beat Detroit twice -- though the Shock had already clinched home-court in the postseason when the Liberty won 85-84 on a last-second basket by Erin Thorn on Aug. 12.

THe AP Reports: Indiana: The Fever matched their franchise-record win total from the previous two seasons, becoming the first team in the East to reach 20 victories in three straight years. The Fever were 16-4 after beating Chicago on July 18, but then lost perennial All-Star Tamika Catchings to a partial tear in her left foot two days later. She didn't play the rest of the season, with Indiana losing nine of its last 14, but practiced with the team on Tuesday.

THe AP reports: Connecticut: The Sun began the season 5-10, and then won 13 of 17 before losing its last two. Connecticut had 10 losses by four points or fewer. Katie Douglas led the team with career bests of 17.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Lindsay Whalen had a strong second half and finished at 13.4 points per game and was second in the league in assists (5.0).

THe AP Reports: Phoenix: The Mercury won 11 of their last 12 games to earn the West's top seed while returning to the postseason for the first time since 2000. As part of coach Paul Westhead's frenetic pace, Phoenix averaged a league-best 89.0 points -- topping 100 in eight games -- but also allowed a league-high 85.4. Diana Taurasi led the Mercury with an average of 19.2 points, and hit a league-leading 95 3-pointers a year after setting the record with 121.

The AP reports: Seattle: Lauren Jackson had another MVP-caliber season, leading the league in scoring (23.8) and rebounding (9.7). Betty Lennox (13.4 points), Iziane Castro Marques (12.3) and Sue Bird (10.4) also scored in double digits. Bird also averaged 4.9 assists. The Storm were three games above .500 halfway through the season, then lost 10 of 14 before finishing the season with home wins against non-playoff teams Washington, Minnesota and Los Angeles.

The AP reports: San Antonio: Bolstered by key offseason acquisitions, the Silver Stars had their most successful season since moving from Utah in 2003. Becky Hammon, brought over from New York in a draft-day trade, is a strong MVP contender after averaging career highs of 18.8 points and 5.0 assists in 28 games. Hammon was complemented by Sophia Young, who averaged 16.8 points and 5.9 rebounds in her second season.

THe AP reports: Sacramento: The two-time reigning Western Conference champions are in the playoffs for the ninth straight year. Fourth-year players Nicole Powell (12.8 points, 5.6 rebounds) and Rebekkah Brunson (11.5 points, 8.9 rebounds) led the Monarchs while veteran forward Yolanda Griffith had career-low averages of 9.0 points and 4.6 rebounds while playing through injuries.

Silver Stars at Monarchs -- STATS reports: After finishing near the bottom of the Western Conference in each of their first four seasons in San Antonio, the Silver Stars are finally in the playoffs. Standing in their way, however, is one of the most experienced teams in the league. Second-seeded San Antonio looks to get off to a strong start against the Sacramento Monarchs, who are making their fifth straight trip to the playoffs, in the opener of a first-round series on Thursday. The Silver Stars (20-14) are in the postseason for the first time since 2002, when the franchise was located in Utah. They averaged just 10.3 wins while finishing either sixth or seventh in the West in each of their last four seasons. The Monarchs (19-15), meanwhile, have made it past the first round of the playoffs each of the last four years, including consecutive trips to the finals. They won the title in 2005 in four games over Connecticut, then came within one victory of back-to-back championships last year.

Fever at Sun -- STATS reports: Even if Tamika Catchings returns to the Indiana Fever lineup, they will likely be in for a challenge against the Connecticut Sun in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Catchings, who has been out with a left foot injury since late July, could possibly be ready when the second-seeded Fever open their best-of-three series against the No. 3 Sun in Connecticut on Thursday... Connecticut was 26-8 and had the league's best record in 2006, but lost to eventual WNBA champion Detroit in the conference finals, ending its bid to reach the league finals for a third straight season. The Sun beat the Fever in two games in the first round of the 2005 playoffs in the teams' only previous postseason meeting.

Injured forward Tamika Catchings back at practice for playoff-bound Fever -- The AP reports: Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings participated in her first full practice in a month on Tuesday as the team prepares for its playoff opener. Catchings was a leading contender for the MVP award before she injured her left foot on July 20 and missed the final 13 games of the regular season. She ran plays with the starters on Tuesday and hopes to play Thursday at Connecticut in the opener of the best-of-three series.

Beard, Jackson named WNBA Players of the Week -- Ticker reports: Alana Beard of the Washington Mystics and Lauren Jackson of the Seattle Storm were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively on Monday. Beard earned her second Player of the Week award this season after averaging 22.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists as the Mystics posted a 2-1 record for the week... Jackson receives her fifth weekly award of the season and the 12th of her career, after averaging 25 points, 12 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 2.0 steals as the Storm finished the week 2-0, while clinching a playoff berth.

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WNBA DAILY: FRIDAY, JULY 27

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Knee injury sidelines Shock F Ford for rest of season -- SportsTicker reports: Cheryl Ford will miss the remainder of the regular season with a left knee injury The Detroit Shock on Thursday announced the 2007 WNBA All-Star Game MVP and 2003 Rookie of the Year will be sidelined the remainder of the regular season due to a left knee femoral chondral defect.

Connecticut 79, New York 75 -- THe AP reports: Evanthia Maltsi scored eight of her 12 points in the final two minutes to help the Connecticut Sun rally for a 79-75 win over the New York Liberty on Thursday. Lindsay Whalen led the Sun (13-12) with 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Janel McCarville had 24 points and 10 rebounds for New York (10-13), which has lost five straight.

Chicago 83, Detroit 73 -- The AP reports: The Detroit Shock's WNBA title defense won't be seriously damaged by Thursday's loss to the Chicago Sky. It was the news that came before that game that will be a problem. The Shock learned just before their 83-73 loss to the Sky that All-Star forward Cheryl Ford will miss the rest of the regular season with a left knee injury. Ford injured the knee in June and aggravated it last Friday in Indiana. "That's a done deal, so we've got to figure out how we go from here," Detroit coach Bill Laimbeer said. Candice Dupree had 24 points and 12 rebounds and Stacy Dales scored 16 for Chicago, which ended Detroit's seven-game winning streak.

Sacramento 60, Indiana 50 -- The AP reports: Rebekkah Brunson scored 17 points and the Sacramento Monarchs beat the Indiana Fever 60-50 Thursday to gain ground on San Antonio in the Western Conference. Kristin Haynie, a reserve, had 10 points for the Monarchs (14-9), who moved within 1 1/2 games of the first-place Silver Stars. Tan White finished with 14 points for Indiana (16-8), which has lost four straight.

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WNBA DAILY: THURSDAY, JULY 26

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Phoenix 103, Minnesota 79 -- The AP reports: Penny Taylor scored 30 points Wednesday for the Phoenix Mercury, who handed the Minnesota Lynx a franchise record-tying 10th straight loss, 103-79. Diana Taurasi added 19 points and six assists for the Mercury, who extended their WNBA record by scoring 100 points for the fifth time this season... Seimone Augustus scored 13 points -- 11 in the second half -- for the Lynx, who also lost 10 straight when they dropped the final three games of 2006 and the first seven this season.

Sacramento 67, Los Angeles 59 -- The AP reports: Ticha Penicheiro scored 19 points and had six assists, helping the Sacramento Monarchs defeat the Los Angeles Sparks 67-59 on Tuesday night. Not known for her scoring, Penicheiro poured in 11 points and made several clutch baskets in the fourth quarter as the Monarchs clung to a slim lead and snapped a three-game losing streak... Nicole Powell scored 12 points, and Yolanda Griffith added 11 for the Monarchs, who had dropped two straight to the struggling Sparks. Sacramento remained in second place in the tight Western Conference standings.

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WNBA DAILY: WEDNESDAY, JULY 25

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

San Antonio 71, Indiana 63, OT -- The AP reports: Sophia Young scored 24 points, including four in overtime, to lead the San Antonio Silver Stars to a 71-63 win over the short-handed Indiana Fever on Tuesday night. Becky Hammon added 17 points and Vickie Johnson scored 12 for the Silver Stars (15-7), who snapped a four-game losing streak against Indiana... Anna DeForge had 15 points and Tammy Sutton-Brown added 12 for the Fever (16-7), who lost a season-high third straight game.

Detroit 92, Connecticut 88 -- The AP reports: Deanna Nolan scored 19 of her career-high and franchise-best 36 points in the second half and the Detroit Shock extended their dominance over the Connecticut Sun with a 92-88 win Tuesday night... Katie Feenstra scored a career-high 19 points, Smith had 16, and Swin Cash scored 13 for Detroit. The Eastern Conference-leading Shock were without leading rebounder Cheryl Ford, who missed her second straight game because of a left knee sprain.

Washington 97, Seattle 96, OT -- The AP reports: Lauren Jackson had one of the greatest performances in WNBA history, and it still wasn't enough for the Seattle Storm. Jackson tied the league record with 47 points, but the Storm lost 97-96 in overtime to the Washington Mystics on Tuesday night. It was the fifth time in league history that a player scored 40 or more points... Alana Beard scored 27 points, including Washington's final seven, to pace the Mystics (10-13), who have won eight of 11 and moved within a half-game out of a playoff spot despite having started the season with eight straight losses.

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WNBA DAILY: TUESDAY, JULY 24

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Silver Stars F Buescher has successful knee surgery -- Ticker reports: San Antonio Silver Stars forward Erin Buescher had successful surgery on her torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee on Monday... She will miss the remainder of the season but is expected to be healthy for the beginning the 2008 campaign.

Storm F-C Jackson, Sun G Whalen earn WNBA weekly honors -- Ticker reports: Seattle Storm forward-center Lauren Jackson and Connecticut Sun guard Lindsay Whalen were named WNBA Players of the Week on Monday for the period between July 9-22... Other candidates for the awards were Deanna Nolan of Detroit, Tamika Catchings of Indiana, Minnesota's Seimone Augustus and Sophia Young of San Antonio.

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WNBA DAILY: MONDAY, JULY 23

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

Phoenix 106, Minnesota 93 -- The AP reports: Penny Taylor had 28 points and nine rebounds, and Tangela Smith scored a season-high 24 points to lead the Phoenix Mercury to a 106-93 victory over the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday. Diana Taurasi added 13 points for the Mercury (13-10), who won for the sixth time in nine games and moved into a tie with Sacramento for second place in the Western Conference. Smith had 17 points in the first half and finished a career-best 4-for-5 on 3-pointers. Seimone Augustus had 23 points to lead Minnesota (5-19), which has lost nine straight. Nicole Ohlde added 17 points and eight rebounds, and Svetlana Abrosimova had 14 points and eight boards.

San Antonio 69, Chicago 69 -- The AP reports: Dominique Canty's jumper with 6 seconds left in overtime lifted the Chicago Sky to an 84-82 victory over the San Antonio Silver Stars on Sunday night. Jia Perkins scored 27 points, and is averaging 21.4 the last five games, to lead the Sky (9-13) to their second straight win after a five-game losing streak... Sophia Young scored 25 points and Becky Hammon added 20 for San Antonio (14-7), which snapped a six-game winning streak and lost for just the third time in 13 games. The Silver Stars had their lead over second-place Sacramento in the West cut to two games.

Sun's Thibault registers 100th WNBA victory -- Ticker reports: Connecticut Sun coach Mike Thibault won his 100th career game on Sunday, becoming the seventh WNBA coach to reach that milestone.

Connecticut 81, Houston 79 -- The AP reports: Asjha Jones hit an 11-foot jumper with 2.9 seconds remaining to give the Connecticut Sun an 81-79 win over the Houston Comets on Sunday. Jones, who hit her first three shots to open the game, finished with 22 points as Connecticut (12-11) won its sixth-straight and edged above .500 for the first time in six weeks. Katie Douglas led the Sun with 25 points... Tina Thompson and Tamecka Dixon had 18 points each for Houston (7-16).

Seattle 77, New York 75 -- The AP reports: Sue Bird's 3-pointer with 10.6 seconds left, her only points of the game, lifted the Seattle Storm to a 77-75 victory over the New York Liberty on Sunday... Lauren Jackson had 23 points and 17 rebounds, and Iziane Castro Marques also scored 23 points for Seattle (12-11), which ended a three-game losing streak. Janell Burse added 10 points... Lauren Jackson had 23 points and 17 rebounds, and Iziane Castro Marques also scored 23 points for Seattle (12-11), which ended a three-game losing streak. Janell Burse added 10 points.

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WNBA DAILY: SUNDAY, JULY 22

Yesterday's WNBA basketball news and results:

All-Star forward Catchings to miss 2-to-3 weeks -- THe AP reports: Indiana Fever All-Star forward Tamika Catchings is expected to miss two to three weeks after she sustained a partial tear of the plantar fascia in her left foot in Friday's 89-80 loss to Detroit. Catchings leads the Fever in points (16.8), rebounds (9.1), assists (4.6) and a league-high 3.15 steals.

Detroit 66, Washington 58 -- The AP reports: Already known for her scoring, Katie Smith showed she can rebound, too. With Cheryl Ford sitting out to rest a sprained right knee, Smith had 13 points and a career-high 11 rebounds to help Detroit beat the Washington Mystics 66-58 Saturday night for the Shock's sixth straight victory... Alana Beard had 16 points and Nakia Sanford added 11 for the Mystics (9-13), who snapped a four-game winning streak.

Chicago 68, Indiana 65 -- The AP reports: Jia Perkins scored 15 of her 17 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Chicago Sky to a 68-65 victory over the Indiana Fever on Saturday night, snapping a five-game losing streak. Dominique Canty added 12 points for Chicago (9-13), which pulled into a tie with Washington for fifth place in the Eastern Conference -- 1 1/2 games behind New York. Candice Dupree, Chasity Melvin and Armintie Price each had 11 points... Tamika Whitmore scored a season-high 26 points for the Fever (16-6), who lost their second straight after a six-game winning streak and fell one game behind first-place Detroit in the East.

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WNBA All-Star Game
[WNBA] The 2006 WNBA all-star game. [July]

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2002: Teresa Weatherspoon | Chamique Holdsclaw

2001: Some Fran Harris WNBA content