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WNBA Newsletter -- September 1, 2009

September 1, 2009 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) News Release


It's Beginning to Look at Lot Like the Playoffs With the calendar turning the page into September, WNBA teams have begun to punch their tickets to the postseason. In the last week, the Indiana Fever and Seattle Storm clinched playoff spots, joining the Phoenix Mercury as the first teams to advance. Further, the Fever clinched first place in the Eastern Conference and homecourt advantage throughout the conference's playoffs by virtue of the Atlanta Dream's double-overtime loss to the Storm on Saturday. Two days earlier, the Storm earned a playoff berth with a win over the Connecticut Sun. Meanwhile, the Mercury secured homecourt advantage in the Western Conference Semifinals.

In clinching a playoff spot, the Storm will play in the WNBA's postseason for the sixth straight year. Only Detroit, Connecticut and Sacramento have longer active streaks, though none of those teams have clinched a spot yet in 2009.

Much of the playoff picture is still unclear heading into the league's penultimate week. The Seattle Storm can chase down the Phoenix Mercury for first place in the West as they're two games back with one home game against the Mercury to come. Meanwhile, the San Antonio Silver Stars and Minnesota Lynx are tied for fourth place with one game remaining between the two on Tuesday. In the East, five teams are bundled within 1.5 games of each other as they battle for three playoff spots.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Scoring Title Becky Hammon, who has been jostling for the WNBA scoring title all season with Diana Taurasi and Lauren Jackson, had a rare game Thursday: she was held scoreless for the first time in four years. She played 32 minutes against the Indiana Fever, which was the most she's played without scoring in her career. The last time she was held scoreless was as a member of the New York Liberty against Indiana at Conseco Fieldhouse on Aug. 27, 2005, exactly four years to the date of Thursday's game.

In stark contrast to her scoreless game, Hammon reached an exclusive club Saturday against the Detroit Shock. With 32 points and nine assists, in a near must-win for the Silver Stars, Hammon joined teammate Vickie Johnson as the only players in league history to record 4,000 career points and 1,000 career assists. She's also the 11th player in league history to score 4,000 points and the seventh to hand out 1,000 assists.

The Injury Bug Bites

A swell of injuries has arisen in the WNBA lately. On Monday, the Sacramento Monarchs announced that Kara Lawson will miss the remainder of the season with quadriceps tendinitis. The Chicago Sky announced that Brooke Wyckoff will also miss the rest of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury. In Seattle, the Storm will be without Lauren Jackson indefinitely due to a stress fracture in her back. The Dream's Chamique Holdsclaw is day-to-day after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on her right knee. Holdsclaw has missed the last four games. Washington's Alana Beard has had trouble with her ankles recently, first injuring her right ankle against the Seattle Storm on Tuesday and then rolling her left ankle against the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday.Detroit's Katie Smith missed Saturday's game at San Antonio with a sore back, but is expected to play Tuesday against the Mercury. Connecticut's Ajsha Jones has been upgraded to day-to-day after missing seven games with a left Achilles strain.

Last Chances for Fans to See Johnson, Leslie

As the 13th WNBA regular season nears its end, fans will only have a few more opportunities to see two of the league's four remaining players from the inaugural season. San Antonio will host Vickie Johnson Night Tuesday to honor the veteran guard. Fans in attendance will receive commemorative Vickie Johnson posters. The team will show highlights from Johnson's career throughout the game and will honor her pre-game. The Silver Stars have three regular-season home games remaining and two road games - at Los Angeles and Sacramento - before Johnson calls it quits. More

The Silver Stars' matchup against the Sparks will feature three players who played in the 1997 season: Johnson, Tina Thompson and Lisa Leslie, who is also retiring after this season. Fans have five more regular-season opportunities to see Leslie, the league's all-time leading scorer and rebounder. The Sparks have three more home dates and two road games at San Antonio and Phoenix. The Los Angeles-Phoenix matchup will be nationally-televised Sunday, Sept. 13 at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

Around the WNBA

* Deanna Nolan of the Detroit Shock and Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm were named WNBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week on Monday.

* Candace Parker recorded her 10th double-double in 20 games on Sunday. In the game, she scored 20 or more points for the third straight time.

* Connecticut recorded a season-high 11 three pointers on Sunday.

* With a win over Chicago, New York set its longest home winning streak of the season at three.

* Seattle extended its longest winning streak of the season to five games.

* In beating Atlanta in double-overtime, the Storm has now played the most overtime games (five) in a single season in franchise history. Seattle is 3-2 in overtime games this year. The game was just the third multiple overtime game in team history.

* Atlanta did not make a three pointer (0-9) for the first time in team history against Seattle. The game marked the ninth time Seattle has held its opponent without a three-point field goal.

* Phoenix improved to 18-0 when scoring 90 or more points this season with its 95-84 win overConnecticut. The Mercury also improved to 8-3 against the Eastern Conference. They have won the most interconference games in the league this year.

* Sacramento snapped Indiana's 13-game home winning streak, which tied the longest in franchise history. The win was the Monarchs' first win at Conseco Fieldhouse since June 21, 2000, their first trip to the venue.

Today's Quotes

KATIE DOUGLAS on dealing with losing both parents to cancer: "The point to be made is that no matter the issues or obstacles that get you down, the ability to persevere and keep working can help you achieve success. That is how I learned to deal with losing both my parents to cancer, and that is what I tell people who endure similar struggles." WNBA.com, Aug. 26, 2009

KELLY KRAUSKOPF on Tamika Catchings and Katie Douglas' MVP candidacy:

"Maybe we'll have the first-ever co-MVPs. I mean, why not? Our success this season has so much to do with both of them. They've both done so much for the team, it's hard to say." Indianapolis Star, Aug. 28, 2009

KATHY GOODMAN on the Sparks' six-game winning streak:

"I don't really like unbroken streaks. Because they're just itching to be broken. It's one thing to win three games in a row, that's not really a 'streak.' But once it gets to six, then it's something to be nurtured and protected ... and broken. So, I admit, I was nervous coming into the game." Los Angeles Times, Aug. 28, 2009

TERRENCE THOMAS on Vickie Johnson's legacy:

"Vickie Johnson will never be remembered as a prolific scorer. She won't be remembered as a dominating rebounder or a flashy playmaker. What Johnson will be remembered for during her 13-year WNBA career is her versatility, even-keel demeanor, unselfishness, durability and leadership." San Antonio Express-News, Sept. 1, 2009

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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