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WNBA Notes

July 14, 2004 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) News Release


ALL-STAR STARTERS
As part of its WNBA Shootaround pregame coverage on Thursday, July 15 prior to the Houston Comets vs. Detroit Shock game, ESPN2 will announce the starting five for the team of All-Stars that will take on the U.S. National Team for "WNBA vs. USA Basketball: The Game At Radio City." The starters were selected by a panel of local and national media members.

RATINGS BONANZA
Ratings for ABC's and ESPN2's telecasts of WNBA games are up 29 and 35 percent respectively from a year ago. The season-opening telecast featuring the Phoenix Mercury at the Connecticut Sun was the highest rated WNBA game (regular season or playoffs) ever on ABC, and the July 11 telecast featuring the Mercury at the New York Liberty was the highest rated WNBA regular season game ever on ESPN2.

MAKING A QUICK TWO GRAND
Seattle's Lauren Jackson is just 14 points away from joining the WNBA's 2,000-point club, and she is on pace to become the youngest player in league history to reach that mark. The Storm's next game is July 15, when Jackson will be 23 years, 65 days old. Chamique Holdsclaw currently holds the title of youngest to 2,000 points at 25 years, 295 days old.

Should Jackson score her 2,000th point on July 15, she would be the second fastest player to reach that benchmark, doing so in 109 games. Former Houston Comets great Cynthia Cooper reached the 2,000-point mark in 90 games.

Name Gm2000
Cooper, Cynthia 90
Jackson, Lauren 109?
Smith, Katie 110
Holdsclaw, Chamique 114
Swoopes, Sheryl 116

NINE (AND A QUARTER INCH) NAILS
The WNBA moved back the three-point line this season by nine-and-a-quarter inches, but three-point field goal percentages are higher than ever. Players are currently connecting on 34.8 percent of their threes, which would be the highest percentage in league history should it continue.

Year Lg3GPct
1997 .313
1998 .314
1999 .320
2000 .332
2001 .336
2002 .340
2003 .336
2004 .348







HOME SWEET HOME
Home teams appear to have finally gotten on track this season with a current winning percentage of .574. If that percentage holds up, it would still be the lowest home winning percentage in the history of the league.

Year Home W Pct.
1997 .625
1998 .600
1999 .604
2000 .598
2001 .599
2002 .602
2003 .622
2004 .574

WHEN EAST MEETS WEST
The Western Conference has dominated the East since the 1999 WNBA Season, but in 2004 it is the Eastern Conference that reigns supreme with a .553 winning percentage.

Year East W Pct
1997 .641
1998 .514
1999 .306
2000 .307
2001 .477
2002 .398
2003 .500
2004 .553

UNLUCKY SEVENS
Midway through the 2004 campaign, four teams have had winning streaks of at least six games – New York, Seattle, Connecticut and Los Angeles. The Liberty went into a 1-8 tailspin following their winning streak. The Storm lost five of seven after running off six in a row. The Sun's streak ended in a 16-point loss to Sacramento, and they have lost two of their last three. The Sparks are currently on their six-game winning streak, and they shoot for lucky number seven in a row on Saturday vs. the Monarchs who get to try and play spoiler for a second time this year.
CRASHING THE GLASS
The Indiana Fever lead the WNBA in Offensive Rebound Percentage (.384) and are second in Defensive Rebound Percentage (.709). The only team to lead the league in both rebound percentages in the same season is the Detroit Shock in 1998.

Year ORPct DRPct
1997 .367 Sac .688 Cha
1998 .341 Det .722 Det
1999 .383 Sac .697 Utah
2000 .381 Sac .723 LA
2001 .361 Sac .720 LA
2002 .354 Sea .722 LA
2003 .360 Det .720 LA
2004 .383 Ind .711 LA

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