Storm-Lynx preview
The Minnesota Lynx could have an opportunity to move back into first place in the WNBA's Western Conference with a win over the Seattle Storm on Friday night at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn. Minnesota (20-4) has won five consecutive games and seven of its last eight since losing three in a row in late June. The Lynx is a half game back of the first-place Los Angeles Sparks, who have lost two in a row. The Sparks will visit the Washington Mystics on Friday night. A Minnesota win over Seattle coupled with a Los Angeles loss to Washington would put the Lynx in first place going into the WNBA's month-long break for the Summer Olympics. Both teams will resume their WNBA schedules on Aug. 26. Seattle (9-14) is fourth in the Western Conference, 11 games behind Los Angeles. Seattle has won two of three and three of its last five. Minnesota is coming off an 83-65 victory over the Atlanta Dream. Seimone Augustus scored 19 points for the Lynx. Rebekkah Brunson recorded a double-double, posing 13 points and 12 rebounds. The Lynx shot 50.9 percent from the field while holding the Dream to 38.3-percent shooting. Seattle is coming off an 83-69 victory over the San Antonio Stars. Jewell Lloyd scored 25 points for the Storm. Breanna Stewart had 22 points. Stewart is tied for fourth in the WNBA in scoring and second in rebounding, averaging 19.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Loyd is ninth in scoring at 16.5 points per game. Minnesota's Maya Moore is tied for fourth in scoring and fourth in steals, averaging 19.3 points and 1.6 steals per contest. Sylvia Fowles is second on the team in scoring at 12.9 points per game. Fowles is sixth in the WNBA in rebounding (8.4 rpg) and Brunson is 12th (7.2 rpg). Minnesota and Seattle have already met twice this season. The Lynx beat the Storm 78-71 on May 22 and 96-84 on June 19. Both of those games were played in Seattle. |