'Your papers, please' must never be heard in America
Independent voices from the TWT Communities
For the first three and half quarters, it looked like the improbable just might happen. The Washington Mystics, sporting the league's worst record and mired in a nine-game losing streak, were holding their own against Angel McCoughtry and the Atlanta Dream on Friday at Verizon Center.
Lindsey Harding had 15 points and nine assists, Erika DeSouza had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and the Atlanta Dream cruised to a 93-68 victory against the Washington Mystics on Sunday.
After a few days of turmoil, the Atlanta Dream finally had something to feel good about Thursday night.
The Washington Mystics had every reason to breathe a sigh of relief at the start of Friday's game against the Atlanta Dream. Forward Angel McCoughtry, the WNBA's leading scorer, was out of the lineup, and didn't even make the trip to D.C.
Angel McCoughtry will have a homecoming of sorts when the Atlanta Dream visit Verizon Center on Friday night.
American women dominated the competition in London, winning 58 of their country's 104 medals. Of the 46 U.S. gold medals, women or women's teams won 29 of them. It's a feat that seems particularly fitting, as June 23 marked the 40th anniversary of Title IX, a piece of legislation that granted more equal access to women and girls in sports.
Coach Geno Auriemma is looking for little ways to improve an already dominant U.S.women's basketball team.
Tina Charles and Candace Parker each had double-doubles and Angel McCoughtry provided a spark off the bench to help the U.S. women's team overcome a sloppy performance Saturday to beat Croatia 81-56 in their Olympic opener.
There isn't a likely franchise player in WNBA draft on Monday, such as Candace Parker, Angel McCoughtry, Tina Charles and Maya Moore _ the No. 1 picks the last four years.
When Erika de Souza decided to leave the Atlanta Dream in the middle of the WNBA playoffs to help her native Brazil qualify for the Olympics, Lindsey Harding and the rest of the Dream managed to get by.
Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve noticed at the All-Star break that teams in the league were taking a difference view of her Lynx.
The Braves blew it. The Falcons are struggling. The Thrashers are gone. The Hawks? Who knows when they'll play another game.
Improved scoring balance has the Atlanta Dream peaking at the right time.
A look at the two WNBA conference finals series, which start Thursday:
A look at the four first-round series in the WNBA playoffs, which start Thursday:
"I'm happy about the game," he said. "I really haven't though too much about that."
"Honestly, not starting has been the best thing for my career," McCoughtry said. "I've gained discipline, and I think before I didn't have the discipline. This took my game to another level."
