INDIANA FEVERISH
By Dave Wohlhueter

There's no doubt about who the hottest team in the WNBA is currently. Indiana (6-2) is living up to its nickname, the Fever, and is riding a franchise-record six-game winning streak. Not far behind is Minnesota (7-3), after going undefeated in its last three outings.

Unbelievable is the fact that the Lynx started the unbeaten string in the second game after losing top scorer Seimone Augustus for the season with a torn ACL. Augustus tore her knee in a June 17 loss at Phoenix. The Lynx then lost the next game at Seattle, but reeled off victories over New York, Phoenix and Atlanta.

Indiana rests on top of the Eastern Conference, one-half game ahead of Chicago (6-3). The Sky is unbeaten at home this year with a 5-0 slate. Washington (5-3) is one game back of the Fever, and Connecticut (4-3) rounds out the top four in the East.

Minnesota is one-half game ahead of second-place Seattle (6-3) in the West. The Storm is another unbeaten team on its home floor (3-0). Phoenix (6-4) is in third place, followed by San Antonio (3-4).

Speaking of Phoenix and San Antonio, this writer had the pleasure of seeing the Mercury at the Silver Stars game on June 23. Phoenix led most of the way, but San Antonio pulled it out at the end, 91-87.

If you have never been to a WNBA game, you should attend one. You'll find a loud, extremely enthusiastic crowd made up of young and old. Promotions are run at every timeout. Team introductions are a real production. The speed and athleticism of these athletes is terrific. San Antonio even had its own mascot, the Silver Fox, who was into the game from start to finish. The Silver Fox wasn't a bad juggler either.

It is amazing to see the high level of talent and athleticism in the WNBA today. With the help of the league, the USA should never lose a world championship ever again.

I liked the mobility of San Antonio center Ruth Riley, who at 6-5, can really move around under the basket. And of course my favorite is Diana Taurasi of Phoenix. She has so much charisma, and seems to enjoy playing the game, even smiling at the opponents, or picking them up off the floor after she ran over them. It is a real joy to see a professional athlete love the game so much.

Back to the immediate action.

On Tuesday night, Alana Beard converted a jump shot with 1.9 seconds remaining to give visiting Washington an 84-82 triumph over San Antonio. The win snapped a Mystics two-game losing streak, after opening the season with three straight victories.

Beard and guard Lindsey Harding topped Washington with 19 points apiece. Beard was assessed her third foul just before the end of the third quarter and was sent to the sidelines. It didn't last long, as she was back a minute later, as San Antonio chopped a 12-point Mystics lead to one.

Forward Sophia Young led all Silver Stars players with 21 points, and guard Becky Hammon added 18, including 11 straight in the last 3 minutes. Guard Belinda Snell came off the bench to add 14.

Washington led by 10 with 2:43 left in the game, but Hammon scored the home team's next 11 points, including a 3-pt. basket to tie the game with 14 seconds remaining.

Also on Tuesday evening, Minnesota won its third straight with a 91-85 triumph at Atlanta (4-6). Guard Candice Wiggins, the Western Conference Player of the Week, scored 23 points, and center Nicky Anosike had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the winners. Wiggins is averaging 23.3 ppg. during the winning string.

Forward Charde Houston added 18 points for Minnesota, and guard Roneeka Hodges added 15, including 5-for-7 shooting from behind the 3-pt. arc. The Lynx made 13 shots beyond the arc.

Guard Iziane Castro Marques scored a career-high 31 points for Atlanta, and forward Chamique Holdsclaw added 14 points.

The Lynx put together a 14-2 run early in the third quarter. Hodges, who has scored 64 points in her last five games, made back-to-back 3-pointers to give the visitors a 70-54 margin. Minnesota then was 4-of-8 from behind the arc, while making just a pair of regular baskets in the third quarter.

The final Tuesday night game was played in Chicago with the Sky coming from behind to beat visiting Sacramento (1-8) 74-72. Guard Jia Perkins scored eight of her 17 points in the final 90 seconds to help the winning cause.

Sacramento held a 67-62 margin with 2:41 remaining, but Chicago went on a 9-0 run to take a 68-67 lead. Center Sylvia Fowles added 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Sky.

Forward Nicole Powell topped the Monarchs with 21, and guard Kara Lawson added 11. Sacramento lost its sixth straight contest.

Detroit head coach Rick Mahorn finally got his first win as a head coach, after three straight losses. On Sunday, rookie guard Shavonte Zellous scored 18 points to lead the Shock (2-5) over visiting Sacramento 86-72.

Center Kara Braxton also played her first game of the season for Detroit, after sitting out the first six with a suspension. Guard Deanna Nolan added 14 points for the Shock that led 47-28 at halftime.

Forward Rebekkah Brunson scored 16 points for Sacramento. The Monarchs pulled to 66-60 with 7:24 left, but the home team tallied the next four points to salt away the victory.

Guard Marie Ferdinand-Harris scored a season-high 15 points to help Los Angeles (3-5) defeat visiting Seattle 82-55 on Sunday. Five players were in double-figure scoring for the Sparks, including guard Betty Lennox with 14 and center Vanessa Hayden with 12. Guard Shannon Bobbitt had a season-high eight assists.

The game was the third for LA without star center Lisa Leslie, who is expected to miss three more contests with her severely sprained right knee. The Sparks made season-bests of 19 free throws and 23 assists. The home team held the Storm to a season low in points, and forced it to commit a season-high 22 turnovers. Los Angeles led 41-30 at the break.

Seattle didn't have a single player in double-figure scoring. Forward Lauren Jackson, who scored a season-high 32 points in a home win over the Sparks the previous Friday, was held to nine points, as was forward Camille Little.

In that Friday night game in Seattle, Jackson, who had eight rebounds, also received scoring help from point guard Sue Bird with 15 points, and Tanisha Wright with eight points and eight rebounds.

Veteran forward Tina Thompson scored 20 points for Los Angeles, as the Sparks dropped to 0-5 on the road. LA came back in the second half from a 16-point deficit to tie the game twice in the fourth quarter, the last time being 61-all with 3:40 remaining. Jackson responded with her third 3-pointer of the game and a basket underneath to give the home team a 66-61 margin.

Los Angeles hopes to get second-year forward Candace Parker back from maternity leave sometime late in July. Parker has begun practicing with the Sparks.

Phoenix has become the No. 1 scoring team in the WNBA at 90.4 ppg. Connecticut is the best defensive team, holding the opposition to 67.3 ppg. The Sun has used this stingy defense to beat opponents by a league-leading 6.57 ppg.

Seattle's Jackson leads the league in scoring with a 22.8 ppg. average. Taurasi of Phoenix has the most points (211) in 10 games. Fowles of Chicago is the leading rebounder (9.0 rpg.). Fowles and center Erika DeSouza of Atlanta each have 81 rebounds, with the DeSouza's coming in 10 games.

San Antonio guard Katie Mattera is the league's most prolific shooter, making 64.7 percent of her shots (11x17). Phoenix guard Cappie Pondexter has the most field goals (71x154, .461). From behind the 3-pt. arc, Washington rookie forward/guard Marissa Coleman has made 8-of-12 shots for 66.7 percent. Taurasi has made the most 3-pt. baskets (32x74, .432). At the foul line, 20 players have made all their shots, including Powell of Sacramento who tops them all at 25x25. Pondexter has converted the most foul shots (56x66, .848).

Seattle's Bird is once again at the top of the assists category. She has the most assists at 59 for a 6.56 apg. average. Anosike of Minnesota is proving to be one of the best defensive players in the WNBA. She finished her rookie season last summer ranked second in the league in steals. Currently, she is No. 1 with 3.50 spg. with a total of 35. Riley of San Antonio has 15 blocks in seven games to lead the league in that category at 2.14 bpg., while Fowles has 16 blocks in nine games for 1.78 bpg.

Harding of Washington is No. 1 in minutes played at 35.8 mpg., while Pondexter has recorded 328 minutes in 10 outings. Fowles leads the WNBA in double-doubles with four.

The 2009 All-Star Game will be held on July 25 at the Mohegan Sun Arena, home of the Connecticut Sun.

Dave Wohlhueter is Gball's WNBA and women's college game expert. He is a former Sports Information Director at Cornell University, as well as a member of the school's Hall of Fame. He worked in media relations at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. He recently was named the winner of College Sports Information Directors of America's 2007 Bob Kenworthy Good Person Award, which annually is awarded to a CoSIDA member for civic involvement and accomplishments outside the sports information office.