The first round of the 2012 NBA Playoffs are set and The Oklahoman is calling for an ENCORE of epic proportions, beginning Saturday at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Round 1 schedule (all times central):

Saturday, April 28 – 8:30 p.m. – OKC
Monday, April 30 – 8:30 p.m. – OKC

Thursday, May 3 – 8:30 p.m. – Dallas
Saturday, May 6 – 6:30 p.m. – Dallas

Games 5-7, if necessary (times TBD) -
Monday, May 7 – OKC
Thursday, May 10 – Dallas
Saturday, May 12 – OKC

I cannot deny that I fully support the point guard of the Oklahoma City Thunder – and always have. I do, however, know some folks that do not. And some don’t even think he has any business playing in tonight’s All-Star Game. Most frequently, Russell Wesbrook’s less-than-good numbers when it comes to assist-to-turnover ratio are used to prove his unworthiness. But. There are more numbers than one. And if you compare Westbrook to tonight’s other All-Stars, I see a pretty dang good (and well-deserving) player, if I say so myself.

Oh. And the first half stats for Mr. Westbrook? 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting and four rebounds in 12 minutes. Just saying.

Throughout the last half of the 2010-11 season, the “trade Russell Westbrook” talk became a mainstay in Oklahoma City Thunder conversations. Some people pointed to his shooting woes that come in waves, others to his turnovers and decision making as “not a true point guard” playing the point. Even more look to his ball hoggedness (yes, a new word) and his apparent beef with the Thunder’s brightest star, Kevin Durant.

This conversation now most unfortunately continues into the 2011-12 season, causing potential distractions and stirring up controversy that is perhaps unfounded and unnecessary, particularly during the beginning stages of what looks to be a promising season of unparalleled success in OKC.

Durant himself has been very forthright in the fact that yes, there are sometimes arguments between the two teammates in their early 20s. He’s also been quick to point out that these moments of dissention do nothing to the detriment of the team or their friendship, saying on more occasion that there is no other point guard he would rather play with than Russy.

Then why is it such a huge story that there was a verbal spat on the bench in last night’s Minnesota Timberwolves game? Why is it fans and journalists alike point to this and immediately say, “See! He’s not a team player! He’s a bad egg with a bad attitude! He needs to be traded!”

Now along with the locals getting in on the act, the national guys are starting to echo these sentiments, with J.A. Adande saying today that Russell isn’t right for OKC. Adande even goes on to say that Westbrook himself might be the one ready for a change, pointing out “He’s told friends he feels Thunder coach Scott Brooks blames him for losses, while the credit for victories goes to Durant. You also don’t hear Westbrook constantly profess his love of playing in a small market the way Durant does.”

Adande then goes on to give some stats on the apparently disenfranchised Westbrook and his lack of true contribution to the Thunder lineup. “According to 82games.com, the lineup of Maynor, Durant, James Harden, Serge Ibaka and Nick Collison had almost identical offensive and defensive points-per-possession numbers as the same unit with Westbrook. And Maynor had a higher net on-court/off-court plus/minus than Westbrook last season.”

So I decided to look up some stats as well. I went to John Hollinger’s Player Efficiency Ratings (PER) for the 2011 regular season. Durant, the reigning NBA scoring champ and favorite son of Oklahoma, ranks in seventh. Above him are LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Dwayne Wade, Kevin Love, Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul. And the slot right below KD is his good ol’ teammie Westbrook, making the Thunder and the Heat the only two teams to have two players in the Top 10.

But what is PER, you say? Well, it takes into account a multitude of statistical categories like true shooting percentage, assist ratio, turnover ratio, usage rate and rebounding rates, no name a few. Hollinger’s definition is the overall rating of a player’s per-minute statistical production, which should allow you to compare players’ contributions on a fairly level playing field. Hollinger sets the average PER each season at 15.00. Durant’s was 23.70 in 2011. Westbrook’s was 23.63.

In comparing Russy’s PER with the man who could easily slide into his spot in Adande’s trade scenario, Eric Maynor, there is no comparison to be made. Maynor’s PER was 11.73 – of 48^th out of the league’s point guards. A side-by-side look at Hollinger’s stats between Westbrook and Maynor show stark differences in the numbers:

So Eric Maynor’s PER was below the league average in 2011. His value added, or number of points he would score above a 12^th man, was 13.0, which led to an estimated wins added calculation of 0.4. Not exactly in the same ranks as Westbrook is, huh? If Adande’s proposal of adding Stephen Curry from the Golden State Warriors came to fruition, the numbers disparity is obviously lessened. Curry slides in to the seventh spot on the point guard PER list, 32^nd overall. But, that’s a big if as we all know trades aren’t dictated by a journalist’s proposal – and who’s to say Curry and Durant would have better on- and off-court chemistry than Westbrook and Durant? It certainly appears that the current relationship between Curry and Monta Ellis isn’t all butterflies and flowers.

Russy’s turnover ratio of 11.9 is second highest in the overall Top 20, only trailing Orlando’s Dwight Howard who clocks in at 15.2. But. Russy’s assist ratio is also second highest in the overall Top 20, where he’s only outdone by Deron Williams. So perhaps those boneheaded turnovers aren’t the worst thing in the world for a young point guard?

Westbrook is also second in another category that gets people going – usage rate. Some will say this further cements the notion that he’s a ball hog with a 30.8 usage rate. But are you barking at Derrick Rose for beating him out for a 31.3 usage rate? Not hardly. For everyone that thinks that Durant is being deprived of the basketball, his usage rate is 27.8 which puts him at fifth behind Rose, Westbrook, James, Wade and Carmelo Anthony.

Are Hollinger’s statistics a definitive explanation for Westbrook’s value to the Thunder? Not at all. But before people start the crazy talk about how bad Westbrook is playing or how easy it would be to be successful without him, a hard look at performance without the hype should be in order.

“But wait!” you say. “It’s not just overall numbers that need to be compared! In Thunder losses, it is Westbrook’s fault, just like Brooks says!” I’ve had friends and foes alike say that in losses is when Russy’s hoggy attitude is most prevalent and where his shooting is poorest. So let’s get away from Hollinger’s formulations and look at the straight numbers in 2011 Thunder defeats:

Hmmm….maybe Westbrook’s excessive shooting isn’t the reason for Thunder losses after all. Less shots than Durant, completely the opposite of what everyone seems to rationalize as a fact. Both parts of the Thunder duo everyone wants to talk about struggle when the team loses. Maybe that’s just what happens when it’s not your night to win. Besides, that old “you can’t win them all” cliché? It’s sort of true in professional basketball. But you sure can start the 2011-12 season 3-0, just ask the Oklahoma City Thunder – not that anybody is talking about that part of the story.

Hollinger’s statistical categories:

• TS%: True Shooting Percentage – what a player’s shooting percentage would be if we accounted for free throws and 3-pointers. True Shooting Percentage = (Total points x 50) divided by [(FGA + (FTA x 0.44)]
• AST: Assist Ratio – the percentage of a player’s possessions that ends in an assist. Assist Ratio = (Assists x 100) divided by [(FGA + (FTA x 0.44) + Assists + Turnovers]
• TO: Turnover Ratio – the percentage of a player’s possessions that end in a turnover. Turnover Ratio = (Turnover x 100) divided by [(FGA + (FTA x 0.44) + Assists + Turnovers]
• USG: Usage Rate – the number of possessions a player uses per 40 minutes. Usage Rate = {[FGA + (FT Att. x 0.44) + (Ast x 0.33) + TO] x 40 x League Pace} divided by (Minutes x Team Pace)
• ORR: Offensive rebound rate
• DRR: Defensive rebound rate
• REBR: Rebound Rate – the percentage of missed shots that a player rebounds. Rebound Rate = (100 x (Rebounds x Team Minutes)) divided by [Player Minutes x (Team Rebounds + Opponent Rebounds)]
• PER: Player Efficiency Rating is the overall rating of a player’s per-minute statistical production. The league average is 15.00 every season.
• VA: Value Added – the estimated number of points a player adds to a team’s season total above what a ‘replacement player’ (for instance, the 12th man on the roster) would produce. Value Added = ([Minutes * (PER - PRL)] / 67). PRL (Position Replacement Level) = 11.5 for power forwards, 11.0 for point guards, 10.6 for centers, 10.5 for shooting guards and small forwards
• EWA: Estimated Wins Added – Value Added divided by 30, giving the estimated number of wins a player adds to a team’s season total above what a ‘replacement player’ would produce.

Last night, I took my first trip to Oracle Arena for the Golden State Warriors open practice. Ummm…it was a practice, so I don’t have a whole lot of useful information to provide. But I was there, and I do this writing thing on occasion, so I have to jot some thoughts, right?

I’m a Thunder girl, so this practice was tabbed “recon” by some of my fellow Thunder obsessed fans, but the only thing I really gleaned is your rookies can’t sing (or at least not the Jackson 5) and Kevin Durant’s backpack is cooler than the new gear the vets gave the rooks to close out the session.

Here’s what happened and what I heard around me….

• Coach and player intros
• Warmups with a speech from Mark Jackson – I wonder if anyone has told him he looks comfortable with a microphone? Ha.
• Jerry West sighting, which elicited a couple quizzical comments from the youngsters that didn’t know who “The Logo” is.
• A defensive drill! Ooohs and aaaahs were audible at the concept of defense.
• An Andris Biedrins dunk followed by another overheard, “He can dunk?” The response was, “oh don’t worry, it’s just practice. This will go away by game time.”

More statements from the crowd during the practice portion of the night: “I like this drill!! They usually just run fast breaks!” (during a defensive-focused drill) … “Monte doesn’t pass!! Why are we running that drill?” … “Chucky Jenkins! Love that guy – he’s gonna be gooood.” …. “Boooo!!” (after a Dorell Wright airball three) … “De-fense!” (chanted by one guy at sporadic moments throughout the night – I think he was trying to get on Jackson’s good side or something) … “C’mon defense! Talk!” (from the coach during the scrimmage – probably making the chanter very happy) … “Good to know at least in an intrasquad game Steph can get the superstar call!” (it was indeed a suspect call, at least from my seat)

Then the teams broke up into two teams – White and Black (which Jackson called Blue at least twice – is he colorblind maybe? Someone needs to get on this angle). There was some jersey switching throughout the evening so I can’t tell you teams exactly, but I tried to keep a little running play-by-play (not that it means a bunch….errrr…anything, in all actuality). There were three (four planned) periods of eight minutes each. A running clock was used, save the final two minutes of the second period. And thus began the scrimmage portion of the evening (shorthand play-by-play below).

After the black team held on to win 37-27, a shooting contest was held in lieu of the fourth quarter. The black team smoked the white team at hitting 15 shots each from five stations on the floor. The losing team was still on the third station when the (never was really a) contest ended. And then came the “singing” – I use that term very liberally.

So what of real use can you Warriors fans get out of the evening? Hmmm. I’m not sure. But now I can mark off my fourth Nor Cal basketball arena in my impromptu tour of the Bay.

So basketball is (tentatively) back. I’m still not sure what I think about the actual ‘back to the NBA’ quite yet – I think I’m still waiting for the papers to be signed and the ink to dry. But in anticipation of potential happiness, I’m going to make sure you all saw Nick Collison’s Q&A session on the twitters last night….here are the funzies (I’ve even categorized them – ha)!

The beginning!

Normally I dont like when ppl do this but im driving 2 hrs in Iowa.Lets do that thing where u ask questions and we have mini conversations—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

Basketbally Stuffs – the pro life

RT @Cameron14Amos: @nickcollison4 how do you feel about the end of the lockout? (happy for fans,team employees,&players. Hyped to play)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @colemanramsey: @nickcollison4 one player you'd like the Thunder to sign for this upcoming year? (hope we bring back @ROYALTIVEY )—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @nickpiatt: What's the 1st thing you're going to do when you get back in the arena or prac facility? (cannonball in new heated pool)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @MikeHastie: @nickcollison4 pre game hype up song? (gimme the loot Notorious BIG)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @JeezEss: Which of your Thunder teammates would you trust as a babysitter? (Nazr. All good enough dudes but all others child clueless)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @pgerbracht: how many games would be your perfect regular season?(prob one less per week,but we all like the extra revenue)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @andynielsen: who's the hardest NBA player you have ever had to guard? (diggler but i had a hell of a time with Corliss Williamson)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @tommygallegos: besides fans who wins CBA agreement? (team/arena employees, owners bank accts…players because growth should continue)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @nutmegc: Kinda cliche question, but what do you like best about OKC?(great fans, no traffic, easy parking)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @thethingiskat: would you like to see the NBA come back to Seattle in the future? (of course ..hope Ballmer builds an arena)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @pgerbracht: who's the toughest box out in the league? (zach randolph, joel anthony)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @TripsTake: Which NBA player has had the biggest influence on your career and why?(brent barry my rookie yr. Great pro to learn from)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

Basketbally Stuffs – Rock Chalk Jayhawk edition

RT @crbourne: what was favorite game to play in as a ku player? (at Mizzou to go 16-0 plus one of the Antlers left his # on my caller ID)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @BFrasor: give me best Jonas Sahratian story. (b4 ncaa tourney games we made him eat nasty foods ie soap &culminating with live goldfish)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @clklikeabenz: if Tim Floyd would have stayed at ISU would you have gone there? (would have still gone to Ku but much tougher choice)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @mkultracia: Worst loss in college ?(other than title game). (at Baylor….nightmare)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @Mateen_Cleaves: Wuz up bro saw KU and UK play at the Garden couple weeks ago. I sat right behind KU bench.(saw u in all green AS ALWAYS)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @maureensleeps: Are you and Kirk Hinrich still friends? (bros 4 life)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

Food & Spirits – and not the ghosty kind

RT @kuscottmayo: @nickcollison4 favorite bar in Lawrence?? (yacht club)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @MCG5: Favorite watering hole in Seattle? Venom? (haha no chance. @mustardhut #teampesos all day—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @str8jimi: favorite bar in Iowa falls? (woodys)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @jakelahoma: hey dude, best restaurant in okc? (I like kaisers and mickey mantles)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @GunnarUW: favorite Seattle restaurants?(toulouse,pesos,met grill, assagio,five spot)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness – aka randomsause

RT @TheRealRyanWood: How much did you get paid to be in Durant's Gatorade commercial?(u mean how much did kd get for my commercial right?)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @sammickelson: @nickcollison4 favorite TV show right now? (breaking bad, curb your enthusiasm)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @pgerbracht: what's the whitest music u play in lckrroom (since bones barry was Sonic every Wed is WhiteguyWednesday classic rock/grunge)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @aswanso: Are you tired of seeing yourself in those Norman singing commercials? I was at the studio that day!(i cringe every time)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @TheeBrownlee: was it hard balancing keeping in shape for basketball and filming How To Make It In America? (all about time management)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @MonicaMcAfee: what's one thing you haven't done yet but really want to do? (take an RV across the country)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @SNOWHUNNY:who did you hang out with most off season?(me-"my daughter"..female followers-"ahhhhhh hes such a good dad!!!)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

RT @TheeBrownlee:heard u DJd a successful beach house party at Brent Barrys house this summer in Hermosa Beach?(yes. Nailed it. So eclectic)—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

The end!

Alright. That was fun im done. No more blowing up timelines—
Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) November 27, 2011

Look to see Nick and the rest of the boys report to training camp on Dec. 9th, with games to begin on Christmas! Oh. And, Thunder Up!

The second highest odds in the room belonged to Minnesota (via Washington) with a 27.6 percent of the lottery balls. The Lynx will be selecting third in the draft after scooping up the 2011 championship with last year’s top pick, Maya Moore.

The Chicago Sky, with 17.8 percent odds, will take the second pick in the 2012 draft and head coach Pokey Chatman is pleased with the Sky’s fortune in the lottery.

“I’m excited and look forward to utilizing the No. 2 pick to improve our team,” said Chatman in a release. “Coupled with free agency, it gives a step in the direction necessary to reach our goals and succeed.”

The surprising number one selection goes to the team with the lowest odds of receiving said selection – the Los Angeles Sparks. LA had only 10.4 percent of the lottery balls, but that’s all it took for the purple and gold to come away with the top spot.

“There are some excellent players in the 2012 Draft class, and we are very excited to get the No. 1 pick and have the opportunity to add a very talented player to the Sparks roster,” Sparks Vice President and General Manager Penny Toler said.

A complete flip flop of fortune for these four teams. Wow.

As a Tulsa supporter, this bums me out. The Shock didn’t tank to beef up their odds, they just weren’t very good last season. They truly need to continue to build a roster with solid draft picks. And their reward for a dismal season? The fourth pick in the draft. Sigh. Lottery balls don’t like Tulsa, two years in the running for #1 and two times they’ve missed the opportunity to go first.

The remainder of the first round sets up like this:
5. San Antonio
6. Phoenix
7. New York
8. Washington from Atlanta (L. Harding/T Phillips, K. Miller – 4/11/11)
9. Connecticut
10. Washington from Seattle (K. Smith, J. Monroe/J. Thomas – 4/29/11)
11. Indiana
12. Minnesota

Marion Jones "Takes a Break" in Serbia - via USAToday

Marion Jones is in Europe – and not to play ball with some of her friends from the WNBA, where she played a season and a half. Rather, she is there on official business from the United States State Department. Jones is making a series of diplomatic visits to Serbia and Croatia promoting her “Take a Break” message.

“It paints a very positive picture of who we are as a country and the fact that she’s here on the invitation of the United States government shows that our country believes in people always having opportunities to come back from adversity,” Ryan Rowlands, a public affairs officer for the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade who helped arrange Jones’ visit, told the AP. “So that’s been a great part of this message.”

According to the Associated Press, she is delivering the message of how she’s rebuilt her life for the people who have lived through wars and earthquakes and now must rebuild their country. Along with promoting the Take a Break message, she participated in basketball clinics in Nis and Belgrade, with rather large crowds both on the court and for her presentation.

“I surely hope that this is just the first of many opportunities that I get to share my message, talk about my journey and help people just live a better life,” Jones told Jeff Latzke of the AP.

Her time in the WNBA with the Tulsa Shock was shortlived. After signing a multi-year deal on Feb. 16, was released from the team on July 21 in favor of center Abi Olajuwon. She still continues to express interest in either playing in or working for the WNBA again in the future. Since being waived by Tulsa this summer, Jones has been living with her family in Austin. Jones spoke to Austin Fit magazine about her time off the court and away from basketball, her membership to the YMCA and what she deems her greatest accomplishment.

“My proudest accomplishment is finally realizing that my priority in life is not to be the fastest, strongest person in this world, but that my priority is God, family, and making people’s lives better. That absolutely is my biggest accomplishment, the realization, because some people never get it.”

Personally, I am glad to see Marion do what she has been talking about since the moment I met her at Tulsa’s 2010 media day. She’s carved a hard path in life by her own admission and through her own poor choices, and still lives with that stigma that follows her around everywhere. But she’s also proving that she’s more than a disgraced athlete, she’s a stand up woman who is doing her best to right her own wrongs while preventing others from following the path she took early on in life.

As one of her contemporaries, I grew up admiring Marion’s strength and speed on the track, wishing I could be her. I later saw her admit her guilt and wrongdoing and go to jail, and I was oh so glad I wasn’t her. After interacting with Marion through her stint in Tulsa, my admiration is back. I’ve seen her take heat from columnists, commentators, fans of women’s basketball, or just doubters of her sincerity. But she proudly holds her head high despite the oftentimes hateful comments, staying the course to continue her mission to make people’s lives better in any way possible.

You can read more of my thoughts about her book, “On the Right Track”, her continuing desire to play basketball before the 2011 season, and last fall’s 30 for 30 documentary at Swish Appeal.

I always think of the Storm Crazies as well – crazy. Crazy for their team and eager to show support, coming out to KeyArena in droves and droves. During the WNBA regular season the Storm posted 5th best numbers in the league, averaging 8,322 fans. And during their 2010 title run games held in Seattle, the Storm filled the stands with an average of 12,314 fans, including 14,491 per game in the two finals games hosted at Key. The first game of the finals saw an impressive 15,084 pack the place.

In the 2011 postseason, the Storm didn’t fare as well either on the court or in the stands. Seattle lost out in the Western Conference Semifinals to nemesis Phoenix, but not before hosting two games. In those two games, attendance was a total of 7,934, including a dismal first Game 1 figure of 7,279. Seattle went from the biggest gainer from regular season to postseason in 2010. After a minor 4% regular season attendance bump for 2011, the Storm Crazies underperformed, at least according to the numbers.

Last year, University of Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma criticized the Husky faithful for not attending “home games” in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, even calling them “a real spoiled group of fans”. I didn’t hear from Storm coach Brian Agler about the attendance, but I wonder if there’s any comparison to be made. Did the “UConn effect” happen in Seattle this season? Were fans expecting too much?

Not to go so far as Geno to use the word spoiled, but perhaps having exceedingly high expectations left people either 1) apathetic to the team when they ‘underperformed’ in their eyes, actually losing a couple of games throughout the 2011 season or 2) prepared to go to the playoffs in the conference or league Finals rather than the first round. Perhaps it’s neither of these two choices and something entirely different. But either way, I do think it deserves a look and some thought.

Here are the numbers comparing the last two seasons for every WNBA playoff team:

As is very clear to see, Seattle isn’t the only one that should be considering their numbers. There are a few other organizations that might benefit from taking a deeper look.

The San Antonio Silver Stars have shockingly dismal comparisons between their regular season and postseason numbers. In speaking with a friend about the drastic decline, the only argument that I could throw even a little support towards is the football factor.

Texas is crazy for every level of the sport, a fact that is undisputed. In 2011, the Silver Stars played on a Sunday at 4 p.m. Local time. Houston played in Miami, with the game kicking off at 3:15 p.m.. Dallas was also out of town at San Francisco in a 3:05 p.m. contest. So as for actually attending a football game instead of a basketball game, there wasn’t a draw. And as for competition level, with all apologies to Nate, these aren’t traditionally banner matchups. But perhaps some folks stayed home tv of the gridiron trumped live action on the hardwood.

In 2010, San Antonio and Phoenix played on Saturday, Aug. 28 at 1 p.m. While my friend suggested college football was the 2010 trump, the season didn’t start until September 2^nd. So then what? How can the numbers be so very far apart? I don’t have an answer, and maybe football does play some role. But just how much? The sample size in both instances is very small, so perhaps that is a contributing factor as well, but the San Antonio playoff downturn is head scratching, nonetheless.

The Los Angeles Sparks saw a decent-sized drop in 2010 of 12.1%. My first thought was perhaps it was due to the competition. Since Seattle was nearly unbeatable, maybe the Sparks crowd didn’t feel the need to go to the Staples Center to see a loss? That’s the only thing I could come up with.

The Phoenix Mercury puzzles me. Why would a team that was defending their title show no growth at all in 2010? The same thought pattern that was used for LA might work here. The Merc played the world beaters. However, I still think this is an interesting anomaly, particularly due to the fact that the playoff attendance in 2011 was also a slight loss. There are other competing sports in play in Arizona, with the Cardinals and Diamondbacks, so perhaps like San Antonio the focus of the usual fan base has shifted sports by the time the WNBA playoffs have arrived. Either way, no growth was not what I expected from the Phoenix fan base.

The Indiana Fever experienced a numbers recess in 2010 but a negligible bump in 2011. Perhaps the Catchings factor is to credit for the rise, as everyone loves to root for an MVP, right?

There are certainly positive numbers to be seen as well, however. The New York Liberty had a great playoff bump in 2010 before moving to New Jersey. Everyone and their puppy dog has been vocal about the problems with the move and the logistics of traveling to The Rock, and the overall attendance decline show that. However, the playoff bump, while smaller, was still very present even from Jersey. And let’s not forget that New York is also playing football and baseball right now, similar to Phoenix, with no ill effects shown in these figures.

And now back to the sentiment that everyone likes an MVP, everyone really likes a winner, as can be evidenced from the Atlanta Dream and Minnesota Lynx. In both 2010 and 2011, the eventual participants in the Finals have experienced great numbers bumps. This year’s teams still have the potential to boost their numbers even more as the series progresses. And with the Lynx starting out the series with their second-highest attendance in franchise history, I’m expecting Minnesota to rival Seattle not only in the numbers game, but also potentially in the trophy taking.

Despite a ridiculous 33 points from Angel McCoughtry of the Atlanta Dream, the Minnesota Lynx take a 1-0 WNBA Finals lead after an 88-74 win from the Target Center. The Dream started out hot, building a 12 point lead midway through the second quarter before the Lynx battled back to end the half down 39-36.

The third quarter was the Angel McCoughtry Show, as she put up an impressive 19 points in the period, a WNBA Finals record. However, the balanced offense from the Lynx kept pace and the quarter ended tied at 62 points each. The fourth quarter belonged solely to Minnesota, outscoring Atlanta 26-12. In fact, the Dream scored their first bucket of the final period with just 5:26 remaining in the game. 

Rebekkah Brunson poured in a team-high 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Lynx in the win. Seimone Augustus added 22 points and seven assists while point guard Lindsay Whalen contributed 15 points and six assists for Minnesota. Rookie Maya Moore was the fourth member of the Lynx to reach double-digits, ending with 11 points and six rebounds. Minnesota finished with a 40-28 rebounding edge. The Lynx got blocks from six players, swatting an impressive 11 Dream shots on the night.

Lindsey Harding finished with 20 points and Iziane Castro Marques added 10 points for Atlanta in the losing bid. Atlanta will get a welcome addition to their roster in the next contest of the best-of-five series, as usual starter Erika de Souza will return from her stint with the Brazilian national team. Game 2 is slated for Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN 2.

ATL/MIN Game 1 Boxscore

"There is none like Bird. She's got ice in her veins." - Teresa Edwards (photo on SB Nation)

Down to nine players suited up, the lineup change didn’t phase the Shock. This is a team, after all, that has gone through personnel shifts that rival your neighborhood 7-11. One day here and the next not so much. So when Tulsa took to the court against the defending champs, who had beat them by 17 points merely a week ago, the Shock held their own.

In fact, the home team even held a 7-point lead after the first quarter. Tulsa gave up the advantage midway through the second period on a pair of free throws by Lauren Jackson. The Storm extended their lead to 57-43 midway through the third after a successful trip to the line for Sue Bird. The bell could have tolled on the Shock, but they fought back. They cut the double-digit margin down to four with 1:57 to play after Tiffany Jackson spun in the layup. Tulsa battled and nearly weathered the Storm for 39 minutes. Then Sue Bird threw her oh-so-typical dagger. This time it was a three with 37.4 seconds to play to give the Storm a 77-70 advantage en route to the 78-72 victory.

“Well, she is the best point guard in the world,” Storm head coach Brian Agler said after the win. “Sue, I mean – I’ve seen her do this so much, but still I’m amazed by how clutch she is. I’ve never seen and been around anybody like this. I mean, she’s done this multiple times and keeps doing it. So we’re going to keep putting the ball in her hands when we need things. That last shot, that last 3-point shot, … it wasn’t anything we called, she just took over. That’s a tribute to her and her competitiveness.”

Bird finished with an almost pedestrian – or at least for her when facing the Shock this season - 21 points and five assists, numbers that Agler is confident could be exponentially higher if she wanted them to be. While we’ve heard praise from Agler on Bird on a multitude of occasions, he’s not alone in his assessment of Bird as the best.

“There’s none like her,” Shock interim head coach Teresa Edwards said. “She’s got ice in her veins, she makes smart decisions and she’s proven herself time and time again. No argument. Hands down she’s the best point guard.”

Bird was facing off against one another stalwart figure of the sport, and former – albeit briefly – teammate, Sheryl Swoopes, who filled in for the ailing Ivory Latta. Swoopes’ veteran leadership was on display at a position that she’s never played before. Ever.

“Never. Ever,” Swoopes said of the last time she played point guard. “I always wanted to shoot, I’m being honest! My role is very different playing the point than it is playing the two or the three. As I’m playing and going through the motions I just have to remember that like ‘you’re not a wing tonight. You’re playing point’.”

In her debut at point guard, Swoopes impressed herself and her coach with her six assists and one turnover handling the ball.

“I thought Sheryl stepped it up,” Edwards said. “She’s 6-for-1 assist to turnover ratio on the stat sheet. Of course, I would love to have her on the wings where she can get shots, but she’s a vet. She just stepped up and did what she had to do, and she always does that.”

Part of stepping up in stepping into her new role, which she’ll likely have for the remainder of the season, whether she likes it or not.

“If I had my pick I wouldn’t [play point guard], but it is what it is,” Swoopes said as she critiqued her performance. “The first thing I looked at was to see how many turnovers I had. It’s definitely very different and I would have to say that it’s not a position that I would want to play all the time.

“My job right now is really as point when I’ve got to play it is really to try and keep everybody where they’re supposed to be. They’ve got to see that I’m confident in doing it so they can be confident also.”

Her confidence also comes with a sense of curiosity and perhaps even a new-found respect for the women who steer the ship night in and night out.

“I guess until you’re in that position, you don’t realize how difficult it is,” Swoopes said. “You’ve got to listen to the coach, and of course you’re hearing the fans, and you’ve got to make sure your teammates are where they’re supposed to be. It’s different, but I’m up to the challenge.”

The challenge, while abbreviated, is to help the Shock finish the season strong and to notch a couple more victories. And notching more wins is just what Agler is anticipating in Tulsa’s last four games.

“Right before our last game [with Tulsa in Seattle] we had our media before the game and I said, ‘look they’re not going to make the playoffs, but they’re going to impact the playoffs in some kind of way because they’re going to beat some people before it’s over’,” Agler said immediately prior to Tulsa’s two-game win streak. “They haveimpacted the playoffs and I don’t think they’re quite done yet. They’ve got – I know they have road games and it’s tough to win on the road, but they have San Antonio coming back in here and that could be a tough deal. They’re tough.”

Now Agler and the Storm can be glad Tulsa didn’t impact their playoff position, but rather solidified it. With the win over the Shock, Seattle clinched their eighth consecutive playoff berth and climbed into sole possession of second place in the West, at least for one night. Tomorrow the Storm face off against fourth-place San Antonio, and No. 3 Phoenix will try to keep pace as they play LA.

“San Antonio helped us [Thursday] obviously so we’ll take all the help we can get,” Agler said of his next opponent. Now instead of help from the Silver Stars, they want to take a win on the road.”We’re trying hard to get that second spot. Home court is our goal.”

Stats:

- Along with Sue Bird’s 21, the Storm got a big game from center Lauren Jackson. LJ scored 20 points and grabbed five rebounds in the win. Seattle’s other double-digit scorer was Swin Cash, who added 13 for the Storm.

- Leading up to Bird’s lead-extending three was a defensive stop by Katie Smith. Sheryl Swoopes inbounded the ball to Amber Holt who, according to the referees, fell out of bounds to give the Storm the ball. The ensuing possession was the three ball from Bird.

-Jennifer Lacy finished the night with 18 points for the Shock. Lacy was a perfect 4-for-4 from beyond the arc. On the season, Lacy is hitting 30.5 percent of her long-range attempts. Her 18 points tied a career high for the five year vet.

- Amber Holt complimented Lacy’s scoring with 17 points of her own and Tiffany Jackson finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Jackson now has nine double-doubles on the year.