Game Thread: Atlanta (17-9) vs. Indiana (16-8)
by James Bowman on Aug 1, 2010 2:00 PM EDT
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Who: The Atlanta Dream (17-9) take on the Indiana Fever (16-8) in a battle for first place in the Eastern Conference.
The Dream are led by Angel McCoughtry, who is scoring 21.1 points per game. Sancho Lyttle (13.6 ppg/10.2 rpg) is an All-Star caliber post, and Iziane Castro Marques (17.0 ppg) will be playing on the Brazilian national team at the end of the season with Erika de Souza (12.4 ppg/8.9 rpg). The Fever are led by Tamika Catchings (16.6 ppg/6.7 rpg/4.1 apg) and Katie Douglas (14.4 ppg).
Where: Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA.
When: Tip-off is at 3 pm Eastern time, Sunday, August 1st in Atlanta. Atlanta viewers have a wide choice of ways to see this game.
a) In person, which is the very best way.
b) On NBA TV, if you have it and it isn't blacked out.
c) From Fox Sports South, which might or might not black it out, and
d) From WNBA Live Access, my least preferred way.
Why: Lots of stake at this game. The winner becomes the leader of the Eastern Conference, and both teams will have less than 10 games to go when its all over. More important are the long-term stakes of this game. It's not known how teams are going to finish at the end. The Dream need to win this game at home, and then win the final game of the season against the Fever on Friday at Indianapolis to win the season-tiebreaker. If they lose today or on Friday, the Fever control the tiebreaker.
Somehow, the Dream have righted their ship. After losing four straight on a nightmarish road trip, the Dream beat New York at home, then beat Tulsa on the road and whalloped Connecticut with an amazing 25-0 run. Out of the remaining eight games of the season, six of those games are at home. It puts the Dream in great position to make a surprising sweep of the table. (Well, maybe not against Seattle on August 10th.)
As for the Indiana Fever, it looked sheer force of will was going to given them a conference repeat. They had won seven of thier last eight games going into Washington on Friday - four by seven points or less - until a 77-73 loss against the Mystics surprised them. Briann January had a 1-for-9 shooting game and the Fever only shot 37.7 percent against the Mystics. Don't expect that to happen again today.
It might be close: covers.com has the Dream by two points. Masseyratings.com is behind with their database - games only until Thursday are included - but predicts this game as a virtual tie. (Fever +0.3.) Atlanta Dream fans, hold your breath.
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Welcome to Philips Arena!
Both teams practicing. Carol Ross working with all four of the posts right now. Meadors watching from the bench. Fever doing a random shootaround to stay loose.
Broken nose.
Izi still working out in that huge face mask. Pierce W. Huff had a nice article about Iziane in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. I didn’t know that Izi changed nail polish color to reflect her moods. An interesting insight into individual player quirks.
Kathy Betty, Dream owner is here.
It looks like Betty will be sitting in the front row as always. Betty is definitely involved in this team at the ground level.
Coco and Kelly Miller
Chatting with someone, then leaving the court together. I think only one time have I ever seen Coco Miller separated from her identical twin – excluding the entirety of every other season in the WNBA, of course.
Everyone back in the locker room!
The courts are now clear of players. A few of the ball people – boys and girls who corral the ball during player shootarounds – are goofing around, taking shots. Other than that, we’re getting closer to the magic moment 22 minutes away.
Incidentally, a win....
…will give the Dream their 18th win of the season, tying the 18-16 regular season record of 2009.
oh man
tonight’s a big test for your dream, is it not?
I'm a diehard Cavs fan, proud to say I never owned a LeBron jersey.
Yep, big test.
The Dream only won by four last time: Dream needs to work like a machine. Iziane and McCoughtry both need good games.
Fever starters: Sutton-Brown, January, Douglas, Catchings, Hoffman.
Dream starters: Lehning, Lyttle, Iziane, Erika, McCoughtry.
what a scramble
that was not worth it
I'm a diehard Cavs fan, proud to say I never owned a LeBron jersey.
i think douglas was the same girl who cut her lip open in the WNBA Finals
I'm a diehard Cavs fan, proud to say I never owned a LeBron jersey.
this isn't exactly a keyarena-sized crowd
What’s going on?
I'm a diehard Cavs fan, proud to say I never owned a LeBron jersey.
i knew that was gonna be a goal tend
I'm a diehard Cavs fan, proud to say I never owned a LeBron jersey.
1-1 basketball ain't gonna cut it
I'm a diehard Cavs fan, proud to say I never owned a LeBron jersey.
Remember last game
…at Philips, the 66-62 win where Indiana got hit with several 24-sec clock violations. Dream up 12-9.
Time out.
Dream up 12-9, 4:55 remaining. It’s been all Erika and Lyttle for the most part. The battles are taking place under the basket.
What in the name of Spiderman's balls happened in Connecticut?
I'm a diehard Cavs fan, proud to say I never owned a LeBron jersey.
Can't figure that out.
Connecticut just flat-out gave up that one. I think that people are starting to ask questions about Thibault and the Sun.
Nothing is coming easy in this game. No open jumpshots, no fastbreaks, nothing.
I'm a diehard Cavs fan, proud to say I never owned a LeBron jersey.
A lot of the Dream's passes end up out of bounds, tipped or not
I'm a diehard Cavs fan, proud to say I never owned a LeBron jersey.
that 3 point attempt was pure nerve
I'm a diehard Cavs fan, proud to say I never owned a LeBron jersey.
this player used to be an assistant coach?!
I'm a diehard Cavs fan, proud to say I never owned a LeBron jersey.
Dream 45, Fever 35
Catchings hits a 3 pointer with 1/2 a second left. Dream up in double digits.
Lyttle having a great game.
Fever can’t find Erika and keep her from the basket.
Dream would be up by 15 if not for foul trouble in second.
Indiana bench not responding.
Dream shooting 54 percent.
Dream 72, Fever 55
Dream had a 20- point lead at one point, but a couple of Dream miscues swung it back to a 15-pt deficit. Bales’s last second lay-in gives Atl a 72-55 lead.
Belivaqua back in.
Hit a shot that I could swear was just a 2. A pair of Indiana 3s closes the Fever to 74-61 with 8:21 left.
3:56 left, Dream 84, Fever 68
Dream on their way. There’s not going to be a rally. Will be going downstairs to ask some questions. Any questions?
Not yet.
It’s unlikely as all of the current jersey sponsorships are going to teams founded before 2001. Hopefully, by 2019… :D
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