FanPost

Friday Open Thread: Five Games All Evening Long Online and Perhaps on Local TV.

I hope you've enjoyed the NBA Finals where the series is tied 1-1 between the OKC Thunder and the Miami Heat.

Everyone except Chicago and San Antonio plays tonight. Games start at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT and the last game is at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT. All games are on LiveAccess, unless you live in a specified local market which I will note later.

Game 1: New York Liberty (3-6) at Connecticut Sun (6-2), 7 PM ET/4 PM PT

WNBA.com | Liberty Preview

These two teams have played twice already in the regular season with CT winning both times. Considering that the Sun hasn't lost to NY at home and is 6-1 the last seven times the Liberty came to the Mohegan Sun Casino.

However, NY did win three of its last four games, so a win tonight can keep the Libs' momentum up, and playoff hopes alive. I'm not betting on it however.

Game 2: Indiana Fever (4-2) at Washington Mystics (1-5), 7 PM ET/4 PM PT

WNBA.com | Mystics Preview | Fever Preview

The Fever currently has a two game losing streak and is on the road, but Indy gets to face the worst team in the East, which also means an easy opportunity for a win after taking fandom aside. The Mystics and especially Trudi Lacey want me to eat my words with a win tonight after four straight close losses. This is the first of four games against "The Catch Squad."

CSNWashington.com didn't have a preview when I looked for it earlier today, but I wouldn't be surprised if this game is labeled once again as a "must-win" for DC, because it is.

Mini Update: CSNWashington.com released a preview, and though the words must win weren't mentioned, the preview was still clear that the Mystics must play better from the start.

If you live in the DC and Baltimore markets, tune on Comcast SportsNet Mid Atlantic to watch this game.

Game 3: LA Sparks (7-1) at Atlanta Dream (3-5), 7:30 PM ET/4:30 PM PT

WNBA.com | Sparks Preview | Dream Preview

The Dream begins a three game homestand and faces off the second hottest team in the league, only because the Whalenites are undefeated. The Sparks had one hell of a game last Wednesday, and Candace Parker didn't disappoint on national TV. Let's see if Angel can deliver a performance tonight at home and the homestand won't be that easy with Connecticut coming next on Sunday, but NY comes on Tuesday.

For LA, the rest of their games in June will be against teams currently with losing records including tonight, and three games will be against the Shock or Mystics, with two games against the Shock. Great opportunity to get some W's here.

If you're in Atlanta, turn on SPSO to watch this game.

Mini Update: Here's an interview Seattle Times writer Jayda Evans had with Sparks guard Alana Beard regarding her road to recovery after missing each of the last two seasons.

Game 4: Seattle Storm (1-7) at Tulsa Shock (0-8), 8 PM ET/7 PM Central and Local Time/5 PM PT

WNBA.com | Shock Preview | Storm Preview

The league's worst two teams will play tonight in Oklahoma, where the NBA and WNBA teams' talent levels in the league couldn't be any further apart. With two remaining games against LA and another game against Indy on the docket for June, Tulsa's schedule doesn't look easy, but then again, they've played well considering the talent that they have. As for Seattle, they have five June games remaining including this one against the Shock, along with another game each for the Stars and Libs, and with two games against the Mystics. All of these are must win games if Sue's Crew wants any hope of making the playoffs for a WNBA record 9th straight year.

Mini Update: Well Seattle held another rally for a return of a new NBA team yesterday. Thunder Sonics legends Gary Payton, Detlef Schrempf, and Shawn Kemp were there. I am not surprised that this rally was held in response to the fact that the Thunder is in the Finals now. Not surprisingly, the Sacramento Kings appear to be the target franchise. And if you are wondering how the Storm feels about a potential new Sonics team, Team President Karen Bryant did say at a recent home game in a halftime interview that she is on board for it. No word on what happens to the Storm's ownership situation if and when this happens.

Game 5: Minnesota Lynx (9-0) at Phoenix Mercury (2-5), 10 PM ET/7 PM PT and Arizona Time

WNBA.com | Lynx Preview

This is the game of the night for me, and not because it's the most competitive game on paper, because it's not.

Minnesota will try to pounce on another piece of prey in the form of the Mercury tonight in order to start the year with a 10-0 record, which would be a WNBA record too. The mercury on the thermometer in Phoenix is expected to be at about 105 degrees today, and the team hopes that this reading could at least slow down the Whalenites a little bit before game time right... The reward for the Mercury after this game is a two game cupcake match with the Tulsa Shock on the road this Sunday on dad's day and a Wednesday match at home against the Mystics, so there are some very winnable games after this one. Then again, the Whalenites could lose like they almost did to the Mystics not too long ago, but didn't Captain Whalen deliver at the end?

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Enjoy the games!