Who: Los Angeles Sparks vs. Minnesota Lynx
Where: Staples Center
What: 2011 WNBA Opening Night
When: 11 p.m. EST (NBA TV/WNBA Live Access)
Season Previews:
DNS: Can He Swish Again? Dishin' out the 2011 WNBA Predictions
Solobasket's WNBA Guide 2011: The show is back
James' Western Conference preview
Storyline: There will be a natural impulse to reduce this game to Maya Moore's first game as a pro vs. Candace Parker's first game back from a season-ending injury last season. But ultimately there's more to this game than two players.
Minnesota Lynx: With or without Maya Moore, you know the Lynx have talent. The question is can they bring it together. I'll leave it at that, lest I start gushing as I did last season (before being proven wrong). What this game is as much as anything else is a first look at their rotations and how all of their new talent blends with their (now-healthy) previous talent.
Los Angeles Sparks: Similarly, the Sparks are extremely talented and balanced this season; moreover, they could be the league's most improved team this season. The question, as described at-length in a previous look at the Sparks, is how well the new pieces come together with the old pieces with a returning Parker.