The Daily Swish: The Fever win, clear up the Eastern Conference playoff picture

TGIF everyone. Let's get to some links:

Thursday final score

Indiana Fever beats the New York Liberty, 76-63 - A big first half was more than enough to secure Indy its tenth straight playoff bid in the Tamika Catchings Era. In addition, this win also secures the Chicago Sky its first consecutive playoff berth in franchise history. Here's a recap from the AP, via WNBA.com.

More links

With the Sky and Fever clinching playoff berths, the Mystics and Liberty fight for the last open spot - The Libs have a harder path to the Playoffs, but with no 2015 first round pick, they must work hard to win their remaining games. But the Mystics however are better off tanking, because a young team like them is better served with having a better shot in the 2015 Draft.

Even though it is better for them to tank, the Mystics will try to win Friday's game against Connecticut anyway - Washington can qualify for postseason with one win. That win will eliminate the New York Liberty from the playoffs, and give the Connecticut Sun two guaranteed Top-4 picks in the 2015 WNBA Draft. The Sun already has two Top-4 picks from the 2014 Draft as well in Chiney Ogwumike and Alyssa Thomas.

So, even though the 2015 Draft may not be as strong, if the Sun somehow ends up with the #1 AND #2 picks for 2015, that's really going to help this team contend for a long time, and real soon. Chris Sienko, Mitchell Etess, Anne Donovan, and the Sun organization aren't idiots. They are almost definitely going to tank this game and hope Mike Thibault and the Mystics fall for the bait and win the game, but potentially hurt themselves long term... Then this will justify why Connecticut terminated Thibault in 2012. And I want the Mystics to be on the right side of history on that move, which was unjust.

Link to the Washington Post.

The Storm only practiced twice during its first 13 games according to Storm head coach Brian Agler - Well, even if they practiced more, this team would still be below .500, but we're through with this team. Their playoff run should come to an end by the end of the weekend. Here's an article from the Seattle Times' Jayda Evans.

SA Express-News: Becky Hammon commemorative poster The San Antonio Express-News has a nice graphic on the Star guard's storied career.

Examining the case for Odyssey Sims as Rookie of the Year - Here's Nate's take as to why she deserves very strong consideration.

Former WNBA President WNBA President Donna Orender talks about her time in the league - In this piece from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Orender talks about her time in the league, how former NBA Commissioner hired her, and on Becky Hammon's hiring by the Spurs.

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