EC Finals Liberty vs. Dream Start Tonight

Posted by: Chelsea Janaè

(Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE/Getty Images)

Well the Eastern Conference Finals are here. Atlanta hasn't played in eight days since sweeping Washington(August 27th), and New York just wrapped up their series against Indiana on Tuesday. In the regular season both teams split the season series 2-2, offensively the Liberty were + 0.8, but defensively the Dream were + 8.8 on the boards.

Another hard prediction, but I'm rollin' with the ATL in three.

Check out game one tonight on NBA TV/LiveAccess at 7:00 pm.

Against the Dream: 83.3 PPG & 28.5 RPG

Janel McCarville: 9.0 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.5 APG

Nicole Powell: 7.3 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.3 APG

Taj McWilliams-Franklin: 10.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.0 APG

Leilani Mitchell: 10.8 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 4.0 APG

Cappie Pondexter: 25.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 6.0 APG

Bench Points: 19.8 PPG

Against the Liberty: 82.5 PPG & 37.3 RPG

Angel McCoughtry: 20.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.8 APG

Sancho Lyttle: 9.8 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 2.5 APG

Erika deSouza: 17.8 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 0.8 APG

Izi Castro Marques: 16.0 PPG, 0.8 RPG, 1.5 APG

Shalee Lehning: 4.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.8 APG

Bench Points: 14.0 PPG

Links: Knicks Turn Down Deal For Rudy Fernandez

Posted by: Chelsea Janaè

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

According to New York Daily News, Knicks President recently turned down a deal for Rudy Fernandez. So supposedly the deal would send Fernandez to New York, Anthony Randolph to Indiana, and a first-round pick to Portland.

-Ok if you haven't heard there has been what I like to call drama between Rudy and the Trail Blazers. Reports say Rudy is basically unhappy in Portland and at odds with the organization. Just last month he was fined $25K for requesting a trade.

It's good to think big right? Well that's exactly what new Chicago Bull Carlos Boozer is doing. His goal for the Bulls is a championship, plain and simple.

-Wait, shouldn't that be the goal anyway for every team.

Team USA wrapped the preliminary round of the FIBA World Championship Thursday, finishing 5-0 and first in Group B. Now they move on to the round of 16 (elimination round). They play Angola Monday at 11:00 am.

-Let's get it Team USA.

New York Knicks players Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Ronny Turiaf, Toney Douglas, Anthony Randolph, Rager Mason Jr., and Patrick Ewing Jr. showed their support for the New York Liberty  in the win against the Indiana Fever. They move on to the EC Finals against the Atlanta Dream.

-It's good to see the NBA players support the WNBA players.

Atlanta Hawks add a big man to their frontcourt Etan Thomas. Last season Thomas played with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Over his career he has averaged 5.8 PPG and 4.8 RPG.

-Welcome to the A Etan.

George Karl has been cleared to return to coaching the Denver Nuggets.

- Good to see Coach is coming back.

Despite winning her third MVP Award Lauren Jackson says she still has more to improve on.

- Great players always looking to get better.

WC Finals: Storm Take Game 1

Posted by: Chelsea Janaè

(Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE/Getty Images)

Storm 82, Mercury 74: Seattle beats Phoenix and take the 1-0 series lead. For the first three minutes neither team got off to a great start, but the Storm found their rhythm outscoring the Mercury 23-14. Once the Storm took their lead the Mercury were never able to take a lead. Seattle shot 38.8 percent from the field and 40 percent (10-25) from three-point range. Just winning her third MVP award Lauren Jackson led her team to victory. LJ was 7 for 15 from the field and 3 for 8 beyond the arc finishing with 23 points and 17 rebounds. While some of the other starters struggled offensively Svetlana Abrosimova came off the bench and dropped 16 points and Le'coe Willingham also in double figures with 10 points. Sue Bird (seven points) dished out 10 dimes.

Not a good game for the Mercury. They did shoot 60 percent (9-15) from the three-point line, while shooting 38 percent from the field. Phoenix down by 15 at one point they pulled within four in the third quarter, but never got any closer. Their leading scorer Diana Taurasi wasn't herself in this game. DT scored nine points on 2 of 15 shooting from the field and 1 of 4 beyond the arc. Penny Taylor was the leading scorer with 16 points, Candice Dupree had 15 points and 11 rebounds,and Temeka Johnson 10 points and seven assists.

Game three(Sunday at 3 pm on ABC) shifts to Phoenix and the Mercury will try and avoid a sweep by the Storm.

Lauren Jackson Named 2010 WNBA MVP + Brian Agler Named COY

Posted by: Chelsea Janaè

(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein NBAE/Getty Images)

For the third time in her WNBA career Lauren Jackson has been named the 2010 WNBA MVP. LJ received 323 points (22 first place votes) beating Tamika Catchings 262 points, and Cappie Pondexter 207 points. Other players that received votes Diana Taurasi (73 pts), Crystal Langhorne (54 pts), Angel McCoughtry (41 pts), Tina Charles (19 pts), Sue Bird (14 pts), Tina Thompson (6 pts), and Penny Taylor (3 pts).

2010 Stats

20.5 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 1.2 APG, FG%: 46.2 & 3p%: 34.6

Also Storm head coach Brian Agler was named Coach of the Year. Agler received 17 votes beating Liberty coach Ann Donovan (13 votes) and Mystics coach Julie Plank (9 votes). Agler led the Storm to a 28-6 record this season and 17-0 at home.

WC Finals Storm vs. Mercury Start Tonight

Posted by: Chelsea Janaè

(Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE/Getty Images)

The Western Conference Finals are here and should be a great series. Seattle has been playing good basketball all season and Phoenix (defending champs) stepped their game up in the postseason. How did these two do against each other in the regular season? Well the Storm had the edge over the Mercury sweeping the season series 5-0. Best game between the two the triple OT game July 14th. The Storm got the W (111-107) LJ dropped 31 points & 18 rebounds, and DT dropped a season-high 44 points. Both teams swept their first round opponents, but this series will be different nothing easy.

Kind of hard to pick a winner, but if I have to predict I will have to go with the Storm in three.

Tune in tonight at 10:00 pm on NBA TV.

Against the Mercury: 94.4 ppg & 44.8 RPG

Lauren Jackson: 22.2 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 1.6 APG

Swin Cash: 14.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.8 APG

Camille Little: 11.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.0 APG

Tanisha Wright: 14.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 4.2 APG

Sue Bird: 11.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 7.8 APG

Bench points: 20.4 PPG

Against the Storm: 85.6 PPG & 36.2 RPG

Penny Taylor: 8.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.8 APG

Candice Dupree: 11.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.0 APG

Tangela Smith: 5.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 0.2 APG

Diana Taurasi: 23.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.5 APG

Temeka Johnson: 8.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 2.2 APG

Bench points: 32.2 PPG

New York Liberty Advance to Eastern Conference Finals

Posted by: Chelsea Janaè

(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant /NBAE/Getty Images)

Liberty 77, Fever 74: New York beats Indiana by three and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. First I will say Both Teams Played Hard (Rasheed Wallace voice). I truly mean that neither team wanted their season to end. Kia Vaughn stepped up in a big way off the bench off the bench for the Liberty. Vaughn was 5 of 8 from the field and finished with 13 points and seven rebounds. Cappie Pondexter what else can you say about her? CP23 shot 12 for 24 from the field and 2 for 4 from three-point ranged finishing with a game/team-high 30 points. Essence Carson was also good off the bench with 11 points, and Taj McWilliams-Franklin (six pts.) grabbed 11 rebounds. The Liberty played with out Janel McCarville (sprained ankle), so Plenette Pierson started in her place finishing with eight points. Now New York looks on to face Atlanta in the EC Finals with home-court advantage.

Tough end to Indiana's season, they just fell apart in the final minute of the fourth quarter. They had one last chance to tie the game, but Briann January's three did not fall. Katie Douglas who struggled a bit in this series led the Fever in scoring. Douglas was 8 for 13 from the field and 3 for 6 from three-point ranged finishing with 24 points. Tamika Catchings (six rebs) added 21 points and Ebony Hoffman had 13 points.

Delonte West Returning to Boston

Posted by: Chelsea Janaè

That's right Delonte West is heading back to Beantown, the team that drafted him 24th overall in 2004. Back in July West was traded by Cleveland to Minnesota (then waived). Last season with the the Cavs he averaged 7.4 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.3 APG and his three season with the Celtics 04-07 he averaged 9.5 PPG, 2.9 RPG, and 3.5 APG.

Via Boston Herald:

West will sign a non-guaranteed contract and will be on hand when the team begins camp this fall.

The NBA did suspend him for 10 games for pleading guilty to weapons charges. Despite his troubles Delonte has had some nice highlights in his career.

Flashback to Delonte's KFC Freestyle (some NSFW language).