Pirate Galaxy » ez said there was no thought about

Well say goodbye to a much-loved WNBA player on Wednesday night, although we dont know which one. And well see if a team can overcome a very ill-timed technical foul incurred this past weekend.Theres always drama in any postseason. But with the WNBA going to single-elimination games for the first two rounds this year, the drama factor is ramped up. Heres a quick look at the first-round matchups that open the 2016 playoffs.No. 8 Phoenix at No. 5 Indiana, (ESPNews, 6 p.m. ET)The Fevers Tamika Catchings and the Mercurys Penny Taylor came into the league at the same time, picked in the first round of the 2001 draft. Now they face each other in what will be the last WNBA game for one of them, as both players are retiring when this season is over.Both Indiana and Phoenix fans have had their chance to say thanks to these two fantastic players in ceremonies on their home courts. The Fever and their faithful definitely do not want Catchings last game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse to be a loss.But thats exactly what the Mercury hope to accomplish in their attempt to make the kind of statement in the playoffs that they didnt make in an inconsistent regular season. The Mercury (16-8) started the year with four consecutive losses, and that set the tone. Phoenix seemed back on track a few times this season, but surges were followed by more losses.Indiana won the teams first two meetings this season: 97-93 on May 18 in Indianapolis, and 78-60 in Phoenix on July 8. Then the Mercury took the third, 79-65 on Aug. 30 in Indy.That last victory was the end of the Mercurys three-win surge to start the post-Olympics part of the season. Yet it was followed by three consecutive losses, all on the road to East teams. So you get the picture: We really have no idea what Phoenix team well see Wednesday.Diana Taurasi leads Phoenix in scoring at 17.8 PPG, but she has shot a career-low 39.6 percent from the field. Taurasi, DeWanna Bonner (14.5 PPG), Brittney Griner (14.5), Taylor (12.5) and Candice Dupree (11.3) are the same group that won a WNBA championship in 2014.But the Mercury played far better defensively that year, holding opponents to 74.1 PPG. Contrast that to this year, when Phoenix allowed 83.3 in the regular season.The Fever (17-17) have had their ups and downs as well. Indiana doesnt have anyone who puts up big individual numbers; Catchings leads in scoring at 12.7 PPG. But there are seven players who average between 9.8 and 8.3 points, and at their best the Fever move the ball very well.We saw them do that Sunday against Dallas, which admittedly has an even worse defense than Phoenix. But that 83-60 victory is indicative of the kind of game Indiana would really like Wednesday to be.No. 7 Seattle at No. 6 Atlanta (ESPNews, 8 p.m. ET)The last time the Storm and Dream met in a playoff game, Seattle celebrated its second WNBA championship. That was Game 3 of the 2010 WNBA Finals, which the Storm won 87-84 as they completed a sweep of very close games.Angel McCoughtry, who had 35 points in that game, and Sancho Lyttle are the Atlanta players from 2010 who are still with the Dream; Sue Bird and Abby Bishop are still with the Storm.When that series was going on in September 2010, Seattles Breanna Stewart and Jewell Loyd were still in high school. On Wednesday, they could be very big factors for Seattle.So could the fact that Atlantas second-leading scorer, Tiffany Hayes (15.0 PPG), wont play. She is suspended for the game after picking up her seventh technical foul of the season in the Dreams loss at Minnesota on Saturday.That was a critical mistake for Hayes, who otherwise has had a very good season. Its also not certain that Lyttle, who has been dealing with a foot injury that kept her out of the Olympics, will be able to play. She was hurt July 15, and returned for two games on Sept. 4 and 6. But she hasnt played since then.It puts all the more weight on McCoughtry, who leads the team at 19.5 PPG. She will get help from Elizabeth Williams (11.9 PPG, 8.1 RPG), who is the favorite to win the leagues most improved player award. Rookie Bria Holmes, who has averaged 15.7 points in her last six games, also has given the Dream (17-17) a boost.No rookie has been more impactful this season, though, than Stewart, who leads Seattle in scoring (18.3), rebounding (9.3) and blocked shots (1.9). Loyd is right behind in points, at 16.5 PPG, with the veteran Bird directing the show (12.8 PPG, 5.8 APG).Seattle (16-18) took the season series 2-1. The Storm won 84-81 in Seattle on June 28, and then in Atlanta 91-82 on Sept. 4. In between, the Dream won 77-64 on July 5 in Atlanta.This is a home game for the Dream, but its not at their standard home in Philips Arena. It will be at Georgia Techs McCamish Pavilion, which is where the Dream will play their games for the next two seasons as Philips undergoes renovations. Jordan 1 Wholesale . Listen to the game live on TSN Radio 1050 at 7pm et. The Raptors traded Rudy Gay, Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray to the Sacramento Kings on Monday, in exchange for Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes. Cheap Jordan 11 From China . Los Angeles star goalie survived those perilous gymnastics with no problem, and he eventually backstopped the Kings to a skid-snapping win. Quick stopped 27 shots in his return from a 24-game injury absence, Jeff Carter scored the tiebreaking goal with 7:55 to play, and the Kings snapped their five-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night. http://www.wholesalejordan11.com/discount-jordan-4.html .05 million next season unless Graham and the Saints subsequently agree on a long-term deal. The designation was released Monday after the deadline passed for NFL teams to use franchise or transition tags on players becoming free agents. Cheap Jordan 11 For Sale . Tuesdays surgery at Atlantas Piedmont Hospital was performed by Dr. Xavier Duralde and Hawks team physician Dr. Michael Bernot. Cheap Air Jordan 11 Free Shipping . LOUIS -- Cardinals cleanup hitter Allen Craig says hes recovered from a foot injury and ready to be put on St. SAN DIEGO -- Steve Fisher gave quite the halftime speech to his San Diego State Aztecs on Wednesday night, some 48 hours after they were embarrassed by No. 14 Gonzaga.Leading San Diego Christian by 14, Fisher told his players that their forced effort reminded him of kickball in third period gym class when he was a teacher and coach at Rich East High in Park Forest, Illinois.Then, he jokingly asked the two 13-year-old honorary coaches if they had tennis shoes because he was going to need to put one of them in due to a shrinking number of healthy players.The Aztecs came out looser in the second half and ran off to an 81-58 victory, with Jeremy Hemsley scoring 23 points and Trey Kell adding 19.They were trying to shake off a 21-point loss at Gonzaga on Monday night.One young freshman said, `Coach, this is forced fun. I said, `It looks like its forced fun. Youre feeling sorry for yourself about the whipping we took on Monday and you cant do that, Fisher said, recounting his halftime talk.I thought the second half was far from perfect but I liked the pop in our step and we played with a little more, `Im really glad to be here, rather than, `Do I have to be here?Zylan Cheatham and Dakarai Allen scored 15 points each for the Aztecs (2-1), who improved to 7-0 against the Hawks.This was an exhibition for San Diego Christian, an NAIA team from suburban Santee. Isaiah Milan scored 19 for the Hawks and Luis Salgado had 12.San Diego State jumped to a 14-2 lead against the Hawks. Hemsley scored seven points in the opening run, including a 3-pointer and a dunk on an alley-oop pass from Kell. The Aztecs led by three with six minutes left before going on a 15-4 run to close the half for a 37-23 lead. Kell had a 3-pointer and Hemsley had two buckets.It was a good game to get the bad taste out of our moutth but we still remembered what happened, Hemsley said.dddddddddddd. That game isnt something we can hang our heads on. It happened and we have to move on from it and get better.San Diego Christian, an NAIA school from suburban Santee, was playing its first game since its bus was involved in a fiery fatal crash early Sunday on the way home from a game at Cal State Bakersfield. The team was OK but the driver of the car that rear-ended the bus was killed. The car caught fire, which spread to the bus and destroyed the teams road uniforms and personal belongings.The Hawks wore a set of alternate jerseys.Coach Edgar Mendez said there was no thought about rescheduling this game.I think we needed something back to basketball. That was more important, he said. This brought us back to the game that we love. And Im hoping it took some of that thought away from all of our guys. Its been a couple of days where thats all weve been talking about.BIG PICTURESan Diego Christian: After Sunday mornings accident in San Bernardino County, the Hawks had to wait for a replacement bus to arrive. They got back to campus at 5:30 a.m.San Diego State: The Aztecs were once again without 6-foot-10 forward Malik Pope, who has a knee injury, Ben Perez (back), and two other injured players. Matt Shrigley (ankle) could have played in an emergency. Guard Emmanuel Wilson, who made the team last season through open tryouts, made his season debut. Allen shook off a leg injury and returned in the second half. When he went out, the Aztecs had only five healthy scholarship players.UP NEXTSan Diego Christian plays at Chapman on Saturday.San Diego State plays California in Sacramento on Monday night. ' ' '