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20080903/MINPHO
Lynx-Mercury Preview
By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN, STATS Editor

With the regular season winding down, the Phoenix Mercury are looking at each of their final six games as must-wins.

The defending WNBA champions look to bounce back from a blowout loss in their return to action after the Olympic break when they continue their six-game homestand on Wednesday night against the Minnesota Lynx.

Phoenix (12-16) earned its first championship last season by beating Detroit in the finals, but its bid to repeat was hindered before it even got started.

Coach Paul Westphal left and was replaced by Corey Gaines, and star forward Penny Taylor opted to skip the first part of the season to prepare for the Olympics with Australia. Taylor later decided not to rejoin Phoenix.

The result has seen the Mercury mired in last place in the competitive West, 3 1/2 games behind Sacramento for the conference's fourth and final playoff spot.

Phoenix fared poorly in its return following the Olympics, falling behind by as many as 33 points in a 77-55 loss to San Antonio on Thursday. Cappie Pondexter, who helped the United States win gold in Beijing, made 2-of-9 shots for four points as part of the dismal effort.

She believes Phoenix must win every remaining game to have a chance to defend its crown.

"That's the only chance we have, is to win the last six games," Pondexter said. "Tonight, we kind of let them take it and we didn't fight at all."

The Mercury lead the league in scoring with 88.0 points per game, but shot 27.5 percent (19-of-69) during their worst offensive game of the season.

"We need to get our starters rested, and it's getting back in there and working," Gaines said.

Pondexter had one of her best games of the season on May 31 at Minnesota with 31 points, but Phoenix lost 94-83 in the only previous meeting between the teams this season.

Seimone Augustus led the Lynx with 22 points, and rookies Charde Houston and Candice Wiggins combined to score 35 off the bench.

Minnesota (14-14) began a four-game road trip with an 82-58 loss to Los Angeles on Monday. The Lynx entered the game as the league's best shooting team from the field at 42.9 percent, but shot just 32.8 percent (23-of-70).

Augustus led Minnesota with 13 points, and has scored a total of 25 in two games after the break. She averaged 22.6 points in her last seven games before the Olympics.

The Lynx trail the Monarchs by 1 1/2 games for the West's final playoff spot.

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