Liberty-Fever Preview

By MATT BEARDMORE
Posted Aug 28 2010 1:04PM

The New York Liberty snapped two lengthy losing streaks in their last visit to Conseco Fieldhouse. Now, they'll try to end the Indiana Fever's season.

The second-seeded Liberty look to sweep the best-of-three Eastern Conference semifinals Sunday night against a Fever team that has seen their late-season swoon extend into the postseason.

While the teams split four regular-season meetings, New York ended a seven-game losing streak to the Fever and 13-game skid in Indianapolis with an 82-72 win on Aug. 3. Nicole Powell had six 3-pointers and led the Liberty with 20 points.

New York heads back to Conseco Fieldhouse after an 85-73 victory in Game 1 Thursday. The Liberty won their ninth straight at Madison Square Garden behind a franchise playoff-record 28 points from MVP hopeful Cappie Pondexter, who also matched a Liberty postseason record with five 3s.

Essence Carson also provided a big boost, scoring nine of her playoff career-high 17 points during a 17-2 run in the fourth quarter, She started 64 of 68 games in her first two seasons, but has embraced a reserve role this year following the offseason acquisition of Powell.

"I said that the entire season that I'm going to be ready because one day your number will be called,'' Carson said. "No matter when it is, what game it is, whether its the championship game or if it's a game that pretty much doesn't mean too much. But this game means a lot and I was happy to be called upon.''

While the Liberty look to advance to the East finals for the second time in three years and a matchup with fourth-seeded Atlanta, Indiana is trying to force a Game 3 on Wednesday at MSG.

After losing their final three regular-season games - a stretch that started with a 78-57 defeat to New York on Aug. 17 - the defending conference champion Fever were outrebounded 39-24 in the playoff opener. New York pulled down 15 offensive boards compared to seven by Indiana.

"There was a period when we missed layup and another layup and another and they came up and answered,'' Fever coach Lin Dunn said. "Their offensive rebounds finally broke our back. ... If we have any hope of beating this team at home we have to do a better job on the boards.''

Fever forward Tamika Catchings had 18 points with seven rebounds and six assists in Game 1. She averaged 16.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists in New York's two visits to Indiana this year.

Pondexter, the reigning Eastern Conference player of the month, had 20.0 points with 5.0 assists and 6.5 rebounds in those matchups.

The last reigning Eastern conference champ to lose in the first round was Detroit in 2004 when New York won in three games.

Catchings leads Fever past Liberty

By CLIFF BRUNT
Posted Aug 29 2010 11:49PM

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) After picking up some individual awards earlier in the day, Tamika Catchings led the Indiana Fever to a big win.

Catchings started the day by being selected the WNBA's defensive player of the year and earning the league's sportsmanship award, and then was picked for the all-defensive team.

She ended it with a 17-point, 13-rebound effort to help the Fever beat the New York Liberty 75-67 on Sunday night to tie their best-of-three Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Catchings had her 14th double-double in 30 career playoff games to help the Fever fight off elimination and earn one more chance to defend their Eastern Conference crown. Game 3 is Wednesday at New York, with the winner advancing to face Atlanta in the conference finals.

Indiana had lost four straight, but the Fever opened Sunday's game with one of the best defensive quarters in their postseason history, holding the Liberty to 3-for-15 shooting while building a 21-8 lead.

Indiana tied its record for fewest points allowed in a quarter in a playoff game.

``We know we're capable of winning games,'' Catchings said. ``We know as a team how good of a team we are. We're a great team. We clean up some things, we'll be OK.''

Indiana trailed Detroit 1-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals last year, but recovered to win 2-1 and advance to the Finals for the first time.

``We were in this situation last year, of having our backs against the wall,'' Catchings said. ``What are you going to do about it?''

Until last year, the team with home-court opened on the road and had Games 2 and 3 at home. This year, the league changed to a 1-1-1 format with the higher seeded team getting Games 1 and 3 at home.

New York outrebounded Indiana 39-25 in Game 1 on Thursday, but Indiana won that battle 41-36 on Sunday.

``We watched the tapes yesterday, and we came back and really watched and saw all the things we needed to do,'' Catchings said. ``I think tonight, the biggest focus for us was rebounding. For the most part, we did a great job.''

New York had won 12 of its previous 13 games, but the Fever held the Liberty to 37 percent shooting. Essence Carson scored 24 points and Cappie Pondexter had 20 for the Liberty, but they were the only New York players to score in double figures. The Liberty starters shot a combined 12 for 42 from the field.

``We could not put the ball in the hole,'' Liberty coach Anne Donovan said. ``We had poor offense.''

Indiana's Katie Douglas sprained her ankle in the regular-season finale and was scoreless in 27 minutes in Game 1 against New York. She was much more active in Game 2 and had 11 points and five assists.

``I don't know how much more worse it could have got for me the other night,'' Douglas said. ``Just being passive and just kind of being in a fog on Thursday is definitely something that I wanted to fix, that mentality.''

Tammy Sutton-Brown scored 14 points and former Liberty player Jessica Davenport had 10 points and eight rebounds for the Fever.

Carson scored 10 of her 12 first-half points in the second quarter to give New York's offense a boost, but Indiana still led 39-27 at the break.

The Fever opened the second half with a 9-0 run to break the game open. A long 2-point jumper by Douglas gave Indiana a 48-27 lead and led to a New York timeout. New York didn't score for nearly 3 1/2 minutes to start the quarter, and Indiana led 64-46 at the end of the period.

New York outscored Indiana 21-11 in the fourth quarter, but that meant little to the Liberty. Carson said she knows what her team needs to do to advance.

``Be aggressive and lock it down on defense,'' she said. ``Basic fundamentals.''

• Liberty: --
• Fever: --

• Liberty: --
• Fever: --

• Lead Changes: 1
• Times Tied: 1

• Arena: Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
• Officials: #18 Kurt Walker, #42 Roy Gulbeyan, #44 Felicia Grinter
• Attendance: 7535
• Duration: 2:0