Liberty-Dream Preview

By MATT BECKER
Posted Aug 01 2011 3:51PM

Angel McCoughtry seemed to be slowed by an injury suffered in training camp in the Atlanta Dream's earlier meetings with the New York Liberty.

She is showing no signs of passiveness now.

McCoughtry looks to continue her scoring surge and help the Dream bounce back from their first loss in nearly three weeks Tuesday night against the visiting Liberty.

After ranking third in the league with 21.1 points per game and leading Atlanta to last season's Eastern Conference title, McCoughtry got off to a sluggish start as a result of an injury to her left knee suffered May 25.

The two-time All-Star averaged 14.0 points in her first three games against the Liberty, with the Dream (8-10) winning twice, after sitting out the season opener, a 97-88 overtime loss to New York.

The knee has seemingly been a non-issue lately, as McCoughtry is averaging 32.0 points on 50.6 percent shooting in her last four games.

One of the only things to slow her down in Sunday's 99-92 loss to Connecticut was an illness, scratching her from the starting lineup. Although she didn't enter until 3:15 remained in the first quarter, McCoughtry still scored 36 - including 19 in the fourth quarter as she tried to lead her team to its sixth consecutive victory.

The Dream, however, lost for the first time since falling 91-69 to the Liberty on July 13.

New York (10-8) won its fourth straight with that victory but has dropped three of five since.

The Liberty, who were swept by the Dream in last season's conference finals, are coming off Saturday's 91-84 loss to Phoenix. Nicole Powell led five players in double figures with 16 points, but New York allowed the Mercury to shoot 50.9 percent.

Cappie Pondexter, who averages a team-best 17.1 points, had a subpar performance, scoring 13. She was 4 for 19 from the field and missed 7 of 8 attempts from 3-point range.

"I don't think I took any bad shots," she said. "I probably could have gone to the basket a lot more. ... It's kind of a mental thing I guess, for myself. But you have those kinds of games sometimes."

Although the Dream are allowing an average of 82.3 points - fourth-worst in the league - Pondexter hasn't had much scoring success in the first four meetings, averaging 13.3 points on 34.0 percent shooting.

Powell led the way in the last matchup, scoring a season-best 20 points on 7- of-8 shooting.

Liberty 85, Dream 75

By CHARLES ODUM
Posted Aug 02 2011 10:51PM

ATLANTA (AP) John Whisenant was worried his New York team was catching Atlanta, winners of five of its last six, at the wrong time.

Instead, the Liberty's 3-point shooting overwhelmed the Dream.

Pienette Pierson scored 20 points, Leilani Mitchell sank four 3-pointers - all in the final period - and New York held off Atlanta 85-75 on Tuesday night.

Cappie Pondexter had 16 points and Nicole Powell added 13 for New York, which solidified its hold on third in the Eastern Conference by making 11 of 19 3-pointers.

``We felt like Atlanta was getting back in sync to where they were last year in the playoffs,'' said Whisenant, referring to the Dream's run to the WNBA finals. ``They had won five in a row and then lost a tough game at Connecticut they probably should have won.

``We were expecting it to be a playoff kind of game, and we played well.''

Whisenant said he told his team the game could be important to the conference playoff standings.

``With a couple more wins we could be in first place but with a couple more losses we could be in next to last place,'' Whisenant said.

New York is one game behind second-place Connecticut and 2 1/2 games behind first-place Indiana in the conference.

``I just know we need to continue to win to make the playoffs,'' Pondexter said. ``I cannot even begin to talk about the playoffs until we win these upcoming games. But if we do continue to win, we will continue to move up that East ladder.''

Mitchell opened the final period with two 3-pointers - her first two field goals of the game. She made another 3, barely beating the shot clock, to push the lead to 79-72, before her fourth 3 gave her 12 points in the quarter.

``I was just trying to be aggressive,'' Mitchell said. ``We always set up plays for Cappie, because she is so good and our playmaker and scorer, but I wanted to get in there and help us get the win.''

Asked about Mitchell, Atlanta coach Marynell Meadors said ``If she's open, she's going to hit.''

Meadors said Mitchell and other New York 3-point shooters were open too often.

``A lot of the 3s that they hit were on broken plays,'' Meadors said.

Meadors said her team ``just didn't have very good rhythm for some reason, offensively or defensively.''

New York claimed a 36-29 advantage in rebounds, a key in limiting Atlanta's up-tempo game. Pierson had a game-high eight rebounds.

``If we rebound, it fits right into our game so we can push it and run,'' Meadors said. ``We didn't have enough rebounds tonight.''

Atlanta fell one-half game behind Chicago in the race for the conference's fourth and final playoff spot.

Angel McCoughtry led the Dream with 24 points. Lindsey Harding added 14 with nine assists.

Atlanta, the defending conference champion, has lost two straight after a five-game winning streak.

McCoughtry, Atlanta's only All-Star, did not start for the second straight game. She came off the bench to lead Atlanta with 36 points in the Dream's 99-92 loss at Connecticut on Sunday, giving her more than 30 points in three of her last four games.

McCoughtry entered the game with 2:48 remaining in the first quarter and had a three-point play about a minute later. She had seven straight points for Atlanta in the second period, but the Liberty led 46-40 at the break as Essence Carson and Nicole Powell each had two 3-pointers in the half.

A 3-pointer by Pondexter extended New York's lead to 10 points at 56-46 midway through the third. Atlanta scored six of the next eight points and trailed 65-61 entering the final period.

New York won the season series, 3-2. Attendance was 4,573

• Liberty: --
• Dream: --

• Liberty: --
• Dream: --

• Lead Changes: 4
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
• Officials: #39 Michael Price, #17 Scott Twardoski, #43 Brenda Pantoja
• Attendance: 4573
• Duration: 1:54