Series Breakdown: Connecticut Sun (1) vs. Detroit Shock (2)
Familiar Rivals to Square Off For East Supremacy
Gm
1: at Det., Thu., 8/24, 7:30 p.m. ET. NBA TV
Gm
2: at Ct., Sat., 8/26, 4 p.m. ET. ESPN2
Gm
3*: at Ct., Sun., 8/27, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN2
It should
come as no surprise that the two best teams in the Eastern Conference all season
long should meet in the Conference Finals. The Connecticut Sun and Detroit Shock
are two rivals who have won the last three Conference titles. They know each other
well and do not particularly like each other on the court. The Shock swept the
season series, winning two games in Connecticut, including an overtime thriller
the second week of the season (though the victory in the last game of the regular
season was a meaningless game for the Sun). The Connecticut Sun finished the season
on a high note, winning 12 games in a row coming down the stretch and sweeping
the Washington Mystics in the first round. The Sun are looking for their first
championship in team history after losing back-to-back Finals in 2004 and 2005.
The Sun feature five All-Stars and entering the postseason with the league's best
record and a 15-3 record against the Eastern Conference. So is the third time
a charm? That's the question Sun fans, coaches and players are asking themselves
entering the postseason. Meanwhile, Detroit is hungry to win another championship
as many believe they have underachieved since winning in 2003. The Shock were
eliminated in the first round in each of the past two seasons, but swept the Fever
to get back to this point. A healthy Swin Cash and a full year of Katie Smith
makes the Shock a tough out. Led by Cheryl
Ford's averages of 14.5 points and league-leading 11.5 rebounds, the Shock
finished the season with the second best record in the Eastern Conference.
2006 Regular Season: Detroit Shock
3 - Connecticut Sun 0
Some
fast facts about the Sun-Shock first-round matchup:
Douglas
Katie Douglas and Lindsay Whalen averaged a combined 35 points per game in the
first round against the Mystics, but Nykesha Sales shot 1-17 in the first round
series. Douglas went down near the end of Game Two with what was later determined to be a hairline fracture in her right heel and she will miss the series.
Connecticut's Taj McWilliams-Franklin grabbed 14 points in each of the first round
games. Detroit's Cheryl Ford had 10 boards in each of its games.
The Shock had six players score in double figures in Game Two against the Fever,
including 23 from Ford and 20 points from Plenette Pierson off the bench.
Including the playoffs, the Shock were 10-8 on the road this season.
Detroit
Leaders: Katie Smith (23 pts., 8 ast.), Cheryl Ford (18 pts., 11 reb.) Connecticut Leaders: Katie Douglas (18 pts., 7 reb.), Nykesha Sales (17
pts., 4 ast.) NBA TV highlights:
Play
Detroit
Leaders: Katie Smith (21 pts., 3 ast.), Swin Cash (15 pts., 6 reb.) Connecticut
Leaders: Asjha Jones (16 pts., 5 reb.), Taj McWilliams-Franklin (8 pts., 10
reb.) NBA TV highlights:
Play
Katie Douglas and Lindsay Whalen averaged a combined 35 points per game in the
first round against the Mystics, but Nykesha Sales shot 1-17 in the first round
series. Douglas went down near the end of Game Two with what was later determined to be a hairline fracture in her right heel and she will miss the series.