There are plenty of intriguing questions heading into the 2002 WNBA All-Star Game (Monday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN). For instance, who's the favorite for MVP? Will the rookies rise? Will anyone dunk? And, most importantly, who's going to win? WNBA.com caught up with TV analyst Doris Burke and asked her about Monday's game in Washington, D.C. to find out these answers and more. Burke will be covering the game for ESPN. Here's what she had to say:
Q: Does the East have a chance?
Burke: Most certainly. I really anticipate a close game. Sometimes the stylistic differences between the Eastern and Western Conferences aren't always appreciated, and I think the East can use this to their advantage.
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Q: How much will the East miss Chamique Holdsclaw?
Burke: Quite a bit. Her absence will hurt the East more than anything else. Holdsclaw has really elevated her game this year. She's become everything you want a feature player to be; she hits big baskets and leads by example. The biggest difference with her is that she's so much better now than she was early on at working with the talent that surrounds her. She's kind of like Michael Jordan in that sense, in that he also had to learn to play with the other players on his team.
Q: Do you expect to see a dunk?
Burke: Probably not, as Leslie is the only one who can do it. Although there's probably a better chance of it happening in a "fun" game like this rather than in the regular season, where no one wants to be the first team to get dunked on.
Q: What style of play do you expect to see?
Burke: Fast-paced. I think that athleticism will play a huge part in the outcome. This hasn't historically been the case. But each season, there's been progress towards a free-flowing style of play, and I think all of these players are anxious to show their skills by pushing the ball up the floor. The scoring will be high, and the pace will be up and down. It will be a great All-Star Game.
Q: What impact do you think the rookies Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings and Stacey Dales-Schuman will have on the game?
Burke: I watched Bird play four years at Connecticut, but in watching her play this season -- even in the first game of her WNBA career -- the thing that stood out in my mind was her willingness to become a leader right away. She's not shy about directing players or taking big shots, so I don't think she'll have any trouble running the West's offense.
In fact, I don't think any of the three rookies will have any trouble. They all have a willingness to take the big shot. Catchings and Dales-Schuman come from tremendous basketball backgrounds. I don't see them flinching in the face of the All-Stars assembled around them.
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Swoopes and Leslie will give the West a formidable one-two punch. Sam Forencich, Andrew D. Bernstein/WNBAE/Getty Images |
Burke: I don't know that there's anyone in the league that can handle Leslie. Tari Phillips and Sutton-Brown are excellent centers with offensive capabilities. But Leslie can do everything now; she can step away from the rim and hurt you, and she can score inside as well. Not to mention her rebounding and defense. The best thing the East has going for it in this matchup is the fact that Leslie will have to split time and won't be playing all 40 minutes.
Q: What does this game mean to Washington and the surging Mystics?
Burke: I think it's an oversight that Washington hasn't hosted the All-Star Game yet. I've been involved in the league in some way since year one, and along with New York and Houston, the Washington fans are as passionate as any in the league. Even in the face of tough seasons they were loyal and supportive, and you can't ask for much more than that. Now that they're winning, it's even sweeter.
Q: Who will win?
Burke: It's tough, but I say the West wins it in a close game.
Other storylines to watch:
- The dynamic between the Comets and the Sparks in this game fascinates me. Putting the Sparks' Tamecka Dixon, Leslie, and Mwadi Mabika on the same team with the Comets' Swoopes and Thompson while both teams are vying for the top spot in the league is something that's worth watching. Only one of those teams can make it out of the West.
- Leslie was the All-Star MVP last year with Swoopes out due to injury. One has to wonder how badly Swoopes wants to show what she can do now that she's healthy.
- This game represents a bridge between generations of players. Established players like Dawn Staley and Weatherspoon are starting in this game. But now younger players like Marie Ferdinand, Tammy Sutton-Brown and Penny Taylor are getting their first shots as All-Stars. They represent the future of the league, and they're also poised to become keepers of Olympic excellence.
- Not having Yolanda Griffith in the game due to a neck injury is a big loss for everyone. She's an exciting combination of power and finesse, and I wish her the speediest of recoveries.
