Lynx claim their first WNBA titleThanks to 16 points from Seimone Augustus and stifling defense in the second half, the Minnesota Lynx captured their first WNBA championship with a 73-67 victory over the Atlanta Dream. Augustus was named Finals MVP for her performances, which led the Lynx to a sweep in the best-of-five series. She posted 22 points and seven assists in Game 1 and had a franchise-playoff record 36 points in Game 2, including 15 in the fourth quarter. Rookie of the year Maya Moore added 15 points and seven rebounds to help the Lynx, who trailed at halftime but limited the Dream to eight points in the third quarter. Minnesota closed the postseason with six straight wins, including sweeps of Phoenix in the Western Conference finals and Atlanta in the championship series.
OffseasonThe Tulsa Shock named formed Indiana assistant coach Gary Kloppenburg head coach. The Los Angeles Sparks named former Atlanta assistant coach Carol Ross head coach. This is introduction to 2012 WNBA season. Latest news, statistics, results and predictions you can find on our main WNBA page. The 2012 WNBA Draft was held on April 16, 2012 in Bristol, Connecticut. The top picks were:
2012 key dates
The preseason odds for the outright winnerThese are odds to win WNBA 2012 Championship published by online bookmakers before the start of the season:
The Minnesota Lynx are coming off a season where they not only coasted through the regular season, but lost only one game in the Playoffs. They return almost every key contributor from that dominant squad and there's really no reason to expect much of a drop off from the defending champs. Another bonus for the Lynx is that while three Lynx players will be representing the United States in the Olympics, none plan to miss WNBA games as a result. The Indiana Fever closed out 2011 one game short of their goal to reach the WNBA Finals. Tamika Catchings was slowed by injury by the end of the Fever-Dream Eastern Conference Finals. 2011 WNBA Most Valuable Player has fully recovered and is ready to go. Guard Briann January is back after undergoing knee surgery. With things shored up on the health front, they may not fall one game short in 2012. After the combined shambles under Jennifer Gillom and Joe Bryant, the reins of LA Sparks have been handed over to former Atlanta assistant Carol Ross. As a nice bonus for Ross, the Sparks beat the odds and ended up with the #1 pick, Stanford's Nneka Ogwumike, an extremely talented forward. Also added to the squad are Nicky Anosike, Marissa Coleman, Alana Beard (signed as a free agent) and Sharnee Zoll. New coach, several new players, and hopefully the start of a new era in LA. WNBA Champions
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teamsAtlanta DreamCenters: Yelena Leuchanka, Courtney Paris; Forwards: Aneika Henry, Cathrine Kraayeveld, Sancho Lyttle, Erika de Souza; Guards: Lindsey Harding, Tiffany Hayes, Laurie Koehn, Coco Miller, Ketia Swanier, Angel McCoughtry, Armintie Price Chicago SkyCenters: Sylvia Fowles, Ruth Riley, Carolyn Swords; Forwards: Swin Cash, Felicia Chester, Sonja Petrovic, Le'coe Willingham, Tamera Young; Guards: Sydney Carter, Eshaya Murphy, Shey Peddy, Ticha Penicheiro, Epiphanny Prince, Courtney Vandersloot Connecticut SunCenters: Tina Charles, Astan Dabo, Chay Shegog; Forwards: Kelsey Griffin, Asjha Jones, Mistie Mims; Guards: Dawn Evans, Kalana Greene, Allison Hightower, Kara Lawson, Renee Montgomery, Sidney Spencer, Tan White, Danielle McCray Indiana FeverCenters: Jessica Davenport, Sasha Goodlett, Tammy Sutton-Brown; Forwards: Tamika Catchings, Shyra Ely, Erlana Larkins; Guards: Shannon Bobbitt, Roneeka Hodges, Briann January, Erin Phillips, Jeanette Pohlen, Shavonte Zellous, La'Tangela Atkinson, Katie Douglas Los Angeles SparksCenters: Rashidat Junaid, Jantel Lavender; Forwards: Farhiya Abdi, Ebony Hoffman, DeLisha Milton-Jones, Nneka Ogwumike, Candace Parker, Nicky Anosike; Guards: Darxia Morris, Jenna O'Hea, Khadijah Rushdan, Ashley Shields, Kristi Toliver, Sharnee' Zoll, Alana Beard, Marissa Coleman, April Sykes Minnesota LynxCenters: Jessica Adair; Forwards: Rebekkah Brunson, Queralt Casas, Amber Harris, Maya Moore, Devereaux Peters, Taj McWilliams-Franklin; Guards: Seimone Augustus, Brittany Rayburn, Erin Thorn, Lindsay Whalen, Candice Wiggins, Julie Wojta, Monica Wright New York LibertyCenters: Kelley Cain, Quanitra Hollingsworth, Kia Vaughn; Forwards: Laura Broomfield, Raffaella Masciadri, Plenette Pierson, Nicole Powell, DeMya Walker, Kara Braxton; Guards: Essence Carson, Sydney Colson, Kelly Miller, Leilani Mitchell, Cappie Pondexter, Alex Montgomery, Katelan Redmon Phoenix MercuryCenters: Zane Teilane, Krystal Thomas, Avery Warley; Forwards: Candice Dupree, Charde Houston, Amanda Johnson, Chastity Reed, Penny Taylor, Nakia Sanford; Guards: Alexis Gray-Lawson, Alexis Hornbuckle, Samantha Prahalis, Andrea Riley, Dymond Simon, Diana Taurasi, DeWanna Bonner San Antonio Silver StarsCenters: Jayne Appel, Ziomara Morrison, Tangela Smith; Forwards: Cierra Bravard, Shameka Christon, Kalisha Keane, Porsha Phillips, Sophia Young, Danielle Adams; Guards: Tully Bevilaqua, Becky Hammon, Shenise Johnson, Loree Moore, Jia Perkins, Danielle Robinson Seattle StormCenters: Ewelina Kobryn, Lindsay Taylor, Ann Wauters; Forwards: Alysha Clark, Victoria Dunlap, Ashley Gayle, Keisha Hampton, Camille Little, Tina Thompson, Lauren Jackson; Guards: Sue Bird, Ashley Corral, Silvia Dominguez, Allie Quigley, Katie Smith, Tanisha Wright, Shekinna Stricklen Tulsa ShockCenters: Chante Black, Elizabeth Cambage, Lynetta Kizer; Forwards: Amber Holt, Glory Johnson, Jennifer Lacy, Kayla Pedersen, Vicki Baugh; Guards: Shanna Crossley, Lorin Dixon, Temeka Johnson, Ivory Latta, Jene Morris, Scholanda Robinson, Riquna Williams, Karima Christmas Washington MysticsCenters: Ashley Robinson, Michelle Snow, Lynetta Kizer; Forwards: LaSondra Barrett, Monique Currie, Laura Harper, Crystal Langhorne, Rashanda McCants, LaToya Pringle, Ashley Walker; Guards: Matee Ajavon, Dominique Canty, Natasha Lacy, Natalie Novosel, Noelle Quinn, Jasmine Thomas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||