Stars-Lynx Preview
It's unclear if the Minnesota Lynx will get one of their top players back in time to face a team riding one of the longest road win streaks in franchise history.
If she returns, Seimone Augustus could help Minnesota extend its recent dominance of the San Antonio Stars, who haven't lost on the road since visiting the Target Center more than a month ago.
Augustus sat out a 74-69 home win over Seattle on Sunday because of bursitis in her left knee. The Lynx's second-leading scorer (17.2 points per game) had a season-low five on 2-of-10 shooting in an 81-71 road loss to the Storm on Friday.
The injury also caused her to miss a 92-79 loss in Phoenix on June 18. She was held out of Tuesday's practice, but coach Cheryl Reeve indicated the team was being cautious.
"We want to make sure when she comes back, she's fully healthy," Reeve said. "We don't want to do a couple days at a time then she's out again. We want to get her fully healthy. We're pretty certain with what's going on with her knee."
Janel McCarville helped make up for Augustus' absence Sunday with a season-high 22 points. Maya Moore was held to 14 -- nearly nine below her team-leading average -- and shot 4 for 12.
Moore, though, has played a major role in Minnesota (12-5) winning both meetings with the Stars (9-8) this season. She had 25 points on 12-of-19 shooting in an 87-79 victory in San Antonio on June 1, and her 26 points, nine rebounds and five assists led the Lynx to an 88-72 home win May 30.
The Stars haven't lost on the road since that defeat, with the current five-game win streak away from home being their longest since a franchise-record, seven-game run in 2012.
However, they've lost 10 in a row in Minnesota, including two in the 2011 playoffs, and six straight overall to the Lynx.
San Antonio is 2-0 on a season-high, four-game trip after beating Connecticut 74-71 on Tuesday behind Becky Hammon's season-high 18 points and Danielle Robinson's 17.
The Stars are allowing an average of 72.4 points during their road streak -- 6.1 fewer than their season mark -- and 68.3 in the past three wins.
"There is no secret," coach Dan Hughes said. "We have had a couple of good defensive games in a row and that helps you win on the road, but I don't know, if I had the secret, I would feel like I'm smart."
Hughes' club will try to match a season-high, three-game overall win streak from June 14-22.
It's unclear if the Minnesota Lynx will get one of their top players back in time to face a team riding one of the longest road win streaks in franchise history.
If she returns, Seimone Augustus could help Minnesota extend its recent dominance of the San Antonio Stars, who haven't lost on the road since visiting the Target Center more than a month ago.
Augustus sat out a 74-69 home win over Seattle on Sunday because of bursitis in her left knee. The Lynx's second-leading scorer (17.2 points per game) had a season-low five on 2-of-10 shooting in an 81-71 road loss to the Storm on Friday.
The injury also caused her to miss a 92-79 loss in Phoenix on June 18. She was held out of Tuesday's practice, but coach Cheryl Reeve indicated the team was being cautious.
"We want to make sure when she comes back, she's fully healthy," Reeve said. "We don't want to do a couple days at a time then she's out again. We want to get her fully healthy. We're pretty certain with what's going on with her knee."
Janel McCarville helped make up for Augustus' absence Sunday with a season-high 22 points. Maya Moore was held to 14 -- nearly nine below her team-leading average -- and shot 4 for 12.
Moore, though, has played a major role in Minnesota (12-5) winning both meetings with the Stars (9-8) this season. She had 25 points on 12-of-19 shooting in an 87-79 victory in San Antonio on June 1, and her 26 points, nine rebounds and five assists led the Lynx to an 88-72 home win May 30.
The Stars haven't lost on the road since that defeat, with the current five-game win streak away from home being their longest since a franchise-record, seven-game run in 2012.
However, they've lost 10 in a row in Minnesota, including two in the 2011 playoffs, and six straight overall to the Lynx.
San Antonio is 2-0 on a season-high, four-game trip after beating Connecticut 74-71 on Tuesday behind Becky Hammon's season-high 18 points and Danielle Robinson's 17.
The Stars are allowing an average of 72.4 points during their road streak -- 6.1 fewer than their season mark -- and 68.3 in the past three wins.
"There is no secret," coach Dan Hughes said. "We have had a couple of good defensive games in a row and that helps you win on the road, but I don't know, if I had the secret, I would feel like I'm smart."
Hughes' club will try to match a season-high, three-game overall win streak from June 14-22.
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