Lindsay Whalen

The Lynx lose Mama Taj but still will be tough to beat

To say the Minnesota Lynx have been to the extremes the last few years isn't an understatement.

They went from not making the playoffs in 2010 -- coach Cheryl Reeve's first year -- to winning the WNBA Championship the following season. Last year they faltered midway through the schedule, but picked it up and finished strong before stumbling in the championship series to the Indiana Fever.

The long wait is over in Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS -- It's been a long time coming, this shiny silver trophy. They've gathered in the lobby of Bankers Life Fieldhouse to celebrate as rain has driven the festivities indoors, cancelling the planned parade. But the weather has done nothing to dampen the spirits of the fans who have taken time out in the middle of their workday or of the team whose ultimate success, so long in arriving, they have assembled here to salute.

Defensive dominance puts Fever one win away from first WNBA championship

It was all there -- except for the celebration.

The Indiana Fever are closer than they have ever been to winning a WNBA championship. After coming out of Game Two Wednesday looking totally exhausted and overpowered by the physicality of the Lynx, they took the floor before their home crowd Friday looking like a team on another level as they put the highest scoring team in the league in a defensive stranglehold, beating the Minnesota Lynx by 17 points. 

Charles headlines 2012 All-WNBA First Team; Catchings earns seventh first-team nod

Connecticut Sun center Tina Charles, 2012 WNBA Most Valuable Player, headlines the 2012 All-WNBA First-Team, the league announced today. A three-time All-WNBA Team selection, Charles led all vote-getters with 196 points.

Tamika Catchings of the Indiana Fever (161) and last year's MVP and Candace Parker of the Los Angeles Sparks (176), the runner up in this season's MVP voting were also named to the team, both as forwards. Guards Cappie Pondexter of the New York Liberty (128) and Seimone Augustus of the Minnesota Lynx (95) round out the First-Team.

The Lynx have to be favored to make it two WNBA titles in a row -- but Indiana has championship fever

As most have predicted since before the season even began, the Minnesota Lynx are back in the WNBA Finals, bringing with them the best record in the league and poised to defend their 2011 title. If they succeed, they will be the first team to accomplish that feat since the Los Angeles Sparks took home back-to-back titles in 2001 and 2002.

WNBA MVP race wide open -- fans' vote may count for a lot

Once again, WNBA fans have a voice when it comes to the league’s MVP.

Granted, it’s not exactly a Kelly Clarkson-sized voice (41 other individuals will also fill out a ballot), but it’s a voice nonetheless. And on top of that, one lucky fan voter will get a free trip to one game in this fall’s WNBA Finals.

London 2012: The United States -- Only gold will satisfy

U.S. Olympians celebrate Washington sendoff with easy win over Brazil

PHOTO GALLERY- USA vs Brazil

WASHINGTON -- Other than the chaos caused inside the Verizon Center Monday night by the appearances of President Obama and Vice President Biden, everything else was about what could be expected in the launching stage of the United States women's basketball Olympic team's push for a fifth straight gold medal.

Team USA blitzes Brazil, 99-67, in pre-Olympic warm-up

PHOTO GALLERY- USA vs Brazil

For the United States, Monday’s friendly against Brazil was essentially another practice, another chance to try to catch up to its Olympic competitors, who have been working together for months, if not longer, to prepare for London 2012.

For Brazil, the 99-67 thumping was a chance to measure up to the prohibitive favorite in London, and see what strategies, if any, might work in a game that actually counted.

What the Americans need to work on during Olympic training camp

Things team USA should work on when Olympic training camp kicks off Saturday:

How to act when beating Angola by 47 points ... in the second quarter.

What to say when asked how a Croatian player would do in the WNBA.

Positions on the podium when accepting the gold medals.

OK, that’s typical American arrogance, but even in Australia and Russia it would be hard to find serious basketball people who believe that the U.S. won’t win the gold medal in London come Aug. 11.