Atlanta vs. Minnesota, Wednesday July 14

Who: The Atlanta Dream (14-5) take on the Minnesota Lynx (6-11) in a East-West matchup.

The Dream are led by Angel McCoughtry, who is scoring 20.4 points per game. Sancho Lyttle (14.2 ppg/10.6 rpg) is an All-Star caliber post, and Iziane Castro Marques (17.8 ppg) will be playing on the Brazilian national team at the end of the season with Erika de Souza (12.3 ppg/8.6 rpg). The Lynx depend on point guard Lindsay Whalen (10.8 ppg/5.0 apg) and Seimone Augustus (17.3 ppg) leads Minnesota in scoring.

What: The second of two regular season games against the Lynx. Atlanta won the first game 76-58 at home on July 1, 2010.

Where: The Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

When: Tip-off is at 1 pm Eastern time, Wednesday July 14 in Minneapolis. If you have a powerful radio antenna, you could pick it up on Minneapolis radio - the BOB, 106.1 FM - but if not, you'll just have to depend on WNBA Live Access.

Why: The Dream have come out of the six-game home stand with a week off and one game ahead of the Washington Mystics and have the second best record in the WNBA. But even with the Lynx's shoddy 6-11 record, and even despite Minnesota needing a telescope to see conference leader Seattle, the Lynx would still go to the playoffs with that record. That's how weak the Western Conference is right now, and Atlanta needs all the wins it can get.

So will Sancho Lyttle play? Lyttle, if you remember, left the Dream/Sky game with a concussion and missed both the following game against Connecticut and the All-Star Game. The Dream's game notes list Lyttle as "Day to Day" so whether or not Lyttle takes the court depends on how confident Dream head coach Marynell Meadors feels in a potential Dream victory.

Don't count out Minnesota, though. They've won four out of their last six games and clobbered the Silver Stars by 23 points in their last home win. Remember our six-game home stand? Well, the Lynx are in the middle of their own six-game home stand and this is just their second game. Furthermore, the Lynx have never beaten the Dream in Minneapolis. The Dream got their first road win - ever - there in 2008, and also won in 2009. I don't know if the Dream remember that with all the roster changes in Atlanta, but I'm sure that the Lynx do.

Covers.com has Atlanta by two points, listing both Sancho Lyttle and Rashanda McCants as questionable to play tomorrow. Masseyratings.com predicts that Atlanta will win by 12. It's your call.

Atlanta vs. Connecticut, Wednesday July 7

Who: The Atlanta Dream (13-5) take on the Connecticut Sun (10-7) in an Eastern Conference game.

The Dream are led by Angel McCoughtry, who is scoring 19.8 points per game and has been named to the USA Basketball women's team. Sancho Lyttle (14.2 ppg/10.6 rpg) and Iziane Castro Marques (17.1 ppg) were both named to the WNBA All-Star Team. Erika de Souza (12.1 ppg/8.4 rpg) will be playing on the Brazilian national team at the end of the season. The Sun have rookie sensation Tina Charles (15.2 ppg, 12.1 rpg) as well as Renee Montgomery (12.4 ppg, 3.9 apg), both Connecticut graduates who will also be playing for USA Basketball.

What: The second of four regular season games against the Connecticut Sun - the remaining games will also take place in July. The first game was on May 21, 2010 at Philips Arena and ended with a 97-82 Dream victory.

Where: Philips Arena in Atlanta.

When: Tip-off is at 7 pm Eastern time, Wednesday July 7th in Atlanta. You should be able to watch the game on Sports South in Atlanta. And of course, there's WNBA Live Access for those who have computers.

Why: Think about it: we have four All-Stars playing this game (for this year, USA Basketball roster members are treated as All-Stars). McCoughtry. Castro Marques. Charles. Montgomery. You're really seeing some of the best players that American basketball has to offer.

However, one name is missing - Sancho Lyttle. The last time we saw her, she was leaving the floor of Philips Arena after being knocked unconscious by Sylvia Fowles in the final quarter of the Dream-Sun game on Saturday. According to covers.com, Lyttle is not expected to play in this game and most likely, Alison Bales will start in Lyttle's place tomorrow night.

One bonus for the Dream - the Sun are coming off a back-to-back on the road where they lost 79-66 to the San Antonio Spurs. So the Sun get on a plane, fly to Atlanta and face the Dream less than 24 hours later. The Dream have had to deal with these fatigue-related issues; for once, the opponent gets to deal with the short end of the stick.

Covers.com has the game as a 5.5 point favorite for Atlanta. So does masseyratings.com. Of course, this is the Eastern Conference and anything can happen.

Atlanta vs. Chicago, Saturday July 3

Who: The Atlanta Dream (13-4) take on the Chicago Sky (7-9) in an Eastern Conference game.

The Dream are led by Angel McCoughtry, who is scoring 19.8 points per game. Sancho Lyttle (14.5 ppg/10.6 rpg) is an All-Star caliber post, and Iziane Castro Marques (17.1 ppg) will be playing on the Brazilian national team at the end of the season with Erika de Souza (12.0 ppg/8.0 rpg). The Sky are led by Sylvia Fowles (18.7 ppg, 8.8 rpg) who is an MVP attender, and the Sky are backed up by Jia Perkins (10.4 ppg) and rookie Epipphany Prince (9.8 ppg, 19.6 mpg).

What: The third of five regular season games against the Chicago Sky and the last meeting until the middle of August - out of three three final games of the regular season for the Dream two will be against Chicago. The teams have split so far this season, with Chicago winning in Atlanta 80-70 on June 4 and Atlanta returning the favor in Chicago for the Dream's first win in the Windy City, 93-86 on June 15th.

Where: Philips Arena in Atlanta.

When: Tip-off is at 7 pm Eastern time, Saturday, July 3rd in Atlanta. You should be able to watch the game on Sports South in Atlanta and on NBA TV elsewhere. Comcast 100 in Chicago should also be showing the game. And of course, there's WNBA Live Access for those who have computers.

Why: Atlanta and Chicago might not be rivals, but the Sky always seem to know the answer for any question Atlanta poses. The Dream have won five straight and six out of their last seven but this is the Dream's fourth game in seven days and the only thing anyone can talk about is fatigue. It's something that Dream fans should be worried about given Chicago's success against Atlanta - the Sky are the only reason the Dream are undefeated at home this year. The Sky have won three of their last four games including an impressive 92-80 win against Connecticut in Chicago .

Something to look out for: the first half score. If the Dream are leading at the half, it's a good portent. The Dream have a 5-0 record in games where they've led at halftime...which means that 12 times this year the Dream were behind at halftime.

Another thing to watch is free throw performance. The Dream shoot 68.1 percent from the free throw line. It's not the worst of all time, by far - the 1998 Mystics shot 64.5 percent from the free throw line - but it is pretty bad, 11th out of 12 teams in the league. Iziane Castro Marques is hitting 62.5 percent from the free throw line and Erika de Souza is hitting 51.4 percent of her free throw shots. (Last year Erika hit 65.3 percent of her free throws.) You know it's a bad year for Erika when Armintie Price is outperforming her at the stripe.

Atlanta is favored by 6 1/2 by covers.com...but is only favored by one point by masseyratings.com. If you can get out there tonight and support the Dream, they'd appreciate it.

Atlanta vs. Minnesota, Thursday July 1

Who: The Atlanta Dream (12-4) take on the Minnesota Lynx (5-10) in an interconference game.

The Dream are led by Angel McCoughtry, who is scoring 20.4 points per game. Sancho Lyttle (14.8 ppg/10.4 rpg) is an All-Star caliber post, and Iziane Castro Marques (16.8 ppg) will be playing on the Brazilian national team at the end of the season with Erika de Souza (12.1 ppg/8.3 rpg). Minnesota has five players who average double figures. Minnesota's Candice Wiggins (13.8 ppg) is out for the season but the Lynx have Rebekkah Brunson (13.6 ppg/10.8 ppg) and Seimone Augustus (17.7 ppg).

What: The first of two regular season games against the Minnesota Lynx - the two teams will meet again 13 days later in Minneapolis. Last year the teams split the season series, with the Lynx winning in Atlanta 91-85 on June 30, 2009 and Atlanta beating Minnesota 91-77 on the road on July 15th, 2009. Over the lifetime of the Dream, the record against the Lynx is 2-2, with each team always winning at the other's home court.

Where: Philips Arena in Atlanta.

When: Tip-off is at 7 pm Eastern time, Thursday, July 1st. Atlanta. You should be able to watch the game on Sports South - if not live, then game-delayed - but the game should also be on WNBA Live Access. For you clean living Minnesotans, the game should be broadcast on the BOB, 106.1 FM.

Why: The Dream have won five of thier last six games. The only loss was in Indiana, and the Fever only won by three points, 94-91. The Dream look as strong as ever, at least on paper.

However, the Dream will play four games in a week - Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday - and even with home field advantage it has to take its toll in terms of sheer fatigue. Enter Minnesota, which is 5-10 but three of Minnesota's five wins come against lowly Tulsa. However, three of Minnesota's five wins also come on the road and the Lynx have won three of its last four. Unfortunately for the Lynx, they're the worst shooting team in the WNBA by a good margin, hitting only 39.5 percent of their field goals - hitting buckets at the rate of the 1998 Washington Mystics. Their opponents also hit 45.9 percent of field goals against the Lynx, the best in the WNBA.

(Note: Can you believe that the 2000 Miami Sol only hit 36.5 percent of its field goals? Ugh.)

The Minnesotans will have four days of rest coming in, but rest doesn't always help a team. The Dream are favored by 8 1/2 by covers.com and by 12 points by MasseyRatings.com. Let's hope that the Dream win their fourth straight tomorrow night.

Atlanta vs. Phoenix, Tuesday June 29

Who: The Atlanta Dream (11-4) take on the Phoenix Mercury (5-9) in an interconference game.

The Dream are led by Angel McCoughtry, who is scoring 20.5 points per game. Sancho Lyttle (15.1 ppg/10.9 rpg) is an All-Star post, and Iziane Castro Marques (17.2 ppg) will be playing on the Brazilian national team at the end of the season with Erika de Souza (12.3 ppg/8.7 rpg). The Phoenix Mercury might be without Diana Taurasi (22.9 ppg) but the high-scoring Mercury also have Candice Dupree (13.1 pgg/7.6 rpg) and Penny Taylor (15.9 ppg/4.9 apg).

What: The second of two regular season games against the Phoenix Mercury. On May 28th, the Dream won 96-93 at the US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

Where: Philips Arena in Atlanta.

When: Tip-off is at 7 pm Eastern time, Tuesday June 29th. The game will be shown on NBA TV - at least the Dream's website claims that it will - but will probably be blacked out in Atlanta. However, you should be able to watch the game on Sports South - if not live, then game-delayed.

Why: For those who like to joke about a WNBA game ending with a score of 8 to 4 - you need to update your jokes by about 15 years. The Mercury average 91.8 points per game, and the Dream are #2 at 82.7 points per game. In the NBA, this would be 110 points and 99 points per game.

However, the Mercury have a couple of problems. The first problem is that even though the Merc score 91.8 points per game, they give up 91.9 points per game, more than any other team in the WNBA. Somewhere, the Mercury have forgotten how to play even minimal defense and they've lost their last four games. Second, Diana Taurasi hurt her back on the road in an 95-85 loss to the Mystics in Washington. She went to the locker room in the third quarter and didn't return to the game. She's currently listed as day-to-day and might not play in the Atlanta game, which could make it a five-game losing streak for the Mercury. You have to go back to 2005 to find a Phoenix Mercury team that lost five straight games.

A win against the Mercury would give the Dream a 3-3 record lifetime and would be the first ever season sweep by the Mercury. The last time the Mercury played in Atlanta the Dream won 106-76, the biggest win in Atlanta Dream history in terms of points scored and in winning margin, so let's all knock on wood. Atlanta is favored by 6 1/2 points by covers.com and by 10 points by masseyratings.com. If you want to see a fast-paced, high-scoring game against the defending WNBA champions that the Dream have a good chance of winning, tomorrow night is your night!

Atlanta vs. Los Angeles, Sunday June 27

Who: The Atlanta Dream (10-4) take on the Los Angeles Sparks (3-9) in an interconference game.

The Dream are led by Angel McCoughtry, who is scoring 20.6 points per game. Sancho Lyttle (15.3 ppg/10.9 rpg) is an All-Star post, and Iziane Castro Marques (16.6 ppg) will be playing on the Brazilian national team at the end of the season with Erika de Souza (12.6 ppg/9.0 rpg). The Los Angeles Sparks will have to depend on Tina Thompson (13.6 ppg/5.7 rpg) and Delisha Milton-Jones (12.6 ppg) with Candace Parker out for the rest of the season.

What: The second of two regular season games against the Los Angeles Sparks. On May 30th, the Dream won 101-82 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Where: Philips Arena in Atlanta.

When: Tip-off is at 3 pm Eastern time, Sunday June 27th. The game will be shown on NBA TV, but will probably be blacked out in Atlanta. However, you should be able to watch the game on Sports South - if not live, then game-delayed.

Why: This is a rare down year for the Sparks - the Sparks are at 3-9 and are threatening to win the Maya Moore sweepstakes in the 2011 WNBA Draft. Candace Parker will have surgery on her easily-dislocated left shoulder and will miss the rest of the season. Parker was averaging a double-double with 20.6 ppg and 10.1 rpg. Betty Lennox - remember her? - will probably have knee surgery sometime next week and she'll be out for four to six weeks. The Los Angeles Sparks are clearly a team in disarray.

Remember last year when Pat Summitt brought all of her close personal friends to fill up Philips Arena? Tennessee faithful hoped to see Chamique Holdsclaw and Candace Parker square off last year. What a difference a season makes. Parker's out, Holdsclaw and Snow have skedaddled to San Antonio and unless the rosters shuffle before tomorrow there won't be a single player with a Tennessee Lady Volunteer pedigree on the court.

Los Angeles's performance could depend on Tina Thompson, the final survivor of the inaugural 1997 WNBA season - so if you need a reason to come, it would be to see a legend playing at Philips. Thompson scored 24 points at home against Connecticut and lost by three; the Mystics stomped out the Sparks by 15 in Washington when Thompson was held to nine points. If Thompson has another bad game, the Dream could (hopefully) pick up their 11th win before the season is even half-over.

If the Dream wins tomorrow, it will be the first season sweep of the Sparks in the Dream's history and give the Dream a 4-2 lifetime record against Los Angeles. (It will also be the Dream's first ever home win against LA.) Covers.com has Atlanta as a 10-point favorite, but I'm not counting this game as wrapped up until the final buzzer sounds.

Atlanta vs. Indiana, Saturday June 19

Who: The Atlanta Dream (9-3) take on the Indiana Fever (7-4) in an Eastern Conference Game.

The Dream are led by Angel McCoughtry, who is scoring 19.9 points per game. Sancho Lyttle (15.3 ppg/10.1 rpg) is an All-Star post, and Iziane Castro Marques (16.2 ppg) will be playing on the Brazilian national team at the end of the season with Erika de Souza (12.6 ppg/9.7 rpg). The defending Eastern Conference champions are back on track with Tamika Catchings (16.5 ppg/6.7 rpg) leading the team and with Shavonte Zellous (6.8 ppg) on the team after being acquired from Tulsa.

What: The second of five regular season games against the Indiana Fever. The Dream won the first of these games - their home opener - against the Fever on May 15th by a score of 66-62.

Where: Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.

When: Tip-off is at 7 pm Eastern time, Saturday June 19th. The game will be available on Live Access.

Why: As in the year before, the Indiana Fever started 0-2, including the loss to Atlanta mentioned above. They've been 7-2 since then and have reasserted their dominance in the Eastern Conference. In order for the Dream to show that it's the best of the East, it will have to beat the Fever on their home court...where they play three times this year. A win moves the Fever to just 1/2 game behind the Dream in the tough Eastern Conference.

The 66 points to which the Dream were held were the lowest the Dream were held to since a meaningless regular-season ending loss against Washington last year. Before that, you have to go to July 2008 to a 79-66 loss against the Sacramento Monarchs - a team that no longer exists. Indiana is all about killer defense, with Catchings one of the all-time great defenders and the Fever holding their competitors to just 69.4 points per game. The Fever has come off home wins against what are proving to be two of the toughest teams in the WNBA - Connecticut and Seattle - and you know the Fever would like three in a row.

One interesting bit of trivia is that Tamika Catchings has hit 33 consecutive free throws, a franchise record. The Fever are favored by 5 points by covers.com, but I don't think the Dram will be intimidated. They have a 6-2 road record and are used to putting it together on the road, so if you see the Dream behind at halftime don't panic - the team have only led at halftime three times this season. Indiana is great at blocking shots, but Atlanta has great post players of its own and Indiana is a poor shooting team (42.2 percent), so it might require some defensive intensity for the Fever to win again.

Atlanta vs. Chicago, Tuesday June 15

Who: The Atlanta Dream (8-3) take on the Chicago Sky (4-6) in an Eastern Conference Game.

The Dream are led by Angel McCoughtry, who is scoring 20.8 points per game. Sancho Lyttle (15.3 ppg/10.6 rpg) is an All-Star post, and Iziane Castro Marques (15.3 ppg) will be playing on the Brazilian national team at the end of the season with Erika de Souza (12.2 ppg/9.4 rpg). The Sky are led by Sylvia Fowles (19.3 ppg/8.1 rpg) and rookie Epipphany Prince (9.1 ppg).

What: The second of four regular season games against the Chicago Sky. The Dream lost the first of these games this year at home against the Sky 80-70 on June 4th.

Where: Allstate Arena in Chicago.

When: Tipoff is at at 8 pm Eastern time, Tuesday June 15. The game will be available on Live Access.

Why: With the Dream back on top in the Eastern Conference and hitting free throws, the next question should be - how come the Dream can't beat the Chicago Sky? The Dream are 1-7 all time against Chicago, and after losing to the Seattle Storm the Dream lost their second straight game of the season against the Sky at home.

The Sky have been streaky this year - starting the season off 0-4 and then winning the next four games, including beating the Storm and the Dream. The Sky have now lost two straight again, and both of those losses were double-digit losses against Eastern Conference teams (L 85-70 vs. New York, L 95-78 vs. Mystics). It might be a little bit tougher for Chicago as Shameka Christon got hit in the face with an elbow in the Washington game three minutes in and her status is still questionable. Christon averages 8.5 points per game.

Over those two losses by the Sky their opponents have shot 57 percent against the team, so Atlanta should feel hopeful that they might get their first win ever against Chicagon on their home ground. A good team should be able to beat anyone. However, the Sky are favored by 2 1/2 against Atlanta by covers.com.

Atlanta vs. San Antonio, Sunday June 13

Who: The Atlanta Dream (7-3) take on the San Antonio Silver Stars (3-5) in an inter-conference game.

The Dream are led by Angel McCoughtry, who is scoring 20.6 points per game. Sancho Lyttle (14.4 ppg/10.05rpg) is an All-Star post, and Iziane Castro Marques (15.1 ppg) will be playing on the Brazilian national team at the end of the season with Erika de Souza (12.7 ppg/9.8 rpg). The Silver Stars are led by Sophia Young (15.4 ppg). New acquisition Chamique Holdsclaw (14.7 ppg/4.8 rpg) has contributed immediately, and fan favorite Becky Hammon (13.7 ppg, 5.2 apg) runs the offense

What: The second of two regular season games against the San Antonio Silver Stars. On May 15th, the Dream traveled to San Antonio and won 75-70.

Where: Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA.

When: Tipoff is at at 3 pm Eastern time, Sunday June 13. The game will be available on Fox Sports South and on NBA TV.

Why: The Dream have lost three of their last four games, but Atlanta fans don't care too much about that. Fans are probably most interested in the return of Chamique Holdsclaw, who failed to show up for training camp a few days before it started. Holdsclaw sited irreconcilable differences with her coach. Now, she and her newest team come to Philips...and depending on Holdsclaw's performance, the loss of Holdsclaw will be marked either as a burden on the Dream or as a bonus.

Another item on the menu - can the Dream recover their free-throw shooting touch? The Dream are at the bottom of the league in free throw shooting, hitting only 64.7 percent. Historically, there has only been one WNBA with worse free throw shooting - the 1998 Washington Mystics, at 64.5 percent. The 3-27 Mystics are not a team with which the 2010 Atlanta Dream wishes to keep company, and everyone will be watching the Dream at the free throw line.

It will almost be a different San Antonio team from the team the Dream faced in May. Sandy Brondello is back as head coach. The Silver Stars have signed Allie Quigley, and Michelle Snow's status is unknown after suffering an injury against the Shock. Even with the changes, Atlanta is a six-point favorite from covers.com.

Atlanta vs. New York, Friday June 11

Who: The Atlanta Dream (7-2) take on the New York Liberty (3-4) in an Eastern Conference Game.

The Dream are led by Angel McCoughtry, who is scoring 21.6 points per game. Sancho Lyttle (14.3 ppg/10.0 rpg) is an All-Star post, and Iziane Castro Marques (14.9 ppg) will be playing on the Brazilian national team at the end of the season with Erika de Souza (11.8 ppg/9.8 rpg). Cappie Pondexter, a new acquisition by New York, leads the Liberty both in scoring (19.7 ppg) and assists (5.4 apg).

What: The second of four regular season games against the New York Liberty. On May 23rd, the Liberty lost at home 86-77 to the visiting Dream which was Atlanta's first ever win at Madison Square Garden.

Where: Madison Square Garden in New York City.

When: Tipoff is at at 7:30 pm Eastern time, Friday, June 11. The game will be available on WNBA Live Access.

Why: Once again, it's a battle between Atlanta at the top of the conference and the Eastern Conference's bottom-dweller. The last time that happened this year, it ended poorly for the Dream. The Dream ended the season last year 1-3 against the Liberty, but now they've won two straight against New York and have the conference's best road record at 5-1. The Dream have also had six days off.

Oddly enough, the last time the two teams played Cappie Pondexter had an above-average game, scoring 21 points in the loss. The Liberty won the first half of the game but the Dream won both quarters of the second half. Iziane Castro Marques caught on fire, scoring nine of her 13 points in the last six minutes of the game. Furthermore, the Liberty were flattened on the boards, outrebounded 38-25 over the course of the game. The Liberty are the best free-throw shooting team in the WNBA at 83 percent and the Dream are dead last at 66 percent but unless the Dream make a lot of fouls it won't help the Libs.

Atlanta is favored only by two points at covers.com. This might be a very interesting game if your computer will cooperate.

Atlanta vs. Washington, Saturday June 5

Who: The Atlanta Dream (6-2) take on the Washington Mystics (4-3) in an Eastern Conference Game.

The Dream are led by Angel McCoughtry, who is scoring 21.4 points per game. Sancho Lyttle (14.5 ppg/9.3 rpg) is an All-Star post, and Iziane Castro Marques (14.4 ppg) has really stepped up. Monique Currie (18.1 ppg) leads the Mystics in scoring and Crystal Langhorne (15.0 ppg/9.4 rpg) provides the rebounding punch.

What: The first of four regular season games against the Washington Mystics. In 2009, the Dream split the series with the Mystics 2-2, winning both games at home and losing both games on the road. The last time these teams met was an 82-64 loss in Washington in the final game of the 2009 regular season.

Where: The Verizon Center in Washington, DC.

When: Tipoff is at at 7 pm Eastern time, Saturday, June 5th. The game will be available on WNBA Live Access.

Why: The Dream have lost two straight games, and the gut-check might turn into a case of full-fledged nausea. After a tough 80-70 loss to the Sky last night, the Dream head immediately to Washington to take on the Mystics. A third loss in a row will lead to questions as to whether or not the Dream's 6-0 start was simply a hot streak that has now cooled down.

The Eastern Conference will be tough. Washington will not be a "gimme" game. The Mystics are 4-3 and they went to the playoffs last year, and they know a win will bring them to within 1/2 of a game of the Eastern Conference lead.

Right now, the Dream have four principal scorers: McCoughtry, Lyttle, De Souza, and Iziane. Two of those players didn't show up on Friday and it showed. As for Washington, they broke a losing streak against Connecticut last Sunday and have had six days to prepare for this game. Four Washington players scored in double figures and Crystal Langhorne had 17 points and 16 rebounds. The Dream need to find Langhorne's "off" switch or it might be a long day today for the Dream.

Atlanta vs. Chicago, Friday June 4

Who: The Atlanta Dream (6-1) take on the Chicago Sky (2-4) in an Eastern Conference Game.

The Dream are led by Angel McCoughtry, who is scoring 22.9 points per game. Sancho Lyttle (14.6 ppg/9.9 rpg) and Erika de Souza (11.95 ppg/10.0 rpg) are Atlanta's All-Star posts that provide any team trouble. Chicago is led by Sylvia Fowles (18.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg) and Cathrine Kraayeveld (10.2 ppg)

What: The first of four regular season games against the Chicago Sky. In 2009, the Dream were swept over the course of the regular season by the Sky, losing all three games against them. The last loss was an 82-80 loss at Philips Arena on August 8th, 2009.

Where: Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA.

When: Tipoff is at at 7 pm Eastern time, Friday, June 4th. The game will be televised on Fox Sports South, but it could also be blacked out/delayed depending on attendance. If you flip the channel and the game isn't on, come back at about 10 pm.

Why: When the Atlanta Dream played the Seattle Storm this Friday, Seattle was coming into the game with a single loss. That loss was an 84-75 road loss against the Chicago Sky. The Sky can be tough when they want to be, but now, they're 2-4 and sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

This game is a "mental toughness" game - can the Dream bounce back on their home court after such a big loss to Seattle on the road? If so, it will confirm that in the Eastern Conference the Dream are still the team to beat, one reason being that the Dream beating the Sky is a rarity. The Dream are 1-6 all time against their Eastern Conference sisters, with the only win being the first win ever by the Atlanta Dream franchise in 2008, one that broke a 17-game losing streak to start the 2008 season.

The Sky have at least one good player - Sylvia Fowles, a player that might be the WNBA's true MVP despite all of this talk about McCoughtry and Jackson. Fowles's 18 points per game might not look so impressive compared to McCoughtry's 22, but Big Syl is shooting 63 percent from the floor - 38-for-60 over the season. For the Dream to get that win, Lyttle and de Souza are going to have to negate Big Syl under the basket. Chicago Rookie Epipphany Prince is averaging 9.5 ppg despite playing only 20.5 minutes per game.

Atlanta vs. Seattle, Tuesday June 1

Who: The Atlanta Dream (6-0) take on the Seattle Storm (5-1) in an interconference game.

The Dream are led by Angel McCoughtry, who is scoring 24.0 points per game. Sancho Lyttle (15.3 ppg/10.5 rpg) and Erika de Souza (13.5 ppg/11.0 rpg) are averaging a double-double per game for Atlanta. Seattle has Lauren Jackson who is scoring 20.3 points per game. Sue Bird is scoring 10.2 points per game and averaging 6.5 assists per game.

What: The first of two regular season games against the Seattle Storm. Atlanta is 1-3 all-time versus the Storm. The two teams split the difference last year, each winning at home. The second of those two games was a 91-84 double overtime loss at Key Arena in Seattle on August 29 where the Storm scored 11 points in the second overtime period.

Where: Key Arena in Seattle, Washington.

When: Tipoff is at at 9:30 pm Eastern time, Tuesday, June 1st. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2.

Why: As the league begins its second month of play, the WNBA brass couldn't have designed it better. The top team in the Eastern Conference and the top team in the Western Conference play on national television. The winner of this game becomes the early season favorite to win it all.

Atlanta is coming off six straight wins. Every team that has started the season with at least six straight wins in the 13-plus years of the WNBA has gone to the WNBA Finals - and with the way the Dream are playing, one can't blame the schedule or some other statistical aberration. The Dream are winning games by nine points per game, their 86.8 points per game is second only behind the Mercury, which has the same running, gunning style. But the biggest difference is in rebound differential. The Dream average 41.6 rebounds per game and their opponents only average 32.5 rebounds per game. The Dream run, but they also muscle, and Sancho Lyttle and Erika de Souza are deadly in the post.

The Storm, on the other hand, are no slouches. The Dream might win by 9.2 points per game, but the Storm are right behind them with an 8.0 points per game differential between the Storm and their opponents. The Dream might have early MVP candidate Angel McCoughtry, but the Storm have three-time MVP Lauren Jackson, a more all-around player than McCoughtry. The 29-year old Jackson is at the peak of her career, and her 20.3 points per game and 8.0 rebounds per game aren't far off her career averages.

Both teams, furthermore, are deeper than just one or two marquee players. Camille Little is playing like a Top Ten player this season, averaging almost four more points a game than her career average. (Every year, Little's points per game have increased - she's shooting 45 percent from the field and averaging 11.2 points per game this year.) Tanisha Wright has similarly blossomed over her last two years. Alison Bales of the Dream might be the Sixth Woman of the Year. After taking a year off, she seems to have recovered both her shooting and her enthusiasm.

Can the Dream advance to 7-0? It will be difficult. Not only are the Storm a good team, not only are the Dream ending a four-game road trip but Seattle's Key Arena is mentioned by many players as the toughest place in the WNBA in which to play: the fans might be the most spirited fans in the WNBA. The Dream could lose, but if they win - they will be wearing the title of Team to Beat for the rest of 2010.

Atlanta vs. Connecticut, Friday May 21st

Who: The Atlanta Dream (2-0) take on the Connecticut Sun (1-0) in an Eastern Conference match-up.

What: The first of four regular season games against the Connecticut Sun. Last year, the Dream played four games against the Sun, going 3-1. The last time the two teams met was an 88-64 win at Philips Arena on September 11, 2009 that clinched both a playoff spot for the Dream as well as second place in the Eastern Conference.

Where: Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

When: Tipoff is at at 7 pm Eastern time, Friday May 21st. The game will be televised on Fox Sports South and will be available on-line at WNBA Live Access.

Why: These two teams have already played in the 2010 pre-season, with Connecticut winning by nine points in Connecticut. Let's compare the rosters, but only list players on the current rosters who were playing in the preseason game.

Atlanta: Lehning, Price, McCoughtry, Raven, Bales, C. Miller
Connecticut: Walker, Charles, Lawson, Montgomery, Griffin, White, Gardin, Hightower

Atlanta lost by nine - on the road - where Connecticut had four starters and the Dream only had two. I wonder if de Souza, Castro Marques and Lyttle will make an impression?

The last time these two teams met - in preseason - Tina Charles scored 21 points and nine rebounds. In their 13 point win over the Sky she scored 17 points and 10 rebounds against Sylvia Fowles. Is Tina Charles the real deal as a #1 draft pick? Her great performance against Fowles and the Sky is a good argument, but you need more than just one WNBA game. If Charles does as well against de Souza/Lyttle, Connecticut might be a real problem for Atlanta.

The Dream, however, are 2-0 on the season...and without Chamique Holdsclaw, who was waived earlier this week. The Dream have found others to rely upon, including Alison Bales who had six blocks against Indiana. If the Dream beat Connecticut on Friday, the words on everyone's lips might be "Holdsclaw who?"

Atlanta vs. San Antonio, Saturday May 15th

Who: The Atlanta Dream (1-0) take on the Indiana Fever (0-1) in Atlanta's home opener.

Here are the final rosters of both clubs:

Atlanta: Alison Bales, Iziane Castro Marques, Erika de Souza, Chamique Holdsclaw, Shalee Lehning, Sancho Lyttle, Angel McCoughtry, Coco Miller, Kelly Miller, Armintie Price, Brittainey Raven

Indiana: Tully Bevilaqua, Tamika Catchings, Jessica Davenport, Katie Douglas, Ebony Hoffman, Briann January, Jessica Moore, Jene Morris, Shay Murphy, Allie Quigley, Tammy Sutton-Brown

What: The first of four regular season games against the Indiana Dream, who are the defending Eastern Conference champions. Last year, the Dream played three games against the Fever, going 1-2. The last time the two teams met was an 84-79 loss by Atlanta at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on July 17, 2009.

Where: Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

When: Tipoff is at at 7 pm Eastern time, today. (May 16, 2010.) The game is supposed to be televised on Sports South, but I don't know if you'll be able to see it in Atlanta. This game should be available on WNBA Live Access.

Why: Last year the Dream started their march to the playoffs with an 87-86 double-overtime thriller in Atlanta in the Dream's opening game, with Chamique Holdsclaw scoring 23 points, Erika de Souza scoring 16 points and 17 rebounds and Angel McCoughtry debuting for 15 points. And hey, if a win against Indiana worked once, it will work again, right?

The previous game against San Antonio implies that the Dream might use Angel McCoughtry and Iziane Castro Marques as a duo to stretch enemy defenses - defenders can either let McCoughtry and Izi roam the perimeter and give up 3-pointers, or they can hunt down the two in vain as either one feeds the ball to Sancho Lyttle or Erika de Souza. But the Dream can't depend on that plan for long - the starting five scored 70 of the Dream's 75 points in the win against San Antonio, and Erika de Souza didn't look too sharp despite Erika hammering the Silver Stars for 11 points and 15 rebounds.

For Indiana, the question is whether or not Indiana's Tamika Catchings can stay healthy. That, and if she can put behind her a 72-65 loss to Washington where she scored 12 points on 5-for-12 shooting and had four personal fouls. Those are good numbers, but they are not Tamika Catching numbers. Everyone is present on the roster - there are no holdouts and Indiana isn't waiting at the airport for anyone - so the Fever will be trying to avoid an 0-2 start to the season.

Chamique Holdsclaw still remains on the Dream's roster. Not suspended, not traded, and not showing up. Sooner or later, the Dream might have to consider suspension or release, but two wins without Holdsclaw will ease the pressure for an immediate resolution to the Holdsclaw drama. Brittainey Raven, who played Holdsclaw's forward role in training camp, is the only member of the Dream (besides Holdsclaw) to get no time in yesterday's game. With Leuchanka still on her way to Atlanta, expect to see more of Alison Bales.

Atlanta vs. San Antonio, Saturday May 15th

Who: The Atlanta Dream (0-0) take on the San Antonio Silver Stars (0-0).

Here are the final rosters of both clubs:

Atlanta: Alison Bales, Iziane Castro Marques, Erika de Souza, Chamique Holdsclaw, Shalee Lehning, Sancho Lyttle, Angel McCoughtry, Coco Miller, Kelly Miller, Armintie Price, Brittainey Raven

San Antonio: Jayne Appel, Helen Darling, Megan Frazee, Becky Hammon, Roneeka Hodges, Crystal Kelly, Edwige Lawson-Wade, Ruth Riley, Belinda Snell, Michelle Snow, Sophia Young

What: The first of two regular season games against the Silver Stars. Every Eastern Conference team (Atlanta) plays a home-and-away during the regular season against each Western Conference team (San Antonio). Last year the Dream swept the season series against San Antonio, winning in San Antonio 92-84 on August 6th and then winning at home in Atlanta 93-87 on August 20th.

Where: The AT&T Center at San Antonio.

When: Tipoff is at at 8 pm Eastern time, today. (May 15, 2010.) This game should be available on WNBA Live Access.

Why: We get our very first, for-real-honest-and-for-true look at the Atlanta Dream, as this game counts. Chamique Holdsclaw will not be suiting up - she never came to Training Camp and she wants a trade - but until the Dream can deal her she takes up roster space. With Alison Bales having not played in the previous year, with rookie Brittainey Raven, and with Erika de Souza literally having got off the plane two days ago, it will be interesting to see how the Dream handles the adversity of playing in San Antonio against a packed house for the Silver Stars home opener. (And the next day, the Dream opens in Atlanta.)

The Angel McCoughtry tour continues as McCoughtry will compete against rookie Jayne Appel out of Stanford. Appel was a highly-touted player for Stanford - some thought she had a chance to being drafted #2 - but a poor national championship game caused Appel's draft stock to fall. The last game McCoughtry played was against Connecticut and Tina Charles in the pre-season; we'll see how well Appel fares against Atlanta.

San Antonio has a few changes. The most important is at the coaching level. Dan Hughes, a great WNBA coach, has moved up to General Manager. His successor, Sandy Brondello, is out on pregnancy leave, so associate coach Olaf Lange will try to steer the Silver Stars to victory.

There's a revenge factor in this game as the Dream face center Michelle Snow for the first time wearing an enemy uniform since Snow played for the Houston Comets in 2008. Snow was a back-up in 2009 for the Dream after many thought she'd be a starter. Snow starts over in San Antonio, who needs a center after Ann "The Belgian Waffle" Wauters decided to sit out the season. Snow has the opportunity to make Meadors look like a fool or a genius depending on how well Snow can do against the All-Star Duo of Sancho Lyttle and Erika de Souza.

Atlanta vs. Washington, Sunday May 9th

Who: The Atlanta Dream (0-1, preseason) take on the Washington Mystics (1-0, preseason).

Here were the training camp rosters for each team in the previous preseason game:

Dream: Angel McCoughtry, Shawn Goff, Alison Bales, Armintie Price, Shalee Lehning, Coco Miller, Chanel Mokango, Brittainey Raves, Erica White, Brigitte Ardossi, Britany Miller.

Mystics: Monique Currie, Jennifer Lacy, Nakia Sanford, Katie Smith, Lindsey Harding, Marissa Coleman, Kristin Mann, LaTangela Atkinson, Nikki Blue, Ewelina Kobryn, Shanavia Dowdell. Lauren Ervin and Alexis Gray-Lawson, participants in the game in the link above, have already been cut.

What: The second of two preseason games, both outside of Atlanta. The last time the Dream played the Mystics in the 2009 regular season they lost 82-64 on the road in the Dream's final regular season game. Atlanta had already clinched, but the Mystics needed the win. Unfortunately, Shalee Lehning was hurt in that game and she could have been of help in the postseason against Detroit.

Where: The Hooper Eblen Center on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University in Cookeville, Tennessee.

When: Tipoff is 4 pm on Sunday, May 9th. The game will most likely not be available on TV, or on WNBA Live Access. Maybe there will be a live update of the box scores, maybe not. I'm sure we'll at least know who won. It is also the final competitive game before the Dream travel to San Antonio on Saturday, May 15th to kick off the 2010 regular season.

Why: In the first place, if you wanted an excuse for a road trip, this is it. For Marynell Meadors, it's a return to the place where she started her coaching career - she was a women's basketball player at MTSU between the years of (approximately) 1961 through 1965. Back then, says Meadors, their coach Sue Gunter left after their sophomore year and Meadors offered to take over duties as a player-coach as Middle Tennessee State didn't want to pay money to have someone coach women's basketball. (My, how much things haven't changed in fifty years). So your going to this game supports women's basketball, which is a good thing.

For players on the edge - Brittainey Raven, Alison Bales, Brigitte Ardossi, Britany Miller, Shawn Goff, Erika White - even Coco Miller, maybe - this is the final chance to show their stuff to Marynell Meadors, because she has to have this roster cut down by Friday, May 14th to just eleven players. Media Day for the Dream is the morning of Thursday, May 13th and the Dream might wish to showcase who they think will be the final roster. Meadors hasn't made too many cuts - there are theoretically twenty people who could call themselves members of the Atlanta Dream, including Demetress Adams and Dalma Ivanyi - so the axe will have to come out.

The Mystics have it tougher. Alana Beard, injured for the 2010 season, is still technically on the roster because Washington doesn't want to cut her and...oh Spencer Pratt, even I don't understand the WNBA roster rules. That means that Washington will have an active roster of only 10 players, one of which might be Jennifer Lacy, the former Atlanta Dream player that the Dream did not re-sign out of free agency.

Atlanta vs. Connecticut, Tuesday May 4

Who: The Atlanta Dream (0-0, preseason) take on the Connecticut Sun (0-0, preseason) in the very first preseason game of the year for both teams.

Both teams have a cast of new training camp invitees. The Dream can take a few people, but we have no idea who is going to Connecticut. We also have no idea who they'll meet.

What: The first of two preseason games, both outside of Atlanta. The last time the Dream played the Sun in the 2009 regular season they won 88-64 in Atlanta. The win secured a spot in the post-season as they clinched second place. It was also the final game that the Dream won in 2009, as they lost to Washington and then lost both playoff games to Detroit.

Where: The Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

When: Tipoff is 11 am on Tuesday, May 4th. The game will most likely not be available on TV, or on WNBA Live Access. Our fervent hope is that somehow, someway the fans will be provided with a box score.

Why: You have to ask? We've been starvin' for women's basketball around here, and the Dream will be back on the court. After several months of waiting, the season is back in full swing for Atlanta.

There are a lot of good plotlines here. The first is that this could be a matchup between the #1 WNBA Draft pick of 2009 - Angel McCoughtry - and the #1 WNBA Draft pick of 2010, Tina Charles. Furthermore, the win last year knocked the Sun out of the post-season, so you'd think that there would be the "revenge factor".

Unfortunately, this is a preseason game. It doesn't count. Nominally, the point of these games is to evaluate talent, and I have a list of 20 people who might or might not be on the Atlanta Dream's roster. So it could be Angel McCoughtry or Demetress Adams. Odds are de Souza and Lyttle won't be ready. Leuchanka is in Turkey. And you've got to give Chanel Mokango, Brigitte Ardossi and Brittainey Raven some time to play. It could be a real collection of spare parts on both sides of the roster.

Of course, WNBA fans will be poring over the box score intently, trying to divine the future from the results. If the Dream lose, don't take it too seriously. But if Angel McCoughtry is there, she's going to want to win.

Atlanta vs. Detroit, Friday September 18th

Who: The Atlanta Dream (18-16) take on the Detroit Shock (18-16) in a playoff game.

The Dream have a cast including Angel McCoughtry (12.8 ppg) and Sancho Lyttle (13.0 ppg, 7.5 prg). Iziane Castro Marques (14.4 ppg) leads the team in scoring. Deanna Nolan is back (16.9 ppg) for the Mystics and rookie Shavonte Zellous (11.9 ppg) helps an injury-riddled Shock team.

What: The second of a best-of-three Eastern Conference Semifinals play-off series. The first game was played in Detroit on Wednesday where the Shock won 94-89. The Dream must win the remaining two games in Atlanta to move forward.

Where: The Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth, GA. Note that neither this game nor a possible Sunday game will be played at Philips Arena.

When: Tipoff is 7:30 pm Eastern on Friday, September 18th. The game will be nationally broadcast on NBA-TV. The game should also be available on WNBA Live Access - as it turned out, the game wasn't available there last time but since not all markets get NBA-TV it should be available.

Why: Game One told you why right there. With Detroit winning the home opener, Atlanta must win tonight and then win the follow-up game on Sunday to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. If we don't beat the Shock tonight, it's "see you (hopefully) next year".

It is very hard to keep the Shock down. Three times this season a WNBA team has come back from an 18 point deficit. Two of those times were Detroit Shock comebacks, the first last night in Game One where the Dream were held scoreless for over five minutes in the third quarter. Even when you're leading Detroit, you can never be secure.

Part of the reason for that comeback was Deanna Nolan. Nolan had been shooting under 30 percent in the four regular season games against the Dream, but it doesn't matter if you take a lot of shots. She went a sub-par 9-for-23 but she scored 25 points against the Dream in Game One.

The big question is whether Nolan will play at all. She went down with a concussion in the fourth quarter of Game One and despite Rick Mahorn's assurances that Nolan will show up in Game Two Detroit doesn't sound as confident as they could. If Nolan sits out Game Two, don't be surprised.

We can probably expect another appearance from the Dream's Chamique Holdsclaw. She only scored three points on 1-for-4 shooting in Game One; clearly, she's picked up a lot of rust from her extended layoff due to injury. If there's ever a time we needed to see the Chamique Holdsclaw of old - or at least flashes of that player - it's tonight.

Coaching might make a big difference. The Dream's ability to manage during crunchtime was called into question when the Dream coaching staff inexplicably called an 84 percent free throw shooter to substitute for Nolan to take free throws when Detroit had two sub-70 percent shooters on the bench. Meadors said that if Crystal Kelly had missed one or both of those shots, it would have been seen as a smart coaching move. (And if were 1 1/2 feet taller, I'd be Shaquille O'Neal.) A Game Two Atlanta victory will heal all wounds.

Let's get out there and support our team. If there's any time the Dream needs its fans, it's now.

Atlanta vs. Detroit, Wednesday September 16

Who: The Atlanta Dream (18-16) take on the Detroit Shock (18-16) in a playoff game.

The Dream have a cast including Angel McCoughtry (12.8 ppg) and Sancho Lyttle (13.0 ppg, 7.5 prg). Iziane Castro Marques (14.4 ppg) leads the team in scoring. Deanna Nolan is back (16.9 ppg) for the Mystics and rookie Shavonte Zellous (11.9 ppg) helps an injury-riddled Shock team.

What: The first of a best-of-three Eastern Conference Semifinals play-off series. Atlanta won the season series against Detroit 3-1. They were 2-0 at Philips Arena and 1-1 at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Detroit avoided the season sweep the last time these teams met, as the Dream lost 87-83 in Detroit.

Where: The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn, MI.

When: Tipoff is 8:30 pm Eastern on Wednesday, September 16th. The game will be nationally broadcast on ESPN2, with a special "WNBA Shootaround" starting at 8 pm. The game should also be available on WNBA Live Access.

Why: You actually need a reason? This is the playoffs, baby! Expect Great! One Team One Dream!

Seriously though, there is a good chance that the Eastern Conference Champion might come out of this bracket. Yes, Indiana has the better season record but seemed to fade away after they locked in their post-season appearance. Washington snuck in on a wing and a prayer. Whereas Detroit is the hottest team in the WNBA right now, and Atlanta is no slouch, beating that team 3 out of 4 times.

If there was an argument against the 11-player roster, this might be it. Each team has been adversely impacted by injuries, leaving who will actually play in this game a question mark. Marynell Meadors remains mum as to whether Chamique Holdsclaw will make an appearance during this playoff run - my estimates are at about 80 percent. Those close to Shalee Lehning state that Lehning has had surgery on her injured shoulder, but Mechelle Voepel implies that Lehning will play and the Dream ain't saying "no". Detroit's Katie Smith is hurt and Alexis Hornbuckle suffered a hamstring injury in the final game of the regular season against Chicago. The series should be sponsored by Johnson and Johnson.

Detroit would be a monster team - if they were healthy. In the end, it might come down to the bench - Atlanta has one, and Detroit doesn't. Yeah, you might laugh at Atlanta's bench but to paraphrase Geno Auriemma, "We have Angel, and you don't." However, Detroit's plays the first of the three games at home and they know if they don't win, the chances are good that this might be the final game the Shock play this year in Detroit.

Extra: Read Bob Corwin's Full Court Press article on the breakdown of the series. Mechelle Voepel also has a few words at ESPN.