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Dream-Liberty Preview

Sep 4, 2010 - 5:38 PM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Atlanta (19-15) at New York (22-12), 7:00 p.m. EDT

The Atlanta Dream should be well rested after knocking off the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed more than a week ago.

Things didn't go so easily for the New York Liberty in their opening playoff series.

The Dream and Liberty start the best-of-three conference finals Sunday night at Madison Square Garden.

After claiming the conference's last seed, Atlanta swept Washington in the semifinals, moving on with a 101-77 rout at home Aug. 27. The Dream went on a 26-0 run at one point to clinch the series.

"It doesn't matter what the seeding is," said forward Angel McCoughtry, who scored 21 points. "The conference is so tough. You can't say who is really 1 and 4 and 3 and 2. We are all tough."

Atlanta's sweep of Washington came after it struggled at the end of the regular season. The Dream entered the playoffs having dropped six of seven, averaging 83.1 points, but the league's second-highest scoring team would average 98.0 against Washington.

Iziane Castro Marques will look to stay hot as Atlanta prepares for New York. Castro Marques scored 40 points in the two playoff games after averaging 13.8 in the final five regular-season games.

While New York's series against Indiana went the limit, the Dream have been able to get some additional rest, although they have been focused on not getting rusty.

"We haven't played since (Aug. 27), so that's a long time this time of year to have a huge break like this," coach Marynell Meadors told the WNBA's official website. "But we're trying to make sure that we keep our intensity up and our focus on what we're trying to do and the goals we're trying to reach."

Meadors' team will have another big challenge against the Liberty, who came into the playoffs having won 11 of 12. New York won both of its home games against the Fever, closing the series with a 77-74 victory Wednesday.

Cappie Pondexter hit a tiebreaking jumper with 28 seconds remaining and finished with 30 points. She averaged 27.3 points in the series.

While the Liberty won't have had as much time off as the Dream, they like their chances playing at home, where they have won 10 in a row.

"Our home fans are amazing and Madison Square Garden is clearly the best arena in the WNBA," Taj McWilliams-Franklin said.

However, New York could be without starting center Janel McCarville again after she missed Wednesday's game with a sprained ankle.

If she's not ready, Kia Vaughn showed she is ready to step up. Although Plenette Pierson started in McCarville's place, Vaughn scored 13 points and added seven rebounds in a season-high 26 minutes after getting minimal playing time in the first two games.

"She was amazing," Pondexter said. "I feel her presence from the moment she stepped in the game to the end. We wouldn't have won this game without her presence."

These teams split four meetings in the regular season, with each winning once on the road. Pondexter averaged 25.8 points.

The series shifts to Atlanta on Tuesday.