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Lynx-Silver Stars Preview

Jun 25, 2010 - 4:28 PM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Minnesota (5-9) at San Antonio (4-7), 8:00 p.m. EDT

The Minnesota Lynx have won three straight on the heels of a difficult start, but their latest victory may have felt more like a loss.

In their first game following Candice Wiggins' season-ending injury, the Lynx try to move on without their standout guard as they visit the San Antonio Silver Stars on Saturday night.

Wiggins had already missed six games this season with a torn meniscus, while Minnesota star Seimone Augustus was out for the first nine following fibroids surgery - a big reason the Lynx began 2-9.

With a healthier lineup, Minnesota (5-9) finally began to find a groove with a home-and-home sweep of Tulsa last weekend, but Wiggins ruptured her left Achilles' tendon during Tuesday's 75-68 win at New York. The former Stanford star, who was averaging 13.8 points, had surgery Friday.

"Our hearts go out to Candice," first-year coach Cheryl Reeve said. "Candice gives us a lot of things, she gives us flexibility, she gives a second ball handler. She was really getting going and playing well, she's a leader so we're going to miss some intangibles and certainly some very specific basketball things and we're just going to have to find a way to fill the void."

Rookie Monica Wright figures to claim the bulk of Wiggins' minutes. Wright, the No. 2 overall pick out of Virginia, has already shown flashes of brilliance, scoring 32 points in a 92-82 win over Phoenix on June 1.

Augustus and Rebekkah Brunson carried the load against the Liberty, combining for 41 points as the Lynx improved to 2-0 on this four-game road trip. Minnesota is going for its first four-game winning streak since it began the 2008 season 5-0.

"We wanted to come in and get our third win in a row, get on that streak," center Nicky Anosike said.

San Antonio (4-7) returns home after a 1-2 trip that ended in disheartening fashion with an 82-61 loss to WNBA-leading Seattle on Sunday.

The Silver Stars' three top scorers - Sophia Young, Chamique Holdsclaw and Becky Hammon - shot a combined 12 for 39 (30.8 percent) from the field while the Storm had twice as many rebounds as San Antonio, 46-23.

"We got outhustled and punched up in all areas of the game," first-year coach Sandy Brondello said. "I thought we were a little tougher than that, but obviously not. ... We knew it was hard coming into their home court, but allowing 17 offensive boards is just unacceptable."

This is the first of five meetings between these teams. The Silver Stars went 3-1 against Minnesota last year, but the Lynx won 83-76 at San Antonio without Augustus on July 12.