Lynx Point Toward San Antone, L.A.

The Lynx returned to action this week after a 6-week layoff for the Olympics--or, rather, for 6 weeks of Olympic basketball in the case of Seimone Augustus, Maya Moore and Lindsay Whalen. 2 easy wins have the Lynx thinking again about home court advantage and about defending their WNBA title.At 17-4, the Lynx have now clinched a spot in the playoffs, the earliest they have ever done so.

But the victims were Washington 98-69 and Tulsa 83-59 with a combined record of 8 wins and 33 losses.

Better tests will follow this week at Seattle and Atlanta, both 10-11. Seattle remains without Lauren Jackson, former WNBA MVP who is still with the Australian national team, and lost to the L.A. Sparks 82-71 at home in their return to WNBA action. Atlanta has its Olympians, Angel McCoughtrey and Erica de Souza of Brazil, back but lost at Indiana 86-72 last night. The Lynx should win these games, even on the road.

That gets the Lynx to San Antone at home on Tuesday, July 28, by which time the Lynx could be 19-4 and the Stars 17-6 (with a loss at L.A. this Thursday).

A week later on Tuesday, August 4, L.A. comes to town. By now the Lynx could be 21-4 and L.A. 21-6. 

Then the schedule gets tough. The Lynx finish with 6 of their last 7 games on the road, 2 at San Antone,  1 at L.A.  and home court advantage in the playoffs on the line. Right now a 25-9 finish seems likely. L.A. finishes with 4 home games and appears destined to finish in the 27-7 range. For the Stars, a win over the Lynx at home on the last day of the season could mean a 26-8 record, and could send the Lynx on to the road even for the conference semis. That is how tough this Western Division is. Road wins at L.A. and San Antone may be necessary for the Lynx to get home court advantage in the playoffs.