The league's annual survey of the 12 general managers has come out. And, as usual – and as expected – the Lynx are well represented.
Here is a quick summary of how the Lynx as a team, and several Lynx players, finished in various categories:
(if you want to look at the complete survey, it can be found here).
Team:
--The team was picked to win the title, getting five of 12 votes.
--Minnesota and Los Angeles each got six votes as the Western Conference favorite.
--The Lynx were voted as having the league's best home-court advantage in a season when they'll be playing at Xcel Energy Center. Minnesota was also tied for second as the league's most exciting team.
Individual:
Maya Moore – Voted league's top forward, the league's best finisher, the most dangerous in the open floor, the best at getting her own shot , the player to take a last-second shot and was tied for first on the question of the league's single most effective individual move. Her pull-up jumper tied with Seimone Augustus' crossover and Tina Charles' hook. Moore finished second to Brianna Stewart for player most GMs would want to start a franchise around. Moore finished tied for fourth for league MVP.
Augustus -- Her crossover was tied for best individual move and she was third in the category of being able to get her own shot.
Lindsay Whalen – She was voted the leagues' toughest player. She finished second in category of league's best leader and second as player who would make the best head coach someday.
Sylvia Fowles – She tied with Charles for league's best center. She was voted as the league's best interior defender and was third in league's best rebounder.
Rebekkah Brunson – She tied for fourth as league's best rebounder.
Cheryl Reeve – She was voted league's best overall coach and best manager/motivator of people.
Meanwhile, here are a couple of notes from practice:
--Reeve said the team might be able to figure out a way to keep a 12-player roster. The team had expected to be able to fit just 11 players, given salary cap considerations, but might be able to fit 12. That would mean rookies Alexis Jones (the team's first-round pick), Temi Fagbenle and Shao Ting would all make the roster. Final rosters are due to the league by 4 p.m. Friday. If Ting were to make the team she would become the first Chinese player in the WNBA since the 2009 season.
--Both Maya Moore and Plenette Pierson returned to practice Thursday. Moore was held out of the second preseason game with a groin injury. Pierson missed both preseason games with a concussion.
