Ex-Lynx player impressed with her former team

Chicago Sky guard Shay Murphy was impressed with her first look at the Lynx on Tuesday afternoon.

"It's like they didn't take any time off at all, like they've been playing this whole time," Murphy said after the Lynx steam-rolled the Sky 82-61 in an exhibition game at the U of M's Sports Pavilion.

"They look really in sync. Great chemistry. They're starting off on the right foot. They look great. The chemistry. I think a lot of this team has remained the same."

The Lynx have nine players back from their 2011 WNBA championship team, although one of them did not play. Amber Harris, a second-year forward from Xavier, was in street clothes with a walking boot on her left foot. She sprained an ankle in the team's first exhibition game last week. She is expected to be out until late May at least.

SOLID BENCH

"Their bench is great too. Anyone could be a starter on that team. Great youth, great energy. You've got veterans with Taj and Seimone [Augustus] and Cheryl Reeve [starting her third year as Lynx coach]. They look good."

Seven Lynx reserves scored between four and 14 points, including guard Erin Thorn who was a teammate of Murphy's with Chicago last season. Thorn was an unrestricted free agent this past offseason and signed with the Lynx after they approached her.

"E.T. is a great shooter," Murphy said. "I knew her back in her college days at BYU [Brigham Young]. She's a great shooter. She's been around in the league forever."

This will be Thorn's 10th WNBA season. She played for the New York Liberty for six years and the Sky for three.

"She's going to help spread the floor," Murphy said. "I don't think they need any help doing that – they got great shooters from Maya [Moore]. They've got a lot of great guards. They've got Candice [Wiggins] that can knock it down. They've got Monica Wright, Seimone – all of them can knock it down so I don't think they need anymore help. But E.T.'s a straight sharpshooter. She can play the One and the Two. She looked good."

HAPPY IN WINDY CITY

This is Murphy's sixth season in the WNBA. The Lynx drated her in the second round -- with the No. 15 pick overall -- in 2007 our of Southern Cal. They traded her to Detroit the next season.

"I love to be there," she said. "Pokey [coach Pokey Chatman] is just amazing. Our team has got some great veterans this year with Ruth Riley, Swin Cash, Ticha Penicheiro, so I'm excited to be back to try to help and be productive any time I get an opportunity."

Last season in 10 games with the Sky she averaged 9.8 points and 4.8 rebounds but, for the sixth year in a row, the team missed the playoffs.

"That's our No. 1 goal," Murphy said.

As it was when she was a member of the Lynx, who also missed the playoffs for six consecutive years before last season.