Augustus: Lynx will be new, improved

Minnesota's leading scorer now has more talent around her, making her scoff at lowly preseason predictions.

By ROMAN AUGUSTOVIZ, Star Tribune

Last update: May 17, 2008 - 6:44 PM

WNBA general managers, in a preseason survey, tabbed the Lynx the 12th-best team in a league with only 14 teams, including the expansion Atlanta Dream.

Seimone Augustus, the face of the franchise, disagrees with that assessment. "We can do some big things," said Augustus, who has led the Lynx in scoring the two seasons she has played. "We will probably be the sleeper team."

She said the Lynx, who face defending Eastern Division champion Detroit at 5 p.m. today at Target Center, can be a lot like the Phoenix team was a year ago when the Mercury won the WNBA title.

"They had the big three, Penny [Taylor], Cappy [Pondexter] and Diana [Taurasi]," Augustus said of a threesome who each averaged more than 17 points. "That is kind of what I need here.

"I have it with Candice Wiggins, Anna DeForge and Nikki Anosike in the post and [Vanessa] Hayden back. I don't have to shoot the ball as much and be the offensive assassin."

None of the four players Augustus mentioned were on the Lynx roster last season. Wiggins and Anosike are rookies, DeForge played for Indiana a year ago, and Hayden-Johnson missed last season because she had a baby. She also has added her husband's last name to hers.

Lynx coach Don Zierden said Augustus and Wiggins are players who want the ball in their hands when their team needs a basket.

And if both are on the floor, Zierden said, that won't be a problem. "Seimone is a great player, Candice is a great player," Zierden said. "Whichever one has the advantage, we will get them the ball."

The Lynx face a tough opponent in their opener; Detroit was the East Division champion a year ago. In two regular-season meetings last season, the Lynx and Shock split. Each won at home.

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