1 WILL THE LEAGUE SURVIVE?

Houston, a WNBA power in the early years of the league, has folded. Rosters have been cut from 13 to 11 players. And the Phoenix Mercury is selling ad space on its uniforms for $1 million annually to LifeLock, an identity theft protection company. So the league is being budget conscious. "This [league] is way more important than overseas, playing in front of family and friends," said Detroit guard Katie Smith, referring to peers who have second careers in Europe over the winter. "It's important to keep this going."

2 CAN THE BEST SOAP OPERA AROUND, THE LOS ANGELES SPARKS, WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP?

Five of 12 WNBA general managers, in a preseason survey, picked the Sparks to win their third title. This is coach Michael Cooper's final season; he will move on to coach the Southern California women's team. Center Lisa Leslie (top), the GMs' choice for league MVP, is retiring after this year.Then there is Candace Parker (bottom). Last season's MVP and Rookie of the Year had a baby girl on May 13. When will Parker rejoin the team and how effective will she be?

3 DETROIT MAY BE BUILDING A DYNASTY.

The Shock has won WNBA titles in 2006 and 2008 and eight of the GMs tab them as the Eastern Conference favorites. Six consider Detroit's Bill Laimbeer the league's best coach. The Shock's strength is its backcourt of Deanna Nolan and Katie Smith, rated by the GMs as the most athletic player and the best pure shooter, respectively.

4 WILL THE MEEK RISE UP?

Maybe. Atlanta, an expansion team last season, is loaded with experienced players. Chicago and Washington also have improved in the East. All three missed the playoffs last year. In the West, every team, including the Lynx, got at least two votes from GMs when they were asked which teams will make the playoffs.

5 WILL DUNKS AND FIGHTS SPICE UP WNBA GAMES THIS SEASON?

The league got a lot of air time on ESPN and elsewhere after the Sparks and Shock brawled at the end of a game last July. Three players and an assistant coach were ejected. Funny, but those two teams meet on national TV today in one of the season openers. "What a way to start the league off," Cooper said. Leslie and Parker of the Sparks are the only two players to have dunked in a WNBA game. Sylvia Fowles of Chicago probably can, too. And 6-5 Lynx rookie Quanitra Hollingsworth said she will dunk sometime this season. She has in practice.

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TOP WNBA STORY LINES FOR 2009