USA Today's Oscar Dixon says Detroit and L.A. could go far despite squeaking into the playoffs without winning records.

Bill Laimbeer says his Shock "have the depth at the big position to attack the glass relentlessly and slow down [Connecticut's] transition game. We match up very well with them."

Yesterday Dixon examined the year's big trades, which sent Katie Smith and Dawn Staley-- but not their former teams-- to the postseason. (No mention of Pierson, who's proven less important to Detroit than Katie has.)