2008 Connecticut Sun season

The 2008 WNBA season was their tenth season and their sixth in Connecticut. The Sun successfully advanced to the WNBA Playoffs for the sixth consecutive season. Lindsay Whalen was a key contributor to the club, averaging 14.0 points per game, 5.6 rebounds per game, and 5.4 assists per game.Sports Illustrated, October 6, 2008, Inside the WNBA, p.80

Offseason

Expansion draft The following player was lost in the Atlanta Dream expansion draft: Erika DeSouza

WNBA draft Round Pick Player Nationality School/Team/Country 1 9 Amber Holt Middle Tennessee 1 12 (from Indiana) Ketia Swanier Connecticut 2 23 Jolene Anderson Wisconsin 3 37 Lauren Ervin ArkansasWNBA.com: 2008 WNBA Draft Board

Transactions August 27: The Sun signed Svetlana Abrosimova and waived Jolene Anderson. June 27: The Sun waived Kamesha Hairston. May 15: The Sun waived Cori Chambers. May 7: The Sun waived Jessica Foley, Tracy Gahan and Christina Quaye. May 6: The Sun waived Meredith Alexis and Natalie Berglin. April 28: The Sun waived Crystal Erwin, Laura Hall and Jessica Richter. April 23: The Sun waived Antoinette Upshaw. March 20: The Sun signed Tracy Gahan to a training camp contract. March 7: The Sun signed Sandrine Gruda. March 5: The Sun signed Jessica Foley to a training camp contract. March 3: The Sun signed Natalie Berglin and Kerri Gardin to training camp contracts. February 19: The Sun re-signed free agents Lindsay Whalen and Jamie Carey. WNBA.com: 2008 WNBA Transactions DateTradeFebruary 19, 2008To Connecticut SunTo Indiana Fever Tamika Whitmore, Jessica Foley, 12th pick in 2008 Draft Katie DouglasMarch 6, 2008 To Connecticut Sun To Houston Comets Barbara Turner Megan MahoneyMarch 14, 2008 To Connecticut Sun To Minnesota Lynx Tamika Raymond Kristen Rasmussen

Free agents

Additions

Player Signed Former team Lindsay Whalen February 19, 2008 re-signed Jamie Carey February 19, 2008 re-signed Tamika Whitmore February 19, 2008 Indiana Fever Kerri Gardin March 3, 2008 free agent Barbara Turner March 6, 2008 Houston Comets Sandrine Gruda March 7, 2008 draft pick Tamika Raymond March 16, 2008 Minnesota Lynx Danielle Page April 16, 2008 undrafted rookie Svetlana Abrosimova August 27, 2008 free agent

Subtractions Player Left New team Margo Dydek October 4, 2007 free agent Katie Douglas February 19, 2008 Indiana Fever Megan Mahoney March 6, 2008 Houston Comets Le'Coe Willingham March 10, 2008 Phoenix Mercury Nykesha Sales March 11, 2008 hiatus Kristen Rasmussen March 16, 2008 Minnesota Lynx Cori Chambers May 15, 2008 free agent Kamesha Hairston June 27, 2008 free agent Jolene Anderson August 27, 2008 free agent

Roster

Season standings

Schedule

Preseason

|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 1 || May 1 || @ Minnesota || || L 57-68 || Gardin (8) || Gahan, Gardin, Holt (4) || Carey, Hairston, Turner (2) || Target Center 1,155 || 0–1 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 2 || May 4 || Phoenix || || W 94-66 || Holt (15) || Gahan (10) || Swanier, Berglin (3) || Mohegan Sun Arena 6,252 || 1-1 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 3 || May 9 || Houston || || W 88-80 || Whalen (18) || Anderson (7) || Whalen (8) || Mohegan Sun Arena 4,411 || 2–1

Regular season

|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 1 || May 17 || Atlanta || CSS || W 100-67 || Whitmore (22) || Whitmore (10) || Whalen (8) || Mohegan Sun Arena 7,420 || 1–0 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 2 || May 18 || @ New York || WCTXNBA TV|| W 77-63 || Whitmore (17) || Whalen, Raymond (6) || Whalen (8) || Madison Square Garden 10,460 || 2–0 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 3 || May 24 || Sacramento || || W 87-64 || Whalen (21) || Holt (7) || Whalen, Whitmore (5) || Mohegan Sun Arena 6,402 || 3–0 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 4 || May 27 || Indiana || ESPN2 || L 46-75 || Whalen (11) || Jones (7) || Whalen (5) || Mohegan Sun Arena 5,245 || 3–1 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 5 || May 30 || New York || MSGNBA TV || W 89-84 || Whitmore (18) || Whalen (6) || Whalen (7) || Mohegan Sun Arena 7,052 || 4–1

|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 6 || June 1 || @ Chicago || || W 75-73 || Whalen, Whitmore (19) || Whalen (7) || Whalen (7) || UIC Pavilion 2,276 || 5–1 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 7 || June 6 || Minnesota || || W 78-77 || Jones (25) || Whalen (9) || Anderson, Gardin (5) || Mohegan Sun Arena 6,327 || 6–1 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 8 || June 8 || Washington || WCTXNBA TV || W 87-79 || Jones (16) || Whalen (7) || Whalen (7) || Mohegan Sun Arena 7,174 || 7–1 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 9 || June 10 || @ Minnesota || ESPN2 || W 75-66 || Jones (18) || Whitmore (12) || Whalen (6) || Target Center 7,186 || 8–1 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 10 || June 13 || @ Los Angeles || || L 93-98 (OT) || Whalen (20) || Whalen (7) || Jones (3) || STAPLES Center 8,702 || 8–2 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 11 || June 16 || @ Seattle || WCTXNBA TV || W 74-67 || Jones (15) || Raymond (9) || Whitmore (4) || KeyArena 6,872 || 9–2 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 12 || June 18 || @ Phoenix || || L 81-102 || Jones (18) || Turner (5) || Whalen (5) || US Airways Center 4,478 || 9–3 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 13 || June 20 || @ Sacramento || || W 72-56 || Jones (14) || Whalen, Anderson (6) || Whalen (5) || ARCO Arena 5,895 || 10–3 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 14 || June 24 || Detroit || WCTXNBA TV || W 85-68 || Jones (20) || Holt (8) || Whalen (6) || Mohegan Sun Arena 7,501 || 11–3 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 15 || June 26 || @ Detroit || FSN-D || L 61-70 || Jones (14) || Jones (7) || Whalen (4) || Mohegan Sun Arena 7,501 || 11–4 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 16 || June 27 || Atlanta || || W 109-101 (OT) || Jones (30) || Jones, Whalen (10) || Holt (8) || Mohegan Sun Arena 7,612 || 12–4 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 17 || June 29 || Phoenix || || L 80-87 || Jones (16) || Jones (9) || Whalen (8) || Mohegan Sun Arena 9,518 (sellout) || 12–5

|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 18 || July 1 || Houston || || W 78-68 || Jones (15) || Turner (9) || Whalen (9) || Mohegan Sun Arena 6,357 || 13–5 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 19 || July 5 || @ Indiana || FSN-INBA TV || L 74-81 || Jones (20) || Gardin (9) || Jones, Whalen (3) || Conseco Fieldhouse 6,329 || 13–6 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 20 || July 8 || @ Detroit || FSN-D || L 82-88 || Jones (21) || Whalen (7) || Jones, Whalen (8) || Palace of Auburn Hills 7,623 || 13–7 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 21 || July 13 || @ Washington || ABC || L 64-69 || Whalen (33) || Whalen (8) || Jones, Whalen (6) || Verizon Center 9,610 || 13–8 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 22 || July 15 || New York || ESPN2 || L 71-77 || Whalen (19) || Jones (9) || Jones (5) || Mohegan Sun Arena 8,244 || 13–9 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 23 || July 18 || @ Chicago || WCTXNBA TV || L 65-73 || Jones (18) || Gruda (11) || Jones, Swanier (3) || UIC Pavilion 3,379 || 13–10 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 24 || July 20 || Chicago || || W 74-67 || Jones (23) || Jones (10) || Whalen (6) || Mohegan Sun Arena 7,367 || 14–10 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 25 || July 24 || Los Angeles || WCTXNBA TV || W 87-61 || Whalen (22) || Jones (8) || Whalen (4) || Mohegan Sun Arena 9,518 (sellout) || 15–10 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 26 || July 27 || @ Washington || CSN-MANBA TV || W 82-60 || Jones (27) || Whalen (8) || Whalen (7) || Verizon Center 9,357 || 16–10

| colspan="10" style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;"| Summer Olympic break |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 27 || August 28 || @ Indiana || FSN-INBA TV || W 84-58 || Whitmore (15) || Turner, Raymond (5) || Gruda, Jones (4) || Conseco Fieldhouse 6,435 || 17–10 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 28 || August 29 || @ Atlanta || || W 98-72 || Whitmore (27) || Whitmore (6) || Whalen (8) || Philips Arena 11,442 (sellout) || 18–10 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 29 || August 31 || Seattle || ABC || W 80-76 || Jones (20) || Holt (5) || Gardin (4) || Mohegan Sun Arena 9,518 (sellout) || 19–10

|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 30 || September 5 || Chicago || || W 80-75 || Whitmore (17) || Jones (6) || Whalen (6) || Mohegan Sun Arena 8,088 || 20–10 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 31 || September 7 || San Antonio || ABC || L 73-85 || Jones (22) || Jones (9) || Abrosimova (6) || Mohegan Sun Arena 7,956 || 20–11 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 32 || September 9 || @ Houston || WCTX || L 68-75 || Jones (22) || Whalen (8) || Whalen (5) || Reliant Arena 5,769 || 20–12 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 33 || September 11 || @ San Antonio || || L 74-78 || Jones (18) || Gardin (14) || Carey (7) || AT&T Center 6,791 || 20–13 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 34 || September 13 || Washington || WCTXNBA TV || W 87-81 || Phillips (18) || Phillips (8) || Gruda, Swanier (4) || Mohegan Sun Arena 8,652 || 21–13

Playoffs In the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs, the Sun had to face the New York Liberty. Since the Sun had the better record, the series would be played with game 1 at New York, game 2 at Connecticut, and game 3 (if needed) at Connecticut. The Liberty won the first game, but the Sun won the second to force a game three. The Sun were upset on their home floor by the Liberty and were eliminated from the playoffs. For the sixth consecutive season, the Sun advance to the playoffs. For the second consecutive season, the Sun do not advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 1 || September 18 || @ New York || MSGNBA TV || L 63-72 || Whitmore (16) || Jones, Whitmore (6) || Whalen (6) || Madison Square Garden 7,649 || 0–1 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 2 || September 20 || New York || MSGNBA TV || W 73-70 || Jones (16) || Whitmore (6) || Whalen (4) || Mohegan Sun Arena 7,234 || 1-1 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 3 || September 22 || New York || ESPN2 || L 62-66 || Whalen (19) || Jones (11) || Whitmore (4) || Mohegan Sun Arena 6,011 || 1–2

Depth Pos.StarterBenchInactive C Tamika Whitmore Sandrine Gruda Danielle Page PF Asjha Jones Tamika Raymond SF Kerri Gardin Barbara Turner -- Amber Holt SG Svetlana Abrosimova Erin Phillips Ketia Swanier PG Lindsay Whalen Jamie Carey

Regular Season statistics

Player statistics Player GP GS MPG RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 6 0 17.8 3.3 2.0 1.33 0.00 5.7 24 7 15.3 2.4 1.1 0.29 0.04 4.0 33 3 15.1 1.2 1.4 0.24 0.03 4.2 34 15 15.9 3.3 1.2 0.85 0.21 4.0 31 1 15.4 3.5 0.9 0.61 0.84 6.2 34 34 21.0 3.1 1.9 0.44 0.15 6.5 33 33 29.2 6.1 2.5 0.61 0.79 17.0 3 0 4.0 2.0 0.0 0.00 0.00 2.0 8 0 10.8 2.1 0.4 0.50 0.13 5.1 34 1 11.0 2.9 0.4 0.29 0.03 2.5 25 6 9.2 1.2 1.0 0.56 0.04 1.6 34 6 19.5 3.2 1.5 0.35 0.41 8.0 31 31 29.3 5.6 5.4 1.45 0.03 14.0 34 33 26.8 4.7 1.4 0.59 0.38 12.6

Team statistics Team FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG Connecticut Sun .422 .330 .746 36.4 17.9 6.2 2.8 14.3 18.5 79.1 Opponents .418 .321 .740 35.3 16.3 7.4 3.1 14.7 20.7 74.7

Team Ranking This table shows how the Sun rank compared to the other teams in the league (14 total teams): FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG 8th 8th 12th 3rd 2nd 14th 12th 13th 13th 3rd

Playoffs statistics

Player statistics