e game by 33 minutes. The weather cooperated until the eighth, when heavy showers began to come down off and on, altho

New York Liberty forward Tina Charles is having a better season than she did when she won the WNBAs MVP award in 2012.Charles is averaging career bests for points (a league-leading 22.8) and assists (4.3). The seventh-year pro leads the league in rebounding (9.8 per game) and is shooting 46.5 percent from the field, her highest mark since making 49.9 percent in her MVP season.My teammates put me in the position to be successful, Charles said told SBNation.com after Sundays 77-67 loss at the Los Angeles Sparks. It gives me the confidence I need, knowing my team has confidence in me.The Liberty (12-6) lost all three regular-season meetings to WNBA-leading Los Angeles, but they will try to get back on the winning track Wednesday when they play host to the Seattle Storm in Madison Square Garden.Seattle, which was 6-10 entering Tuesday nights game at Atlanta, will be playing on back-to-back nights for the only time this season.Charles has scored at least 21 points in nine consecutive games, twice topping 30. She and Los Angeles center Candace Parker are the only players in the league to rank in the top 10 in scoring, rebounding and assists.Seattle has emerging star power, thanks to having the top pick in each of the past two drafts. Guard Jewell Loyd, the No. 1 pick in 2015, is averaging 17.1 points per game. This years top pick, forward Breanna Stewart, is averaging team highs with 18.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.Veteran guard Sue Bird averages 13.5 points per game.New York won the first meeting this season, 86-78 on June 5 in Seattle. The Liberty had a plus-nine edge on the glass and shot 49.3 percent from the field to Seattles 40.3 percent. New York leads the WNBA in rebounding and Seattle is last.Loyd missed all eight shots from the field and had a season-low three points in the first meeting. Stewart, like Loyd, missed all five of her 3-point attempts but did have a career-high 17 rebounds.Charles had a double-double (19 points, 13 rebounds), while getting the usual scoring help from guard Sugar Rodgers, who scored 18. Rodgers is averaging 16.2 points per game and has made 43.5 percent of her 3-pointers.Gary Harris Nuggets Jersey .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team. Will Barton Nuggets Jersey . -- Edmontons Val Sweeting is two wins away from a trip to Winnipeg to play in Canadas Road of the Rings in December. http://www.authenticnuggetsproshop.com/Malik-Beasley-Jersey/ . The move comes after the Canadiens were approached by the Buffalo Sabres for permission to speak to Dudley - a former Sabres player and head coach. "The Sabres called for permission and I appreciate that, Im flattered, Dudley told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun of ESPN. Michael Porter Jersey .com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward James Neal on injured reserve Tuesday. Thomas Welsh Jersey . He just needed to be his best twisting, turning acrobatic self. "I didnt need to be anybody else, I just needed to be myself and be aggressive," said Burks, who scored a career-high 34 points to spark the Utah Jazz to a 118-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.The Winnipeg Goldeyes got seven strong innings from starter Justin Garcia and hit three home runs on Friday en route to a 6-0 victory over the Can-Am Leagues Quebec Capitales in the opening game of this three-game interleague series. "I thought I was balanced tonight," said Garcia. "My fastball was good and I was able to locate it." After only collecting one hit in the games first four innings, Casey Haerther led off the fifth with an infield single. He would end up on second base on the play after Quebec shortstop Jeff Helps throw to first was in the dirt. Two batters later, Fehlandt Lentini drilled one over the left field fence to give the Goldeyes a 2-0 lead. The home run was Lentinis fifth of the season and the first one surrendered by Capitales starter Karl Gelinas all season. Lentini helped add to the Goldeyes lead in the eighth. He led off the inning with a hustle double when the Capitales outfield was a bit lax getting the ball back to the infield. He would score to make it a three-run lead when Nick Liles laced a double down the third base line. Twwo batters later, Tyler Graham drove himself and Liles in with his first home run as a Goldeye.dddddddddddd The home run, coming in the midst of a downpour, put Winnipeg up 5-0. The next hitter, Amos Ramon, greeted Quebec reliever, and former Goldeye, Tim Griffin with a solo home run for the games final run. Rain delayed the start of the game by 33 minutes. The weather cooperated until the eighth, when heavy showers began to come down off and on, although the game never stopped. Garcia earned the win to improve to 4-1 on the season. He went seven innings, marking the third straight start he has gone at least that long. He allowed only one hit, while walking four and striking out two. Brendan Lafferty and Patrick Keating pitched scoreless innings in their relief appearances. Gelinas, who entered the game with a perfect 3-0 record and 0.00 ERA, took his first loss of the season. He pitched 7 2/3 innings, allowing five earned runs on six hits. He struck out four batters. The two teams meet again tomorrow night at 6 p.m. in the second of three games in this series. ' ' '