Finals Open in Russia

Game 1 of the Russian Superleague Finals has gone to CSKA Samara. The hosts defeated Spartak, featuring Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson, 83-70 today. Jackson had 20 points and led all players with 14 rebounds, but Bird was outplayed by former Storm backup Edwige Lawson-Wade. Lawson-Wade scored 20 points with four three-pointers and five steals; Bird scored nine points, but on 2-for-8 shooting with just one assist.

In the third-fourth matchup, UMMC Ekaterinburg beat Dynamo Moscow 83-70.

Game 2 in both series will be tomorrow.

Thanks to Paul Swanson of the Minnesota Lynx (aka p_d_swanson), we now have a schedule for the finals in Turkey involving Barbara Turner (playing for Fenerbache). Make of this what you will, but the Turkish playoffs open with the higher-seeded team leading 1-0. So it's a best-of-seven series, but at most six actual games.

The schedule:
May 3 - at Fenerbahce
May 6 - at Besiktas
May 8 - at Besiktas
May 10 - at Fenerbahce (if necessary)
May 12 - at Besiktas (if necessary)
May 15 - at Fenerbahce (if necessary)

Root for a Fenerbache sweep.

In Poland, the series involving Betty Lennox is now at 3-2 Lotos with Game 6 tomorrow and Game 7 - if necessary - on Saturday.