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A22 HEALTH
Friday 7 September 2018
Storm, Mystics look to enjoy experience of WNBA Finals

By TIM BOOTH knee suffered in Game 2,
AP Sports Writer Delle Donne returned for
SEATTLE (AP) — Sue Bird Games 4 and 5 and while
leaned over toward Bre- her scoring was down, her
anna Stewart and made presence on the court was
sure the current MVP of a boost for the Mystics.
the WNBA was paying at- Delle Donne scored 29 and
tention to what the oldest 30 points, respectively, in
player in the league was her two games against Se-
saying. attle in the regular season,
"This is advice," Bird said. the second a blowout vic-
The message to Stewart tory in Washington late in
was clear: At age 24, don't the season. Stewart had
take for granted that she's 25 points in each of the first
leading the Seattle Storm two meetings but was held
to the WNBA Finals and ex- to 10 in the final matchup.
pect it to happen all the FIRST-TIME WINNER: The Fi-
time. nals will feature a coach
Bird should know. She won who will raise the trophy for
a title in her third WNBA sea- the first time. Seattle's Dan
son. It was another six years Seattle Storm's Breanna Stewart, right, is embraced by Sue Bird after the Storm defeated the Phoe- Hughes and Washington's
before she was back in the nix Mercury 94-84 during Game 5 of a WNBA basketball playoff semifinal, Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018, Mike Thibault have enjoyed
finals winning another title. in Seattle. The Storm advanced to the WNBA finals. incredible individual suc-
And it was eight more years Associated Press cess leading teams, but
on top of that before Bird neither has ever won a title.
and the Storm finally made Finals? That was very far Also not taking this trip to said. Thibault has only reached
it back to the Finals, where from my imagination." the Finals for granted are Here are other things to the Finals twice in his career
they will face the Washing- Bird is relishing this opportu- the Mystics. It's their first Fi- watch in the best-of-five — in 2004 and 2005 with
ton Mystics in Game 1 on nity knowing it could be one nals appearance in fran- series: Connecticut. In the first of
Friday night. of her last chances to win chise history. Star Elena Del- STAR POWER: The match- those Finals trips, the Sun
"I didn't think we'd be back, another title. And it was her le Donne went to the Finals up between Delle Donne lost to Seattle.
to be honest," Bird said. "We performance in the fourth in 2014 with Chicago, as and Stewart highlights the Hughes has reached the Fi-
started a rebuild and there quarter of Game 5 against did guard Kristi Toliver with series. Stewart averaged nals only once in his career,
was no telling when we'd Phoenix that put Seattle in Los Angeles in 2016. 24 points in Seattle's series in 2008 with San Antonio,
get on the other side of it. the championship series, "We've been leaders of this against Phoenix and car- where it was swept by De-
It's not that my hunger for it hitting four 3-pointers and team and have just been ried the scoring load for troit.
went away or my motiva- scoring 14 of her 22 points trying to make sure ev- much of Game 5 until Bird FRESH KICKS: Bird appears
tion. Clearly, I wanted to during a brilliant six-minute eryone is focused, staying got hot late. to be poking fun at herself
stay at the top of my game stretch that left the likes of light, having a good time What Delle Donne did for being the oldest player
and wanted to help this Kobe Bryant and LeBron and spending time togeth- against Atlanta may have in the WNBA with shoes she
franchise get on the other James singing her praises er, not just on the court but been better. Playing with had designed for Game 1
side of this rebuild, but the on social media. off the court," Delle Donne a bone bruise in her left of the Finals.q

Garnett sues accountant over $77M lost to wealth manager

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kevin apolis. solved in Mr. Garnett's fa-
Garnett is suing an accoun- Defense attorney Greg vor."
tant and his firm, alleging Simpson told the Star Tri- The lawsuit claims Wert-
they helped a wealth man- bune his clients deny the heim "took direction from
ager steal $77 million from allegations and will "vigor- Banks and for some reason
the retired Minnesota Tim- ously" fight the suit. chose to have virtually no
berwolves and Boston Celt- Banks was not named as contact with Garnett."
ics star. a defendant. Banks was According to the lawsuit,
The federal malpractice sentenced last year to four Wertheim prepared finan-
lawsuit alleges Kentucky- years in federal prison for cial statements, was a reg-
based accountant Mi- defrauding another former istered agent for compa-
chael Wertheim and NBA star, retired San Anto- nies in which Garnett held
Welenken CPAs enabled nio Spurs player Tim Dun- a financial interest, and
Charles Banks IV of Atlanta can, of millions of dollars. In added his name to bank
to defraud Garnett through In this May 6, 2008, file photo, Boston Celtics' Kevin Garnett ges- one of Duncan's deals with accounts holding Garnett's
businesses in which Garnett tures to the crowd just before tipoff in Game 1 of an NBA Eastern Banks, Duncan said he was money.
Conference semifinal basketball series against the Cleveland
and Banks shared an inter- Cavaliers in Boston. told Garnett would be a Wertheim also "worked in
est. Associated Press partner. concert" with Banks to put
The lawsuit contends Wert- Garnett's attorney, Mark Garnett on an allowance
heim "possessed actual ed Garnett of his earnings business interests," accord- Gaughan, declined to say and set budgets that the
knowledge that Banks was and assets for many years, ing to the lawsuit, which why Banks was not named 15-time NBA all-star was
helping himself to millions of including the many years was initially filed in Henne- as a defendant. Gaughan urged to follow, the suit
dollars of Garnett's money that Welenken and Wert- pin County District Court said that "based upon the read.
and did nothing about it." heim provided accounting and moved Wednesday to facts, we are confident this Garnett retired with the
"Banks intentionally ... loot- services to Garnett and his U.S. District Court in Minne- matter ultimately will be re- Timberwolves in 2016.q