foot injury that kept her out of the Olympics,

For the sixth season in a row, ESPN.com is ranking the top players in the NBA. Who will be the best player this season?To get the final ranking, we asked our expert panel to vote on pairs of players.LeBron James vs. Stephen Curry. Russell Westbrook vs. Kevin Durant. Damian Lillard vs. Chris Paul.We asked, Which player will be better in 2016-17? To decide, voters had to consider both the quality and the quantity of each players contributions to his teams ability to win games.Well roll out the rest of our top 200 players over the next week. If you want to get involved in the discussion or just follow along, #NBArank is the Twitter hashtag to use. You also can follow along @ESPNNBA and on Facebook.On to the list ...38. Kemba WalkerHornets | PG | @KembaWalkerLast years rank: 792016-17 projected RPM: 2.76Insider profile: Coming off his best season, Walker is one of the bargains of the NBA. Charlotte has Walker on the hook for three more seasons (including 2016-17) at $12 million annually. This for a player who just finished 13th in the NBA in WARP and nearly carried the Hornets to a first-round win over Miami. That is, before Walker had a Game 7 clunker, scoring just nine points on 3-of-16 shooting. Still, Walker is just hitting his prime, has climbed into the upper tiers of his position, and he sports RPMs that are positive on both ends of the floor. To have him under that bargain contract in this salary-cap environment -- its kind of like finding a Van Gogh sitting in a rack under a flashing blue light.?Read more ?#NBArank 31-4031: Carmelo Anthony32: Hassan Whiteside33: Kristaps Porzingis34: Gordon Hayward35: Marc Gasol36: Steven Adams37: Rudy Gobert38: Kemba Walker39: Derrick Favors40: Dwyane Wade Saucony Shoes Sale Uk . -- The boos poured down on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots at the end of a horrible first half. Cheap Saucony Shoes Uk . -- Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings was selected Monday to his second straight Pro Bowl, while guard Kyle Long made it after a solid rookie season. http://www.sauconyoutletuk.com/ . The Dane followed up his first European Tour title last weekend with eight birdies and just a single dropped shot on Thursday for a one-stroke advantage over South Africas Allan Versfeld and Portugals Ricardo Santos. Saucony Outlet Uk . -- Canadian Andrew Wiggins got the ball on the wing, made a nifty spin move and then let go with a soft floater from about 10 feet that swished through the net in Allen Fieldhouse. Saucony Outlet Store Uk . The parade and rally were held to celebrate the Saskatchewan Roughriders 45-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday in the CFLs championship game. Well say goodbye to a much-loved WNBA player on Wednesday night, although we dont know which one. And well see if a team can overcome a very ill-timed technical foul incurred this past weekend.Theres always drama in any postseason. But with the WNBA going to single-elimination games for the first two rounds this year, the drama factor is ramped up. Heres a quick look at the first-round matchups that open the 2016 playoffs.No. 8 Phoenix at No. 5 Indiana, (ESPNews, 6 p.m. ET)The Fevers Tamika Catchings and the Mercurys Penny Taylor came into the league at the same time, picked in the first round of the 2001 draft. Now they face each other in what will be the last WNBA game for one of them, as both players are retiring when this season is over.Both Indiana and Phoenix fans have had their chance to say thanks to these two fantastic players in ceremonies on their home courts. The Fever and their faithful definitely do not want Catchings last game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse to be a loss.But thats exactly what the Mercury hope to accomplish in their attempt to make the kind of statement in the playoffs that they didnt make in an inconsistent regular season. The Mercury (16-8) started the year with four consecutive losses, and that set the tone. Phoenix seemed back on track a few times this season, but surges were followed by more losses.Indiana won the teams first two meetings this season: 97-93 on May 18 in Indianapolis, and 78-60 in Phoenix on July 8. Then the Mercury took the third, 79-65 on Aug. 30 in Indy.That last victory was the end of the Mercurys three-win surge to start the post-Olympics part of the season. Yet it was followed by three consecutive losses, all on the road to East teams. So you get the picture: We really have no idea what Phoenix team well see Wednesday.Diana Taurasi leads Phoenix in scoring at 17.8 PPG, but she has shot a career-low 39.6 percent from the field. Taurasi, DeWanna Bonner (14.5 PPG), Brittney Griner (14.5), Taylor (12.5) and Candice Dupree (11.3) are the same group that won a WNBA championship in 2014.But the Mercury played far better defensively that year, holding opponents to 74.1 PPG. Contrast that to this year, when Phoenix allowed 83.3 in the regular season.The Fever (17-17) have had their ups and downs as well. Indiana doesnt have anyone who puts up big individual numbers; Catchings leads in scoring at 12.7 PPG. But there are seven players who average between 9.8 and 8.3 points, and at their best the Fever move the ball vvery well.ddddddddddddWe saw them do that Sunday against Dallas, which admittedly has an even worse defense than Phoenix. But that 83-60 victory is indicative of the kind of game Indiana would really like Wednesday to be.No. 7 Seattle at No. 6 Atlanta (ESPNews, 8 p.m. ET)The last time the Storm and Dream met in a playoff game, Seattle celebrated its second WNBA championship. That was Game 3 of the 2010 WNBA Finals, which the Storm won 87-84 as they completed a sweep of very close games.Angel McCoughtry, who had 35 points in that game, and Sancho Lyttle are the Atlanta players from 2010 who are still with the Dream; Sue Bird and Abby Bishop are still with the Storm.When that series was going on in September 2010, Seattles Breanna Stewart and Jewell Loyd were still in high school. On Wednesday, they could be very big factors for Seattle.So could the fact that Atlantas second-leading scorer, Tiffany Hayes (15.0 PPG), wont play. She is suspended for the game after picking up her seventh technical foul of the season in the Dreams loss at Minnesota on Saturday.That was a critical mistake for Hayes, who otherwise has had a very good season. Its also not certain that Lyttle, who has been dealing with a foot injury that kept her out of the Olympics, will be able to play. She was hurt July 15, and returned for two games on Sept. 4 and 6. But she hasnt played since then.It puts all the more weight on McCoughtry, who leads the team at 19.5 PPG. She will get help from Elizabeth Williams (11.9 PPG, 8.1 RPG), who is the favorite to win the leagues most improved player award. Rookie Bria Holmes, who has averaged 15.7 points in her last six games, also has given the Dream (17-17) a boost.No rookie has been more impactful this season, though, than Stewart, who leads Seattle in scoring (18.3), rebounding (9.3) and blocked shots (1.9). Loyd is right behind in points, at 16.5 PPG, with the veteran Bird directing the show (12.8 PPG, 5.8 APG).Seattle (16-18) took the season series 2-1. The Storm won 84-81 in Seattle on June 28, and then in Atlanta 91-82 on Sept. 4. In between, the Dream won 77-64 on July 5 in Atlanta.This is a home game for the Dream, but its not at their standard home in Philips Arena. It will be at Georgia Techs McCamish Pavilion, which is where the Dream will play their games for the next two seasons as Philips undergoes renovations. ' ' '