Becky took time out before Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals and answered some of your questions.

Do you find the cheers of the Madison Square Garden fans inspiring? Best of luck. I'll be cheering for you (hit a 3 for me)!
Dan, New York, NY

Hammon: Yeah, definitely. Everybody finds inspiration in different ways. That definitely brings a lot of excitement and energy for us.

After one game, my cousin (only 6 years old) told me, "My heart wants to play basketball" and I thought it was so cute. What would your advice be since you've come a long way in basketball and have so much more to experience in the future?
Claudia, Olivo City, FL

Hammon: Dream big and practice, keep believing in yourself, even when other people don't. Never lose sight of that. I was very young when I got into basketball. I've always loved the game. I remember as a little kid running around always with a ball in my hand, whether it was a football, basketball, softball, whatever. It was some kind of ball. Basketball just stuck.

Becky, how does it feel going from the bench to the starting lineup?
Rachelle and Amanda, Livingston Manor, NY

Hammon: It feels good. It's just a position that I got to step into and fill a role that we needed. I respect a lot of the people coming off the bench because I know what it's like. We have great players coming in off the bench -- Crystal Robinson and Sue Wicks. But to be starting, I like that better because I don't have to go and sit for 15-20 minutes before I get into the game. Now I can just go from warmups right into the game.

Weren't you nervous playing in your first-ever playoffs last year?
Chimere, Tucson, AZ

Hammon: I think all around I've been more comfortable and relaxed this year. Last year, in our first playoff games, I didn't really get to play. Coach was too nervous about putting me in. He told me that and I said that I love pressure. He played me in the Houston series. I learned a lot from that. I just carried that experience over into this year. Now I know the way I play has a big impact on whether we go out there and win.

As a member of the starting lineup for such a highly competitive team, how much pressure is put upon you to win a championship title?
Tharyn, Chicago, IL

Hammon: I don't there's a lot of pressure on us. Nobody thought we'd be in the playoffs earlier in the season. Any pressure that we do have is put on by ourselves. We just want to go out there and stay together as a team and keep proving people wrong because that's what we've been doing ever since last year. I don't look at it as pressure. I think by the time someone asks you if you're going to win the championship, you've already accomplished a lot. It's just in the way that you look at it. I think the most pressure is when you're predicted to win it. As the underdog, you can play relaxed.

Is it great to hear the entire arena roar when you make an amazing shot? It shows on Teresa Weatherspoon's face, but not yours.
Alex, Nyack, NY

Hammon: I just consider it as going out there and doing a job. Spoon's so busy dishing the ball sometimes that when she starts scoring, off a great drive or whatever, I just think we're different kinds of players. She shows a lot of emotion and I don't really show a lot. That's all that is. But I'm excited to score and hear the crowd, too. My job is to score and shoot the ball, that's not really Spoon's job. Her job is more to distribute. You'd probably see my face light up more when I get an assist, and she probably lights up more when she scores. We just get excited over different things.

You are so awesome! What is it like to be idolized by young girl athletes like myself?
Theresa, Deltona, FL

Hammon: Overall, I think that's probably the best part of our job, but at the same time, it's a huge responsibility. All the girls in our league take that really seriously, and I think that's why we have such a good relationship with our fans. You don't see a lot of us going out and getting in trouble. It's a breath of fresh air to see good role models, a lot of positive people. I think everybody takes pride in that.