Storm-Shock Preview

By MATT BEARDMORE
Posted Jun 20 2011 1:03PM

Just four games into the season, the Seattle Storm have had their lengthy home winning streak snapped and posted their lowest-scoring effort since 2008.

Facing the league-worst Tulsa Shock doesn't guarantee the defending WNBA champs will get their game in gear.

The Storm try to avoid a second straight road loss Tuesday night when the Shock go for consecutive wins for the first time in more than a year.

The Storm (2-2) opened 4-0 last season and went on to win a league record-tying 28 games and their second title, but they face an uphill climb in the Western Conference due to their slow start in 2011. San Antonio and Minnesota have gotten out of the gate quickly and are battling for the conference lead, and Los Angeles is also ahead of Seattle and has won its last two.

Ten days after having their 18-game regular-season home winning streak snapped with an 81-74 loss to Minnesota, the Storm opened their road schedule Sunday against Los Angeles and fell 74-50.

Seattle shot a season-worst 30.3 percent, committed 22 turnovers and scored its fewest points since a 65-48 road loss to the Sparks on Sept. 14, 2008.

"I'm not really too worried, I just want to make sure that we all get on the same page," center Lauren Jackson said. "We need a game like this to find ourselves."

The Storm need Jackson to do so quickly. The three-time league MVP, who will play her 300th game Tuesday, has not reached double digits in points the last three contests and is averaging 10.5.

The matchup between Jackson and fellow Australian center Liz Cambage is one to watch as these conference foes open their five-game season series.

Cambage, a 19-year-old rookie, is off to a nice start with 14.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. After missing an 82-74 loss at Indiana last Tuesday with a concussion, Cambage had 10 points off the bench in 16 minutes as the Shock (1-5) defeated Washington 77-59 on Saturday.

The victory was the franchise's most lopsided since Detroit's 90-70 win at Connecticut on Aug. 25, 2009.

"I'm very happy,'' coach Nolan Richardson said. "We had been playing well on the road the last two games. The difference was our starting chemistry. In the first half, we were playing more 1-on-1 basketball.

"In the second half we saw that the cutting game was open and we ran it.''

Shock point guard Ivory Latta has been outstanding in the last three games, averaging 22.3 points and 60 percent shooting. Sue Bird will likely draw the defensive assignment on her.

In the teams' last meeting in Tulsa, Latta had 15 points as the Shock snapped a seven-game losing streak and a nine-game skid at home with an 84-75 victory Aug. 3.

Tulsa last won two straight from May 29-June 4, 2010.

Seattle hasn't dropped its first two road games since 2007.

Bird, Cash rally Storm to 82-77 win over Shock

Posted Jun 21 2011 10:50PM

TULSA, Okla. (AP) Sue Bird scored 21 points, Swin Cash had 17 and the defending champion Seattle Storm rallied for an 82-77 victory over the Tulsa Shock on Tuesday night.

Camille Little added 11 points and Le'coe Willingham had 10 for the Storm (3-2), who outscored the Shock 30-13 in the third quarter after trailing by six at halftime. Bird and Cash combined for 20 points after the break.

Three-time MVP Lauren Jackson finished with four points. She suffered an apparent hip injury in the first half and did not return after halftime.

Tiffany Jackson had 20 points and 10 rebounds to lead Tulsa (1-6). Kayla Pederson scored 15 points, Liz Cambage had 13 points and six rebounds, and Ivory Latta added 11 points.

• Storm: --
• Shock: --

• Storm: --
• Shock: --

• Lead Changes: 4
• Times Tied: 5

• Arena: BOK Center, Tulsa, OK
• Officials: #45 Tom Mauer, #44 Felicia Grinter, #55 Eric Brewton
• Attendance: 4612
• Duration: 2:15