Storm-Shock Preview

By KATE HEDLIN
Posted Jul 30 2011 12:19AM

Coming off an ugly defensive performance, the Seattle Storm probably won't mind seeing the league-worst Tulsa Shock.

The Storm will try to hand the Shock their 12th straight loss when the teams meet Saturday night.

Seattle (9-8) failed in a bid for its season-high third straight victory, allowing a season high in points in a 92-67 loss to Western Conference-leading Minnesota on Friday.

"Any game like this is disappointing, especially with a chance to continue to creep up the standings," said leading scorer Sue Bird, who was held to four points - more than 11 below her season average. ``Hopefully we'll be able to learn from this. Regardless of what the score was, it's a loss. It's just one game. We have one tomorrow and in a way, I feel like everyone in this locker room is happy about that. The one team in the world that is happy with a back-to-back is in this locker room right now."

Storm opponents were averaging 69.6 points in the team's previous five games, but Minnesota jumped out to a 49-30 lead in the first half and shot 56.2 percent overall.

While the Storm had played well defensively before Friday, they continue to struggle on the offensive end. Seattle was held under 70 points for the third time in six games and Bird has shot just 29.6 percent in her last three contests.

She and her teammates will look to bounce back against Tulsa, which Seattle defeated 82-77 on the road June 21. Bird scored 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting in that game.

The Storm figure to have an easier time at both ends of the court against the Shock (1-16), losers of 11 straight. Tulsa managed only seven fourth-quarter points in a 64-55 loss to Chicago on Thursday.

Ivory Latta scored 20 points in her second game back from a staph infection, but the rest of the team shot 27.3 percent.

"Every one of us has to stay in attack mode," she said. "We have to continue to run our offense and do the things coach (Teresa) Edwards wants us to do, and play a hard 40 minutes."

The loss was the team's sixth since Edwards took over coaching duties from Nolan Richardson. They've scored fewer than 60 points in half those games.

"They are trying to figure things out real quick, as we are implementing new changes. It takes teams years to gel with chemistry, so what we are getting done is actually pretty good," Edwards said.

Tulsa's losing streak, which began with the home loss to the Shock, is two shy of matching the franchise's longest, set May 30-June 28, 2002. The Shock dropped 12 in a row last year.

Bird, Storm hand Shock 12th straight loss

Posted Jul 30 2011 11:23PM

TULSA, Okla. (AP) Sue Bird rebounded from a miserable night with her best one of the season.

Bird scored a season-high 29 points and the Seattle Storm handed the Tulsa Shock their 12th straight loss with an 89-72 victory Saturday night.

One night after being held to four points on 1-of-6 shooting in a loss at Minnesota, Bird was 8 of 14 from the field and 10 of 10 at the free throw line.

``For me to be able to help my team I have to be aggressive, and if that means when I'm open to take the shots, that's what I have to do,'' Bird said. ``By being aggressive, getting some shots to fall in the first half, I was able to be aggressive and find my teammates. They did an awesome job of knocking down shots.''

Bird jokingly referred to herself as the quarterback with her teammates serving as her offensive line in setting screens.

``We did a good job of screening for her and she did a good job of using screens,'' Seattle coach Brian Agler said. ``People think of Sue as a quarterback point guard where she distributes the ball to everyone else. She is that, but she's also more and you saw the more today. She's the best in the world. The people in Tulsa had a chance to see that firsthand. She was not going to let us lose tonight.''

Swin Cash chipped in 23 points, nine rebounds and five assists.

``We're really glad to get the win. Any road win, especially against a Western Conference team is big, but coming off the loss (Friday) was important for us to go 2-1 on this road trip,'' Bird said. ``(Friday) was one of those games, and I don't want to take anything away from Minnesota, but it was one of those games that we were a little out of sorts.''

Not so Saturday night.

The Storm shot 50 percent from the field and enjoyed a 34-30 rebounding edge in the game. The Storm were 20 of 24 at the free throw line, led by Bird's 10-for-10 night.

``I'm not one to get to the free throw line, so you just want to knock them down,'' Bird said.

Tiffany Jackson scored 16 points for Tulsa (1-17). Ivory Latta finished with 13 and Liz Cambage 11.

Down 48-35 at halftime after Andrea Riley's half-court shot, the Shock pulled within 60-55 in the third quarter. The defending WNBA champions answered with a 13-2 spurt to regain control and cruise to the victory.

• Storm: --
• Shock: --

• Storm: --
• Shock: --

• Lead Changes: 2
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: BOK Center, Tulsa, OK
• Officials: #24 Tony Dawkins, #13 Cameron Inouye, #46 Tim Greene
• Attendance: 5067
• Duration: 1:55