Storm-Liberty Preview

By JUSTIN EINHORN
Posted Jun 29 2012 3:06PM

Following an awful start, the Seattle Storm are playing like title contenders.

Now they welcome back a key player from their championship run two years ago.

Svetlana Abrosimova makes her return to the Storm on Saturday as they go for a sixth consecutive victory in a matchup with the stumbling New York Liberty.

Seattle (6-7) opened a four-game road trip Tuesday with a 79-71 win in Washington, continuing to play well even without Lauren Jackson as the star center prepares for the Olympics with the Australian national team.

A different familiar face will be back on the Storm bench Saturday with Abrosimova expected to suit up, one day after signing a free-agent deal with the team she helped win the 2010 WNBA title. Abrosimova averaged 7.6 points and 3.2 rebounds that year.

"She was part of our championship team in 2010 - played a really big role on that team," coach and general manager Brian Agler said. "She's an aggressive defensive player; she's a risk-taker. I don't think that's so bad for our team right now."

Abrosimova opted to return to the WNBA after being left off the Russian roster for the Olympics. She spent the past two seasons playing in the Russian Premier League, including alongside Storm teammate Sue Bird during the 2011-12 season.

Bird scored 18 of her 25 points in the second half Tuesday, helping Seattle to a fifth straight win after opening the season 1-7. The Storm now seek their longest winning streak since closing 2010 with 10 consecutive victories en route to their title.

"When you're in a comfort zone as a team, you're able to play instinctively, not think too much," said Bird, averaging 18.2 points on 56.7 percent shooting during this win streak. "Early in the season we were a new group, I think there was a lot of thought going on. Now, we're just out there playing."

The Liberty (4-9) aren't finding the same kind of flow, losing two straight and four of five. They've averaged 65.2 points in the last five games, compared to 74.5 through their first eight.

New York has been idle since committing 26 turnovers Sunday in a 74-64 home loss to Atlanta.

"We just got to learn to be consistent," said Cappie Pondexter, who was 4 of 17 from the field with seven turnovers. "It's kind of up and down, it's kind of hard for us to get it together."

Pondexter is averaging a team-leading 18.7 points but has been held below 15 in three of the past four games.

This is the first meeting of the season between these teams. Seattle has won seven of the past eight but lost in its most recent visit to Newark, 58-56 on Aug. 9.

Carson, Pondexter lead Liberty past Storm

By VIN A. CHERWOO
Posted Jun 30 2012 8:33PM

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) With five days to practice and rest since a disappointing loss in their previous game, the New York Liberty were fired up against the Seattle Storm.

Essence Carson scored 22 points and Cappie Pondexter had 20 to lead the Liberty to a 77-59 victory over the Storm on Saturday.

``It was a big win, a much-needed win,'' Pondexter said. ``We were really striving to win. ... I think having a week off and getting our legs refreshed and our minds refocused, we were able to come out and win.''

Pondexter and Carson combined to shoot 15 for 30 from the field and 10 for 12 from the free-throw line. Pondexter also had a season-high seven rebounds and four assists.

The Liberty (5-9) hadn't played since a 10-point loss to Atlanta on Sunday, New York's fourth loss in five games.

``I'm sure she had in her mind she wanted to win today,'' Pondexter said of Carson. ``I did as well, especially coming off that last performance against Atlanta. We got back in the gym and worked on things, just prepared for today.''

DeMya Walker added 11 points for the Liberty, who lost leading rebounder Kia Vaughn to a concussion late in the second quarter. She did not return and finished with eight points and one rebound.

The Liberty were already without second-leading scorer and rebounder Plenette Pierson (strained left knee), who missed her fourth straight game and is not expected back until after the Olympic break.

``It's a big loss,'' Carson said of Vaughn. ``But as you saw today, when one goes down everyone's willing to step up. When Plenette went down, we had a lot of people step up. As long as we continue to pick up the slack we'll be all right. And when they come back, we'll be even stronger.''

Ann Wauters and Tina Thompson scored 10 points each for Seattle (6-8), which snapped a five-game winning streak. The Storm shot just 32 percent from the field (19 for 59), including 4 for 22 on 3-pointers. They also committed 25 turnovers - their most since having 27 in the season opener against Los Angeles - which led to 20 points for the Liberty.

``We turned the ball over way too much,'' said Seattle's Sue Bird, who finished with nine points. ``For us especially it's a bad thing because when we get our defense set we're a much better team. They were able to get out on transition, get easy buckets. We hadn't seen this in a while, it was uncharacteristic. We hadn't played like this for a while. It was definitely disappointing.''

Bird's third 3-pointer - and first since about 4 minutes into the game - capped a 7-1 run that pulled the Storm to 56-48 heading to the fourth quarter.

However, Pondexter and Kara Braxton had consecutive layups to restore the Liberty's double-digit lead, 65-52, with 6:17 to go. Seattle got no closer than 10 again.

``I didn't think we were quite engaged defensively,'' Storm coach Brian Agler said. ``Earlier, I thought we were, but as the game progressed forward (the Liberty) were pretty much doing what they wanted to do. And when you turn the ball over 25 times, those are 25 possessions where they're either scoring easily or you're on your heels defensively.''

Nicole Powell, who finished with six points and five rebounds - four in the fourth quarter - hit a jumper with less than 43 seconds remaining to close the scoring and give New York its largest lead of the game.

``It was a nice win against a team that is on a roll,'' Liberty coach John Whisenant said. ``They are a good team. I'm sure they'll be in the playoffs and be a contender.''

Carson had a bank shot and Pondexter made a layup in the opening minute of the third quarter to extend the Liberty's eight-point halftime lead to 35-23.

Thompson's layup cut the lead to 39-32 with 7:05 left in the period, but New York scored the next six points and Pondexter's 3 with 4 1/2 minutes to go pushed the Liberty's advantage to 50-36.

The Liberty's second 9-0 run of the game, started by Carson's two free throws with just more than a minute remaining in the first quarter and capped by Vaughn's layup with 8 minutes to go in the half, gave them a 20-12 lead.

Camille Little's three-point play pulled Seattle to 24-21 near the midpoint of the second quarter, but Pondexter followed with a 3 and Vaughn had a turnaround jumper to push the Liberty's lead to eight with 3 1/2 minutes to go in the period.

The Liberty led 31-23 at the break as Seattle had season lows in scoring for the first half and the game.

• Storm: --
• Liberty: --

• Storm: Agler
• Liberty: --

• Lead Changes: 3
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
• Officials: #4 Sue Blauch, #13 Cameron Inouye, #35 Billy Smith
• Attendance: 6724
• Duration: 1:59