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Kevin Pelton, storm.wnba.com
Maria Stepanova leaving the Mercury, Minnesota is very much alive in the race for a playoff berth.
There's been some question in the Land of a Thousand Lakes as to whether making the playoffs is even the best thing for Minnesota. After all, when the Lynx pulled off last month's blockbuster trade that sent the face of the franchise, Katie Smith, to Detroit for Chandi Jones, Stacey Thomas and a first-round pick, one of the key points in favor of the deal was the fact that the Lynx could end up with a pair of lottery picks if they and the Shock both missed the playoffs. At the same time, beyond the fact that anything can happen in the postseason, if Minnesota was to make the playoffs it would be a very strong statement about the young talent the Lynx have already collected.
Part of that collection is Jones. The differing opinions on the Smith trade largely came down to the particular take on Jones. The NCAA's leading scorer her junior season at Houston, Jones was the eighth pick of the 2004 Draft. Detroit Coach Bill Laimbeer, who landed Jones, said he considered her the top prospect available. Jones played sparingly as a rookie and better as a reserve this year, but was stuck behind Deanna Nolan with the Shock. After a slow start in Minnesota, Jones has combined for 33 points, 10 boards and 12 assists in her last two games, setting her career highs for scoring in both games. With Jones, the Lynx have averaged 71.8 points per game as compared to 64.0 per game before her arrival. Minnesota is scoring more points per possession and has also played a faster style with Jones.
The Lynx did the Seattle Storm a favor Tuesday by beating the Comets, giving the Storm back sole possession of second place in the Western Conference pending tonight's games. Minnesota's pesky, never-give-up style will be less advantageous for the Storm tonight. "They outplay their talent level sometimes and just try to outwork people," says Storm Coach Anne Donovan. With 
Sue Bird's 20 points leading the way, the Storm built up a double-digit lead and held on for a 72-66 win last Friday in Minnesota. A win tonight would even the season series between the teams and put the Storm a win away from securing a playoff berth.
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The point guard for the Australian National Team, Kristi Harrower missed last season because of the Olympics but has returned to claim the Lynx's starting spot this season. Harrower is a game manager who doesn't take a lot of risks with the basketball to create offense for herself or her teammates, but Minnesota benefits when she looks for her shot at least a little. In wins, she's averaging 6.8 points as opposed to 3.6 in losses. Neither Harrower nor anyone else on the Lynx's roster could contain Bird last Friday in Connecticut, and the Storm would like that scoring punch from the point on a more consistent basis.
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As nice as Jones' scoring has been (10.5 points per game since joining the Lynx, just a hair off the team's best mark), she's really impressed with her versatility, contributing 4.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game in six games in Minnesota. Only five players throughout the WNBA are averaging at least four rebounds and three assists over the course of the season. Storm rookie  Tanisha Wright has also been showing more offensive prowess as a starter, averaging 7.0 points in place of injured  Betty Lennox, including a career-high 13 Sunday at Houston.
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The Lynx's new up-tempo style has suited forward Svetlana Abrosimova just nicely. A versatile athlete, Abrosimova is at her best in the open court and has averaged 13.3 points per game over the last six games. The notoriously streaky Abrosimova has scored 19-14-7-18-7-14 in those games, including a pair of 2-for-10 shooting nights, one against the Storm. If she's on, however, look out. Storm forward  Iziane Castro Marques had arguably the best game of her career against the Lynx at KeyArena in June, scoring 19 points, grabbing nine rebounds and handing out four assists.
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After a strong start to the season, second-year Lynx forward Nicole Ohlde has slumped recently. She averaged just 6.8 points per game over a stretch of five games where she scored double-figures but once before posting 16 points, six boards and five assists against Houston Tuesday. Ohlde remains one of the league's better young post players and has had some entertaining matchups in the past against MVP contender  Lauren Jackson. Jackson dominated the matchup on Friday, however, finishing with 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists while Ohlde had nine points and three boards.
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Earlier this year, Vanessa Hayden passed Storm center  Janell Burse to become the all-time leading shot blocker in Lynx franchise history. It didn't take long, partially because Burse was sparingly used in Minnesota and partially because Hayden is the league's leader at 2.3 blocks per game. Hayden was a force on Friday, finishing with 14 points and 11 boards, but can be neutralized by foul trouble (she played only 14 minutes Tuesday because of fouls). Burse tweaked her left MCL yesterday in practice, but it's not a big deal and she will start nonetheless.
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Minnesota has a strong bench which has scored 30.5% of the team's points this season. That group is led by veteran forward Stacey Lovelace (right), who had 10 points against the Storm Friday and has averaged 9.7 points in three matchups with Seattle. Lovelace only played three minutes Tuesday after being hit in the mouth early in the game. Forward Tamika Williams, Bird's teammate at UConn, was limited to four points and five boards on Friday but is a highly accurate shooter (57.5%). Guard Tynesha Lewis, one of the WNBA's top reserves a year ago in Charlotte, has taken over backup point guard duties. Former Storm forward Amanda Lassiter rounds out the core reserves. The Storm bench matched the Lynx unit last Friday.  Suzy Batkovic (left) was key to that with nine points and three boards, but  Francesca Zara stepped up with seven points and  Alicia Thompson continues to shoot the ball well.
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Betty Lennox (partially torn ligament, left wrist) is out.
Minnesota - Forwards Jacqueline Batteast (hyperextended left knee) and Stacey Thomas (strained right hip flexor) are on the injured list.
