Insider Preview - Storm vs. Houston (Game 2)

Sheryl Swoopes

Tina Thompson

Adding to the situation was Lauren Jackson's sore back. According to eyewitness reports, the MVP could barely move before the game, but she still scored the Storm's first seven points and finished with a 19-point, 13-rebound double-double. Jackson's back isn't likely to be much better tonight - she did not participate in the shooting drills the Storm conducted yesterday afternoon - but that's hardly exciting for the Comets.

With the teams spending much of yesterday traveling, major adjustments are hard to make. Storm Coach Anne Donovan did offer a few guesses at what Van Chancellor might try with his team needing a victory to stay alive.

"If I'm Coach Chancellor, I'm really double- and triple-teaming Lauren to try to take her out, because she's the one that got us off to a great start," said Donovan. "Maybe pick up the defense full-court - they've got nothing to lose and nothing to save, so I expect to see more pressure."

From the Storm's viewpoint, there aren't a lot of changes necessary. Seattle expects Sue Bird to have a better game after she shot just 4-for-15 in the opener, but will continue to try to slow Swoopes (6-for-18 shooting) and force the other Comets perimeter players to beat them from the outside.

G U A R D S
	Bird's shooting percentage suffered in the regular season against the Comets (38%) because of Swoopes' stifling defense, but she got some good looks that just didn't go down in Game 1, including 1-for-6 from 3-point range. That's not to say Bird had a bad game, as she played 36 turnover-free minutes. Dominique Canty helped the Comets out on the glass with seven rebounds, four of them offensive, but shot only 2-for-9 from the field.
	Comets guard Janeth Arcain was statistically very quiet in Game 1, trying only two shots (she hit one for two points), grabbing one rebound and committing two fouls in 26 minutes. She wasn't a big part of the Houston offense, not looking at the basket or to create for others with the ball. The same was certainly not true of Storm guard Betty Lennox. After focusing on defense in the first half, Lennox exploded for 17 points in the second half and shot 9-for-10 from the free-throw line.
F O R W A R D S
	The Storm kept waiting for Swoopes to get into the zone Tuesday night, but it never happened. She scored consecutive baskets at one point in the first half, but was limited to 35 minutes by foul trouble and missed two-thirds of her 18 shots. Much credit has to go to Iziane Castro Marques for her defense, but the Storm can't count on shutting Swoopes down again. Castro Marques scored six points, but took some risks amongst her four turnovers.
	After one game, it appears the All-Star matchup at power forward between Jackson and Thompson will be the key to the series. In Game 1, Jackson clearly got the best of her All-WNBA First Team teammate from 2004, who scored nine points on 4-for-13 shooting. Thompson has been the key for the Comets; she shot 55.7% in wins and 28.8% in losses this season. Thompson bounced back from an off game the first time she played against the Storm this season after giving birth with a much better one, so don't count her out tonight.
C E N T E R
	Comets center Michelle Snow has owned the Storm this season, and that didn't change in Game 1. She scored a team-high 21 points on 7-for-13 shooting, got to the free-throw line nine times and grabbed seven boards. The key for the Storm defensively against Snow is keeping her from establishing position in the low block. Janell Burse scored eight points for the Storm, but could provide more help on the glass, where she grabbed two rebounds. Burse is playing with the great distraction of the situation in her native New Orleans.
B E N C H
	Rookie Tanisha Wright (left) was big for the Storm in Game 1, scoring seven points in her playoff debut. Donovan said Wright was the only player besides Jackson to play well in the first half, and Wright successfully shut down Swoopes for three minutes in the second half with Castro Marques on the bench with foul trouble. Suzy Batkovic added three points and, more importantly, four boards in her minutes. Dawn Staley (right) played a larger role for the Comets than expected, seeing 26 minutes of action and scoring six points and handing out four assists. She hit Houston's only 3-point basket. Rookie Sancho Lyttle was also very effective off the bench, posting four points and five rebounds in just 10 minutes of action.

TEAM LEADERS JACKSON SNOW Jackson 19.0 PPG Swoopes 21.0 Jackson 13.0 RPG Canty/Snow 7.0 Bird 5.0 APG Canty/Staley 4.0 4 with 1.0 SPG 4 with 1.0 Jackson 2.0 BPG Thompson 1.0 Bird 36.0 MPG Snow 37.0

The Storm is 3-0 all-time in potential close-out games.

INJURIES

Storm - Forward Lauren Jackson (sore lower back) is a game-time decision.

Houston - None. Guard Felicia Ragland is not on the playoff roster.