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Anne Donovan didn't need to be asked a question. The Seattle Storm head coach knew all too well what the throng of media that descended upon The Furtado Center for Thursday's practice - the Storm's first in Seattle in more than three weeks - was interested in discussing. That topic was 
Lauren Jackson's 47-point game Tuesday in Washington, D.C., which tied the WNBA record for single-game scoring.
"47 ... unbelievable, huh?" said Donovan. "I've seen a lot and I've seen a lot of special players. The only drawback to that game was losing, because I've never seen an individual performance like that for the course of a game. For a 45-minute game, to go with the kind of energy and intensity and consistency that she had in that game, I'm not sure I've ever seen a player perform like that.
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About the only person who was not overwhelmed by Jackson's effort was the Storm's MVP candidate herself.
"We lost, man," Jackson said. "There's not much to say about it, really. I was really disappointed after the game. I think if we could have won it, it would have been great, but we didn't win it. Right now, it's just coming down to playoffs and I'm just trying to do what I can to help the team get in the playoffs right now."
As individual accolades and accomplishments have piled up throughout her career, Jackson has consistently made it clear that they are secondary in her mind to the success of her team. With the Storm looking to clinch a playoff berth, leading Los Angeles by three games with 10 left to play, wins and losses have taken on paramount importance.
"For them (fans), I think it's great," explained Jackson. "For me, I'm just trying to help the team win, and I know they want that more than anything too. Individually it's great to do certain things, but unless you're winning it's difficult to really enjoy it."
Despite her all-encompassing desire to win, Jackson's coach was able to put the result of the game aside and marvel at one of the most impressive single-game performances in the history of the WNBA.
"She stayed focused," said Donovan, explaining Jackson's big night. "They tried to double-team her, but you could tell their defense was not designed to do that, so she had one-on-one coverage for 50% of the 47 points. The other 50% she had two or three people on her and just played strong.
"You think about the month of July that she's had - we've been on the road basically since July 4th. All-Star, all the things that come with All-Star, then a four-game road trip after All-Star. So for her to finish this road trip we've had all of July and do what she did is more than impressive."
Thanks to Jackson's big night, another accomplishment is within reach. After passing Chamique Holdsclaw to become the WNBA's fifth-leading scorer, Jackson is now just 14 points away from reaching 4,000 in her career. With the Storm opening a three-game homestand tomorrow night against Indiana (7:00 p.m., 1150 AM KKNW, 
), that milestone is likely to come at home as soon as against the Fever.
Jackson is willing to concede that the elite company she will join when she scores her 4,000th career point makes it meaningful.
"I haven't hit it yet," she pointed out. "Hopefully I do tomorrow, but you never know with me. I feel very honored, though, to be up there and just to be in the same echelon of players is pretty cool. There's a really small group of people that have been able to achieve that."
Because Jackson reached 3,000 points just last season, her proximity to the 4,000 mark caught people off guard, including Donovan.
"Yeah, I had no idea of that until yesterday when we got back," Donovan said. "4,000 points in a very short career. She's 26 years old, so physically you think she should be at a disadvantage against older, stronger bodies, but there is no disadvantage with Lauren. She is going to be the best player of all time by the time she leaves the game."
Appraised of the last comment by reporters, Jackson practically blushed.
"She's crazy," Jackson responded. "She has to say that because she's my coach. I don't know about that. It is flattering. It's nice of her to say that."
Burse Practices, Expected to Play
Storm center 
Janell Burse was thrown for a scare when she injured her left wrist early in Tuesday's game and believed it might be broken.
"It was in the first quarter, but I just kind of ignored it, hoping it would go away," said Burse. "It got hit and there was a little pain, but then I really started feeling a lot. I was like, 'Man, something's wrong with it.'"
Indeed there is something wrong, but fortunately X-rays revealed no fracture. Pending the results of an MRI scheduled for this evening, Burse has been diagnosed with a sprained wrist. With the wrist wrapped, she went through practice. Barring a surprising result from the MRI, Donovan expects to have her starting center in the lineup against the Fever.
"JB looked great today," Donovan said. "She does what she does."
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