Live From Press Row - Storm vs. Connecticut
The Storm enjoys a home-court advantage at KeyArena unparalleled in the WNBA. Even if you don't live in Seattle, you can enjoy the electricity of the KeyArena experience thanks to storm.wnba.com's Oakwood Live From Press Row. All night and all season long, Kevin Pelton will be bringing you pregame quotes from coaches and players and observations from the game as it unfolds - on and off the court. Make sure to keep coming back
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Game of the Year
Second Half: Storm 95, Connecticut 86
Okay, Game of the Regular Season at least. I know it's a little early to even be making that kind of comment, but wow. I have to catch my breath a little bit after the Storm outscores Connecticut 15-5 down the stretch to end the Sun's franchise-record eight-game winning streak. This is a franchise record for points. The Storm scored 51 pints in the second half. Betty Lennox had a season-high 29 points - the most she's ever scored in a Storm uniform - and she wasn't even the post-game interview! Those honors go to Lauren Jackson, who merely had 23 points and 17 rebounds. And that doesn't even mention Iziane Castro Marques' five key points down the stretch. What a great way to go into a difficult four-game road trip that starts Friday against the arch-rival Los Angeles Sparks.
Too Many Heroes
Second Half: Storm 93, Connecticut 86
Two Lauren Jackson free throws tie the Storm's franchise record for points, but after a Lindsay Whalen score, the Storm throws away the inbounds to give the Sun some faint life. 26.2 seconds left to go.
Too Many Heroes
Second Half: Storm 91, Connecticut 84
Wow, what a finish so far. After Douglas' 3-ball, Izzy Castro Marques - how clutch is she? - comes back to bank a runner in off glass to give the Storm a five-point lead. Then Betty Lennox steals the ball away from Katie Douglas in the open court and is a flash of lightning to the other basket. Her layup through contact makes it 91-84 with 46.8 seconds left to play. The Sun needs a quick score, and the raucous KeyArena crowd is going to make that tough.
That Was Fast
Second Half: Storm 91, Connecticut 84
Katie Douglas with a 3 and it's back to a one-score game.
Izzy! Izzy! Izzy!
Second Half: Storm 87, Connecticut 81
A little bit of a topic in the media this week was the Storm's WNBA-worst 3-point percentage. While Iziane Castro Marques just delivered the 3 of this season thus far, an open look off a Janell Burse feed that pushed the Storm's lead to six with 1:35 to play. That's going to be difficult for the Sun to come back from. Awesome, awesome defense from the Storm.
Big Foul
Second Half: Storm 82, Connecticut 81
As we head to timeout, not only does the foul Betty Lennox drew send her to the free-throw line, it also is the fifth on Taj McWilliams-Franklin (who merely has 21 points and five boards). Crowd standing through the final media timeout of the game and the energy is great.
Flashback
Second Half: Storm 82, Connecticut 81
Don't tell Betty Lennox this isn't the WNBA Finals. Right now, she's playing like it is. Lennox has 17 points in the second half after her last 3-pointer and 23 for the game. But it was the double-team Lennox drew that allowed Sue Bird to get to the stripe for two free throws that briefly gave the Storm its first lead. (Taj McWilliams-Franklin's putback puts Connecticut back on top. Somebody might want to box her out. Janell Burse, who has 11 rebounds, follows with a putback of her own.)
No Runs
Second Half: Connecticut 75, Storm 72
After briefly shutting down the Sun, the Storm now can't get the stops it needs to put together a run. But at the other end, Betty Lennox is doing her part since a brief rest. A runner and then a three-point play cut Connecticut's lead to two. The Sun is now shooting free throws, and the Storm will be on the next team foul.
A quick note of respect for Asjha Jones, who has really been a difference-maker with Margo Dydek in foul trouble. She's got 16 points.
LJ
Second Half: Connecticut 71, Storm 67
What does it say about this game that I've barely mentioned Lauren Jackson's crazy-good night? LJ has 18 points and 12 boards for her fifth double-double of the season, tying Chamique Holdsclaw for tops in the WNBA. She's still not really shooting the ball like she'd like, but she's done everything else tonight.
Great reaction by Connecticut's Brooke Wyckoff to an over-the-back foul. She looked just like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Fans very restless with the officiating right now.
Great minutes off the bench by Francesca Zara, playing with Sue Bird right now for the first time this season.
Foul Trouble
Second Half: Connecticut 63, Storm 63
Suzy Batkovic draws Margo Dydek's fourth foul on an incredible move, catching the ball near the 3-point line in the left corner and dribbling baseline to get in the paint, where Dydek hacks her as she's going up for the shot. A woman of Batkovic's size just isn't supposed to be able to make that play. Foul trouble could play a huge role down the stretch, as Seattle has six team fouls already, Connecticut five. A free-throw shootout wouldn't be a surprise right now, and that's tremendously unfortunate given what a well-played game this has been. I think we can all hope the players are allowed to decide this game.
One-Woman Fast Break
Second Half: Connecticut 63, Storm 61
Is anybody more fun to watch in the open court than Iziane Castro Marques? Sure, the Storm forward is occasionally out of control, but she's electric and so much faster than anyone on the court. She splits two foul shots after being fouled in transition to make it a two-point game. Lauren Jackson follows with a two to tie it. You remember that defense I talked about? The Storm is bringing it; Connecticut hadn't scored in several minutes before a Margo Dydek layup gives them back the lead.
B-Money
Second Half: Connecticut 61, Storm 56
Game 3 of the WNBA Finals, you'll recall, was tight at the half before the Storm's defense and Betty Lennox turned things in the second half. I'm not sure about the defense just yet, but Lennox is doing her part. She already has seven points thus far in the second half to give her 13 for the game. She seems to be quite determined right now.
Really inconsistent start to the second half by the officiating crew.
A little worried about Sue Bird who left the second half early after getting a blow late in the first half. Fortunately for the Storm, Francesca Zara has done a very nice job in her minutes.
Unreal
Halftime: Connecticut 49, Storm 44
The offense in this game has just been amazing, and that's only reinforced by a glance at the per-possession statistics. The Storm is averaging 122.2 points per 100 possessions, Connecticut 140. For the season, the Sun leads the WNBA at 103.7, so both of these teams are scoring with amazing efficiency (they're both shooting better than 50%). What's interesting is that this has really been a pretty slow game - 35 possessions a side. The Storm has allowed only four Connecticut fast-break points, making good on one of Anne Donovan's top pregame goals. But I think that Anne might have slightly underestimated the Sun's ability in the half court.
Halftime
Halftime: Connecticut 49, Storm 44
On their last possession, the Sun had a chance to top June 7's season high of 50 points in a half, but they fell just short when Katie Douglas forced a jumper that went awry. Coming the other way, Sue Bird missed from just inside halfcourt. She was knocked down on the follow-through, but no foul was called.
Fun halftime tonight as kids who participated in the Storm's Hip-Hop Clinic dance with the Hip-Hop Squad. Expect to see them full time in a few years.
What a Game!
First Half: Connecticut 43, Storm 41
I don't usually take enough time during games to simply appreciate the quality of the basketball being played in front of me. Tonight I will. This has been an extremely well-played game between two of the best teams (if not the two best) in the WNBA. They're up over 40 points in the first half not because of any defensive weakness, but because they're both just that hard to stop when they're clicking. Dare I say it's almost like last year's Finals?
Scoring Whalen
First Half: Connecticut 40, Storm 35
How's this for balance for the Connecticut Sun so far? Nine points for Nykesha Sales, eight for Katie Douglas and Taj McWilliams-Franklin, seven for Lindsay Whalen and six for Asjha Jones. Whalen's seven points indicate she's looking for her shot a little more than usual. Whalen isn't scoring double-figures this season, but it's not for lack of talent. Mike Thibault said before the game he's proud of Whalen sacrificing her scoring for the good of the team. Both coaches are also impressed by Whalen's improvement defensively this season.
"She's really made a point of it in the winter to get her footwork better and get her body better," said Thibault. "She's leaner than she was, she's quicker than she was last year. I think that's a huge factor."
"All of us questioned how well she could defend," said Donovan. "She's really worked hard on the defensive aspect of her game. So much so that last year they couldn't have her on Sue - this year she's on Sue. I think for me that's most impressive, how hard she's worked at that end of the floor."
Suzy Batkovic has a career-high 10 points and gets a nice ovation as she leaves the game.
All-Star Voting Eve
First Half: Connecticut 34, Storm 25
Tomorrow is the last day to vote for the WNBA All-Star Game, and with Lauren Jackson in third place and within striking distance of a starting spot at forward for the Western Conference, the Storm needs your help.
Click here to cast your vote now and help send the Storm back to Connecticut for the July 9 All-Star Game!
Bat Signal
First Half: Connecticut 29, Storm 23
If you go and check out the Phoenix Mercury's site (after you're done clicking around here, natch), you'll notice a
Batman Returns-themed poll asking which Mercury player would make the best Batgirl. Well, we've already got our Batgirl, and her name is Suzy Batkovic. After finally getting some sleep, Batkovic has been great tonight, making all three of her shots to score six points. Together, the Storm's Aussie duo of Batkovic and Lauren Jackson has 14 points and five rebounds. Margo Dydek leaves after picking up her third foul.
Sun Offensive
First Half: Connecticut 23, Storm 17
I don't know about anyone else, but I'm reminded of the June 7 game in Connecticut between these teams by how the first half has gone so far. The Storm put up some points n the first half of that game, but the Sun scored a season-high 50 points to take the lead to halftime. Just under eight minutes in, as we head to a timeout, the teams are on that kind of offensive pace.
A big key to the Sun's offense is passing. I mentioned this in Insider Preview, but it bears repeating: Connecticut leads the WNBA in percentage of field goals that are assisted. Here's what Mike Thibault had to say about that before the game:
"I think it's one of the biggest stats on our team. We have the highest assist-to-turnover ratio in the league, highest assists per basket in the league. It's part of us being unselfish and doing a bunch of different things. I think it leads to better shots, because we're obviously catching the ball and stepping into shots better."
Small Marge
First Half: Connecticut 16, Storm 11
Margo Dydek may be 7-2, but she's the same height as former Sun guard Debbie Black (5-3, for the record) on the bench. That's where she is now after picking up two quick fouls. The Storm instantly takes advantage, with Janell Burse turning an offensive rebound into a three-point play. Connecticut is still rolling on offense, but the Storm is finding a few holes at the other end of the court.
Sun Scorching
First Half: Connecticut 9, Storm 2
The start to tonight's game actually bears some similarity to last Wednesday's game with the Minnesota Lynx. Like that one, there's an early Storm timeout with Connecticut leading by seven a little more than two minutes into the game. Unlike that game, Connecticut is more likely to keep up this performance. Coach Anne Donovan is invoking her team to play better defense in an animated timeout huddle.
Welcome Back
Pregame
Very nice crowd tonight in KeyArena, even if it's going to come up well shy of the 17,072 that were in the building the last time Connecticut came to town. The lower bowl is nearly full, which is good for a Wednesday night in June. The crowd gave Sue Bird a rousing ovation with extra gusto when she was introduced with the starters, and I saw a "Welcome Back" sign in the stands.
Birdy Back
Pregame
Storm point guard Sue Bird is stretching out in front of me as I type and will be back in the lineup tonight after missing four games with two broken bones in her face.
"She looks, I think, as good as she can look," said Anne Donovan. "She's mentally ready to push through it. She has some difficulty breathing still, and that was evident in shootaround today. I think that's going to come into play as games go on."
How much of a problem that is, according to Donovan, won't be evident until the game is underway.
Signing On
Pregame
Plenty of energy in KeyArena tonight as we prepare for a rematch of last fall's WNBA Finals. The Storm, at 6-4 with Sue Bird missing four games, is in good shape while the Connecticut Sun has absolutely terrorized the WNBA thus far, winning eight games in a row after losing the opener. The Storm has plenty of motivation following a June 7 loss in Connecticut. It should be a dandy, so stay with us all night long and make sure you're hitting refresh to get the latest.
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