Live From Press Row - Storm vs. Chicago
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Live From Press Row Archive
Storm Wins It
Final: Storm 86, Chicago 73
Outstanding final period of play for the Seattle Storm, outscoring Chicago 24-12 to turn a one-point game after three quarters into a relatively easy victory. The Storm turned on the defense in the final period, holding the Sky to 5-for-16 shooting from the field. Kudos also go to the Storm for taking care of turnovers in the second half. After committing 10 turnovers in the first half, the Storm had just four in the second half. The result is the Storm heads into a grueling five-game road trip (the team flies out tonight for Connecticut on a red eye) on a positive note. Let's also make sure to note once again Lauren Jackson becoming the fastest and youngest player to reach 3,000 career points in WNBA history. Great postgame interview with play-by-play broadcaster David Locke and Jackson and her mother Maree. The Storm returns to KeyArena on June 21 to take on the Phoenix Mercury, and we hope to see you out here.
Putting the Hammer Down
Fourth Quarter: Storm 78, Chicago 65
With this fourth quarter halfway in the books, it's now Storm 16, Chicago 4. Everybody is contributing to the run, with Iziane Castro Marques stepping up in the last couple of minutes with an old-fashioned three-point play and then a 3-pointer (moments after taking one in the chops from Amanda Lassiter, who missed an open 3 as Castro Marques made sure her face was still all there). This is a really good run by the Storm. A lot of the hope has been sucked out of the Sky right now, though plenty of time remains.
Storm Run
Fourth Quarter: Storm 68, Chicago 63
Solid 6-2 run to start this final period of play by the Storm. Four of the points have come from guard Sue Bird, who is looking more aggressive in this period. It's the second straight game that the Storm has gone on a bit of a run going into "The Train," which is always a good sign. A little confusion from fans on our side of the court during "The Train," as they tried to take the long route to get to the court and ended up stuck behind the scorers table.
Chicago Right In It
End Third Quarter: Storm 62, Chicago 61
Exactly the scenario Anne Donovan probably did not want to see entering the fourth quarter. The Chicago Sky, which has never led in this game, is very much in it, trailing by just one point with 10 minutes left to play. Chicago, which has really struggled to score this season, is shooting 46.3% from the field, getting double-figure scoring from three starters - Candice Dupree, Bernadette Ngoyisa and Jia Perkins. Can the Storm deliver the knockout blow in this final period?
Nice flip by one of our "Beat the Buzzer presented by Enterprise" contestants at the quarter break, but that's not really the idea. Kayla showed him how it's done by going coast-to-coast and winning a $50 prize pack.
Turner Steps Up
Third Quarter: Storm 55, Chicago 50
Initially, I was planning to praise Candice Dupree in this entry, and I still will. Dupree had a couple of great moves for scores early in this period and has 10 points on 4-for-8 shooting tonight, showing great poise and touch on her shot. Here's what Dave Cowens had to say about Dupree before tonight's game:
"At times, she's been our best player.
"She's got some really sweet moves. She's got really good balance. She's got good hands; she doesn't fumble the ball much. She's starting to finish a little better, a little stronger. She really wants to get better."
(Side note: Am I alone in finding it funny that Cowens said "Sweet moves?" That sounds more like Napoleon Dynamite than Sky head coach, but I digress.)
Shortly in the period, Anne Donovan decided she needed a better matchup for Dupree. Her answer? Rookie Barbara Turner, getting a crash course in playing power forward in the WNBA. Dupree hasn't scored since, while Turner now has five points and three boards. Betty Lennox is heating up for the Storm and has six points in the quarter.
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Thanks to Storm PR Intern Kristen Hamamoto for the photo.
Storm Up Eight at the Half
Halftime: Storm 41, Chicago 33
Solid end to the first half for the Storm, which now leads by eight. Still, Chicago is not going away easily and the Storm will want to come out to start the second half with an early run to try to get more comfortable. As on Sunday, the Storm is doing very well in every category but one. This time, it's turnovers - 10 for 11 Chicago points (including seven Sky steals). This could be a much more lopsided game if the Storm had not given the ball up so frequently.
Kudos to Barb Turner for a solid first half - three points, two boards and an assist in seven minutes while playing a different position.
Inside Presence
Second Quarter: Storm 34, Chicago 30
The Storm is getting all its production from up front right now. Janell Burse and Lauren Jackson have combined for 26 of the Storm's 34 points, shooting 11-for-17 from the field. Nobody else on the roster has scored more than four points. Behind the inside presence, the Storm is shooting 51.7% as a team, but surprisingly Seattle has just one 3-pointer after hitting a season-high 10 on Sunday against San Antonio.
Burse's ability to hit the midrange jumper this year is really doing big things for the Storm. She's hit a couple of 18-footers tonight, and she will frequently get that shot because opposing teams have to double-team Jackson. Burse has been hitting it all year, and if she continues to do so, it will be a big season for her.
Sky President Margaret Stender is in attendance tonight, sitting next to Storm COO Karen Bryant with her two children (also courtside - Maree Jackson, Sonics legend Slick Watts and former Storm community relations employee Sarah Childs (now married and going by Teachey)).
Before the game, Chicago Coach Dave Cowens sounded a positive note about the Sky's first season.
"There's a lot of excitement. We've gotten some really good press," he said, citing a five-piece series in the Chicago Tribune. Cowens seems to have the kind of patience required to take on the effort of building a WNBA expansion franchise, and I'm looking forward to watching this Chicago team grown and develop in the years to come.
LJ Hits 3,000
Second Quarter: Storm 26, Chicago 24
Lauren Jackson's 3,00th career point came at the free-throw line. Jackson was fouled with 7:32 left in the second quarter of this game and hit both free throws, the first one giving her 12 points tonight and 3,000 for her career. Jackson is both the fastest player in terms of games to reach 3,000 in her career (162 games, bettering Chamique Holdsclaw's 165) and by far the youngest. Lauren is, at the moment, 25 years and 33 days old. The previous youngest at the time of her 3,000th career point was Chamique Holdsclaw, who did it at 27 years, 297 days - well more than two years older. It's another great milestone for Jackson in her illustrious WNBA career.
In less exciting news, Chicago used a 14-5 run to cut into the Storm's lead. It's just a two-point game right now, and you don't want the Sky to hang around and gain confidence that they can play with the Storm. Turnovers have been very problematic for the Storm, who have committed six of them since the midway point of the first quarter. Looking to get more sure-handed play, Anne Donovan has put in Edwige Lawson-Wade at the point.
Some Debuts
End First Quarter: Storm 19, Chicago 11
With a little more than four minutes left in the first quarter, Cisti Greenwalt made her WNBA debut for the Storm. Greenwalt was not shy, quickly getting up her first shot on a turnaround jumper in the right block which looked good but did not fall. Greenwalt picked up two fouls before checking out of the game. She was replaced by fellow rookie Barbara Turner, playing power forward for the first time as we discussed before the game. Turner is matching up against fellow rookie Liz Shimek, another undersized post.
The Storm led by as many as 11, but got a little sloppy toward the end of the first quarter. Tanisha Wright struggled quite a bit with Chicago's full-court pressure, committing four turnovers off the bench.
All Storm Early
First Quarter: Storm 13, Chicago 4
Strong start for the Storm, which scored the first nine points of this game and has the same lead with a little more than five minutes left in the first quarter as Dave Cowen takes timeout. Chicago has four turnovers and has shot just 2-for-8 from the field, not exactly efficient offense. The Storm has gotten 11 points from post players Janell Burse and Lauren Jackson, who are overpowering a smaller Chicago frontline.
With her six points, Jackson is now six away from 3,000 in her WNBA career. We'll be following that for you all night, but at this rate, that might not be very long.
Thin Up Front
Pregame
Already, the Seattle Storm was thin in the post following the partially torn Achilles tendon suffered by Wendy Palmer. On top of that, Tiffani Johnson - Palmer's replacement in the rotation - pulled a groin yesterday in practice. Her status for tonight's game was still uncertain when Anne Donovan met with the media.
"We're not sure where she's going to stand," said Donovan. "They're still trying to evaluate her."
If Johnson is unable to play, that would make Cisti Greenwalt, a rookie who has yet to see action for the Storm, the only reserve post available.
"I've been trying since Wendy was out in particular to really focus on her and figure out what it is that we can get out of her, where we can use her strengths and where we might need to cover for her," Donovan said. "What I know about her at this point is she's still very young and inexperienced."
Another possibility is that rookie Barbara Turner could see time at power forward for the first time since she started at the position at UConn. Donovan has been reluctant to use Turner in the post, but might not have a choice. Chicago is a reasonably good matchup for Turner, with 6-1 Brooke Wyckoff preferring to play on the perimeter.
Signing On
Pregame
For the first time ever, the Chicago Sky visits KeyArena tonight to take on the Seattle Storm. The Sky opened its expansion season with a victory over the Charlotte Sting. Since then, wins - and points - have been more difficult to come by for Chicago, which has lost five straight. Still, this is a dangerous opponent for the Storm because Chicago plays hard on a nightly basis. Coach Anne Donovan is hoping her team is focused to get a win to close out this homestand.
