Live From Press Row - Storm vs. Charlotte
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Magic Number at One
Final: Storm 87, Charlotte 81
With the win, the Storm reduces its magic number for clinching a playoff spot to just one with three games to play. And, on cue, playoff tickets are
on sale now! Get yours now to ensure you'll be in the house.
Kudos to David Locke, who noticed that tonight's win gave Anne Donovan 120 career wins and moved her ahead of Michael Cooper for third in WNBA history in career coaching wins. Plenty of other great stuff to go around. Three Storm players - Janell Burse, Lauren Jackson and Betty Lennox - scored at least 20 points. Both Burse and Jackson ended up with 20-10 games. That's incredible domination in the post. There's still some areas for improvement - notably 24 turnovers - but you also have to give credit to the Charlotte Sting, especially the young bench, for playing hard all night and keeping it close.
The Storm travels to Detroit tomorrow and will take on the Shock Tuesday to kick off a season-ending three-game road trip. Remember, the Storm needs just one more win to clinch a playoff spot and is only a half-game back of the Houston Comets with a matchup in Houston looming next Saturday at the end of the trip.
Storm Putting It Away
Fourth Quarter: Storm 81, Charlotte 70
Largest lead of the night for the Storm in the last couple of minutes. Right now it's 81-70 with 2:57 to go and the feeling is the Sting has used all nine of its lives. The post has been dominant for the Storm, with Lauren Jackson at 18 points and 11 rebounds pending two free throws and Janell Burse with 21 points and 11 boards.
Only one downside tonight: The Phoenix Mercury isn't cooperating. The Mercury leads the reeling Sparks 96-80 with seconds to play and will win, meaning the Storm still needs one more win (or a Phoenix loss) to clinch a playoff berth.
Appreciating the Fans
Fourth Quarter: Storm 68, Charlotte 62
What is it going to take to tear the roof off of KeyArena? On several occasions tonight it's seemed like the Storm is about to make the big momentum score, and every time Charlotte has come up with a score of its own or the big defensive stop or whatever has been necessary. That the Storm hasn't been able to take full advantage shouldn't detract from what has been a great crowd all season long.
"By far the best arena," said Coach Anne Donovan before the game. "I think the attendance has at fourth, maybe, but in terms of people in the seats and energy in the building, there's no comparison - not to any city in the league. We love this. We know we haven't taken care of KeyArena as we should have this season so one more tonight with Fan Appreciation Night. Hopefully, a very big crowd to see us play very well is a great way to finish the season."
The Key has really been outstanding the last four games as the Storm heads towards the playoffs and the fans look to make a statement about the value of the team to the Seattle community. All four of those games have had more than 9,000 in attendance with a pair of sellouts.
"We've been seeing it growing and growing," said Donovan. "We were on the road so much in the middle of the summer. To see this take shape in late July and early August - with the announcement [of the sale of the Sonics & Storm] - it really shows you that people do value this sport and what the Storm has done in Seattle. It's unbelievable. It's unbelievable to talk to other people in the league, because everyone feels that way about Seattle."
10 Tough Minutes
End Third Quarter: Storm 64, Charlotte 60
With the Charlotte Sting still hanging around and trailing by just four points after three quarters, the Storm is going to have to play a very tough fourth quarter of basketball to get the necessary win tonight. The Storm showed some of that toughness on the final possession of the third quarter, overplaying everything and forcing a 24-second violation. In many ways, it looked like Charlotte's aggressiveness.
The Sting rolls with an all-reserve lineup to start the fourth, which would be a break for the Storm if it weren't for the fact that the Sting's bench has been so incredible tonight. Janel McCarville, with 13 points, has a career high; Kelly Mazzante, with 16, is three points away from hers.
Lennox Still Hot
Third Quarter: Storm 59, Charlotte 51
Betty Lennox continues to lead the way for the Storm. She's now got 22 points on 9-for-15 shooting, and even her misses tonight look like they're going to go in. She is really in the zone, which is important as Lauren Jackson gets her rest. Still, Charlotte won't go away, as the Storm has yet to lead by more than 10 points at any time.
Enormous standing ovation when former Sonics guard Gary Payton, who is sitting courtside tonight, was introduced at the last timeout.
Fast-Paced First Half
Halftime: Storm 45, Charlotte 43
While the Charlotte Sting has played very well on offense during the first half of this game, the biggest reason for the 45-43 halftime score is a very fast pace thus far. The Storm averages about 77 possessions per game, Charlotte about 79 (one of the league's fastest paces), but we've had 42 possessions on each side tonight, which projects to 84 over a full game. Anne Donovan has encouraged the fast pace because Charlotte is on the road and short-handed, but I think it might be helping the Sting. Charlotte doesn't score very well in the half court and is better-suited in transition. A fast pace can also lead to errors, and the Storm has 12 turnovers thus far. On the other hand, the Sting can wreak havoc defensively in halfcourt sets as well, so ... .
Charlotte Bench Hanging in There
Second Quarter: Storm 33, Charlotte 31
Big sigh of relief when Kelly Mazzante checked out in favor of the third pick of the Draft. That's a surprise. Mazzante banked in another 3 to give her 11 points in the first half, but the Charlotte starting lineup - now mostly in the game - has shot just 5-for-25 from the field.
Before tonight's game, there was a reception for former Storm forward Alicia "Chelle" Thompson, who retired after last season. Thompson was also honored on the court before the game, receiving a photo of the 2004 WNBAA Finals, a bouquet of flowers, a card and a gift certificate from her teammates, Coach Anne Donovan (who also coached Thompson in Indiana) and Storm COO Karen Bryant. Thompson received a great hand from a still-appreciative crowd and even some of the Charlotte players paused their layup lines to pay tribute to Thompson.
Thompson is planning to move to Seattle in the fall, working as a personal trainer and motivational speaker and perhaps helping out the Storm's community outreach efforts during the off-season.
Charlotte Bench Hanging in There
Second Quarter: Storm 33, Charlotte 31
A 5-0 spurt by the Sting has them within two with 5:50 left in the first half. The Charlotte bench has been dynamite so far. Janel McCarville has 10 points on 5-for-7 shooting, one point shy of her career high, and has been very aggressive. Kelly Mazzante has added eight points, hitting a pair of 3-pointers. Those two combined for 30 points in Phoenix on Thursday and have carried it over tonight. The Storm is still shooting 55.0%, but turnovers (nine in all) have been in an issue.
Lennox Leads the Way
End First Quarter: Storm 27, Charlotte 22
The Storm offense puts 27 points on the board over a stretch of less than seven and a half minutes, shooting 60% from the field. The key was Betty Lennox's hot streak. Lennox had 12 first-quarter points on 5-for-6 shooting. Janell Burse added six points and the Storm made all eight of its free-throw attempts in the first quarter.
Score update from Phoenix: 22-18 Mercury after one quarter. Diana Taurasi with 12 points.
Storm Spurts
First Quarter: Storm 9, Charlotte 4
Slow start for both teams offensively, as they combined to miss their first eight shot attempts, with the Storm turning it over on its first three possessions. That has quickly changed, as the Storm has gone on a 7-0 run with a three-point play and Betty Lennox, following the timeout, looking to complete a second. Muggsy Bogues takes a timeout with all the momentum and a loud crowd favoring the Storm.
A couple of fans across from us and the Storm bench have been going all-out on signs the last few games, capped tonight with a four-parter held by four rows of fans: "Seeing is Believing/We Came/We Saw/We Believe."
Sting Short Sutton-Brown
Pregame
Charlotte Coach Muggsy Bogues said before the game that center Tammy Sutton-Brown, who has back spasms, was a game-time decision. However, I had an inkling Sutton-Brown wasn't going to play when she walked by in the Charlotte locker room in street clothes (she makes a lovely 6-4 cheerleader right now on the Sting bench). Rookie Tye'sha Fluker starts in place of Sutton-Brown. It's her first career start.
Storm Gets Some Help
Pregame
The San Antonio Silver Stars, facing basically a must-win at Indiana to keep their fading playoff hopes alive, looked like they were going to get the job done. San Antonio led 59-49 after three quarters only to see the Fever stage an impressive fourth-quarter comeback. Indiana outscored the Silver Stars 27-11 in the final period to win 76-70 and reduce the Storm's magic number to eliminate San Antonio to just one. The Storm can clinch a playoff berth tonight with a win and a loss by the Phoenix Mercury. We'll track Phoenix's game against L.A., which also starts at 7, throughout the evening.
Signing On
Pregame
Wasn't it just yesterday that the Storm was defeating the Los Angeles Sparks on Opening Night to kick off the 2006 season? It sure seems that way, but here we are closing the regular-season home schedule and celebrating Fan Appreciation Night at KeyArena tonight. The Charlotte Sting faces the Storm, which is looking to avenge a loss in Charlotte last month. A win tonight would move the Storm close to clinching a playoff berth and give the Storm an above-.500 record at home, so stay with us all night long for all the excitement.
