Live From Press Row - Storm vs. Washington
For the Seattle Storm, Seeing is Believing. Want to enjoy the electricity of at KeyArena even if you're thousands of miles away? storm.wnba.com's Live From the Press Box in-game blog is your best bet. All night and all season long, Kevin Pelton will be bringing you pregame quotes, analysis and observations from the game. E-mail Kevin at stormconnection@sonics-storm.com. Make sure to keep coming back or refreshing so you get the latest content.
Impressive Win for Storm
Final: Storm 91, Washington 68
The Washington Mystics came into KeyArena tonight with the momentum of a four-game winning streak, including wins in the first two games of their West Coast swing at San Antonio and Los Angeles. That momentum lasted, tops, two quarters. The Storm led pretty much throughout (Washington's only advantage was 3-2) and really put it on in the third quarter, starting the second half with an 18-0 run. The Mystics never threatened again.
Betty Lennox is obviously the individual star tonight after scoring a career-high 34 points on 12-of-18 shooting, hitting 10-of-12 from the free-throw line. Betty was on fire throughout this game and never let up. Lauren Jackson was clearly fatigued from flying back from Australia yesterday, which meant all she did was score 24 points, hit three three-pointers and block a couple of shots. Sue Bird controlled the game from the point with 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting. The real star was the Storm's defense, however, as Washington was limited to 30.6% shooting.
So the Storm is headed to the WNBA Playoffs, and tickets for Game 1 of the team's first-round series right here at KeyArena are 
on sale now. Between now and then, however, there are two more regular-season games to be played, with Minnesota visiting KeyArena on Tuesday and the rival Los Angeles Sparks in on Friday. Remember that you can get special $20.07 lower-bowl sideline tickets for those games. Click here to take advantage of that offer.
"I'm IN!" With the Storm
Fourth Quarter: Storm 86, Washington 63
If you're reading Live From Press Row, I'm pretty confident you're IN. Now it's time to show it, with a trip to the Storm's first road playoff game on the line. Entering is simple. Write an essay, take a picture or film a video that best explains why "I'm IN!" with the Storm and upload it to
this contest homepage.
Three entries will be chosen as winners of the "I'm IN!" for the Storm contest. The grand prize winner will win a trip to the Storm’s first road playoff game. Airfare, hotel and game tickets will be provided. The deadline to enter is Friday with the end of the regular season. So what are you waiting for? Get working on your entry now!
Betty's Balling
Fourth Quarter: Storm 82, Washington 56
This evening belongs to Betty Lennox. With her drive to the basket for the hoop and the harm a moment ago, Lennox hit 32 points, surpassing her old career high of 31 set as a rookie while in Minnesota (also, fittingly, against the Mystics). She has hit from the perimeter, she has hit runners, she has gotten to the bucket for layups, she has done it all tonight. Truly a memorable performance.
Storm Completes Incredible Quarter
End Third Quarter: Storm 75, Washington 46
A 32-8 advantage for the Storm during the third period. The Washington Mystics shot just 3-for-22 (13.6%) in the period and Lauren Jackson alone (16) doubled up the Mystics in scoring in the period. She's got 24, Betty Lennox has 27 and Sue Bird is three points shy of joining them in the 20-point club. That would give the Storm three players with 20-plus points in a game for just the third time in franchise history - and for the second straight home game, as that happened last Saturday against Phoenix.
Through three quarters, no Mystics player has scored double-figures.
All Storm in Third
Third Quarter: Storm 64, Washington 39
You think the Storm wanted the keep Washington from getting any closer than the five-point halftime margin? The team came out of halftime with an incredible run, scoring the first 18 points of the period to push the lead to 23 points. Betty Lennox remains on fire, having scored a season-high 27 points, and Lauren Jackson has 11 of her 19 points after halftime. Meanwhile, the entire team has played its best defense in some time during this game. Ashley Robinson deserves a lot of credit for that.
A Ballgame at the Half
Halftime: Storm 43, Washington 38
After trailing by as many as 16, the Mystics finished the first half with a 14-3 run to get within five at the break. We've got a young officiating group here that has been very quick to blow the whistle, calling a combined 24 first-half fouls. That favored the Storm in the first quarter but reversed itself in the second period. Washington shot just 3-for-12 from the field in the quarter, but hit 11 of 12 free throws to stay close.
On the other end, the Storm's offense seemed out of sync because of the number of substitutions the team had to make because of foul trouble and unusual rotations in the absence of Janell Burse. The team missed 10 of its last 12 shots. Look for that to be solved after halftime if Lauren Jackson can avoid further foul trouble.
Defending LJ
Second Quarter: Storm 40, Washington 28
This should come as no surprise, given the 47-point performance he witnessed at the Verizon Center, but Tree Rollins had nothing but praise for Lauren Jackson before tonight's game. Rollins compared Jackson to NBA MVP Dirk Nowitzki and didn't seem to have a lot of new ideas about how to defend Jackson.
"What are you going to do with her?" he said. "She's the best player in the league."
Rollins joked he might try to block Jackson's shot, but that she would probably take him as well.
It looks like foul trouble is the best answer. Jackson just picked up her third foul and will be on the bench the remainder of this first half.
Storm Taking Control
Second Quarter: Storm 37, Washington 24
Nice start to this second quarter for the Storm, which has opened its lead up to 13 points by holding Washington to four points on 1-of-6 shooting in the period. The Mystics are missing starting point guard Nikki Teasley. Teasley was a game-time decision after spraining her left knee Tuesday against San Antonio. She gave it a go and played the first five minutes, but headed into the locker room after that and has yet to return. Nikki Blue is a capable backup, but she's the only other true point guard on the Washington roster. Coco Miller is currently handling the position.
On the Storm side, Lauren Jackson has gotten going in this period while Ashley Robinson is doing a terrific job of contributing with offensive boards and her defensive presence.
Lennox on Fire
End First Quarter: Storm 28, Washington 20
The Washington Mystics probably figured they understood how to defend the Storm: Stop Lauren Jackson and you're in great shape. Well, Jackson had just two points in the first quarter, but the Storm rolled up 28. The biggest reason was Betty Lennox, who was red hot during the first period. Lennox scored 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting and scored eight straight Storm points during one stretch. Betty might not have played that well since the 2004 WNBA Finals.
Storm is IN! Are You IN?
First Quarter: Storm 12, Washington 10
With the San Antonio Silver Stars beating the Houston Comets 63-60 moments ago in San Antonio, the Storm has clinched a spot in the postseason. While the Storm can finish nowhere but fourth in the West, that doesn't mean these last three games of the season are meaningless. This is a great chance for the Storm, at home and with the lineup that will be playing in the playoffs (meaning Ashley Robinson starting at center in place of injured Janell Burse) to get on a roll and take some much-needed momentum into the second season.
LJ's Return
Pregame
Lauren Jackson is back with the Storm tonight after missing two games. Jackson returned home to Australia to be with her ailing paternal grandmother, who passed away shortly after Jackson returned to Seattle yesterday. So Jackson will play, but with the lengthy flight and the weight of her loss hanging on her.
"She looks pretty exhausted," observed Storm Head Coach Anne Donovan before the game. "I'm sure that's a mental, emotional and physical thing."
Donovan said she plans to play Jackson her normal minutes barring something happening to change that plan.
On the other side, Jackson's arduous travel schedule presents hope of mortality to the Mystics.
"Hopefully she's got heavy legs from the flight," said Washington Head Coach Rollins.
Signing On
Pregame
Having wrapped up the road schedule, the Seattle Storm will be at home for the next couple of weeks, including a three-game homestand to wrap up the 2007 regular season. That starts tonight against the Washington Mystics. The Storm is looking to avenge a 97-96 overtime loss in Washington last month that came despite a WNBA-record-tying 47 points from Lauren Jackson. Also, a win tonight would guarantee the Storm a fourth straight trip to the WNBA Playoffs. It should be a good one, so stay with us all night long for the latest from KeyArena.
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