Live From Press Row - Storm vs. Chicago
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Storm Falls at Home
Final: Chicago 86, Storm 81
There's an unfamiliar feeling for the fans at KeyArena right now, because they're not used to the home team losing. The Storm's 86-81 loss snapped a 15-game regular-season home winning streak that dated all the way back to last June 16 against Connecticut. That and a loss in the postseason to the Los Angeles Sparks are the only times fans have headed home unhappy since the start of the 2008 season. The Storm had its chances down the stretch. The team had possession down one, but Sue Bird missed on a stepthrough. It was a night to forget for Bird, who shot 1-of-10 from the field. Lauren Jackson then missed a potential tying three on the subsequent possession.
The Storm scored 81 points and shot 49.2 percent from the field, but the offense still seemed a little offense because Bird's shot was off and Jackson (despite 18 points) wasn't clicking at her usual efficiency. Tanisha Wright, who had 18 points, seven assists and seven rebounds, did a lot to overcome that. Janell Burse added 13 points off the bench. Ultimately, it was the Storm's defense that let the team down. Chicago shot 60.8 percent from the field and made 12 three-pointers in 19 attempts for 63.2 percent accuracy beyond the arc. Candice Dupree scored 28 points and Kristi Toliver came off the bench for 22 and seven assists, both career highs during her rookie season.
The Storm's homestand continues Wednesday, when the Detroit Shock comes to town. Don't miss the only visit of the year by the defending WNBA champions. 
Get your tickets now and be here as the Storm tries to start another home winning streak.
Nailbiter
Fourth Quarter: Chicago 82, Storm 81
This game is getting no less stressful. With 31.7 seconds left, the Storm trails by one after Candice Dupree knocked down a three-pointer. Lauren Jackson answered with a layup plus the foul, but missed the ensuing free throw. However, the Storm has the ball out of bounds under the basket after a great defensive play by Tanisha Wright.
Another Tie
Fourth Quarter: Chicago 77, Storm 77
My head is spinning right now trying to keep up with all the lead changes (19) and ties (10) in this game. The latest is courtesy a Jia Perkins three-pointer a moment ago. Perkins, quiet much of the night, has scored the last eight points for the Sky with a three-shot foul, a jumper and the three. She's given Chicago a third scoring threat to go along with Candice Dupree and Kristi Toliver. The rest of the team has totaled just 20 points, but it hasn't mattered whatsoever.
For the Storm, Tanisha Wright is the go-to player right now. She's got 16 points, tied for the team high with Lauren Jackson. Add in seven assists and five rebounds and Wright has been phenomenal.
Back and Forth We Go
Fourth Quarter: Chicago 69, Storm 68
A lead is a fragile thing tonight between the Storm and the Sky. Right now, it's Chicago with a slim one-point advantage, but the Storm has a chance to reclaim the lead after this timeout when Janell Burse heads to the free throw line for two attempts. Burse is already one of four Storm players in double-figures tonight as the Storm has shared the ball very effectively. The team has 18 assists on 25 field goals, including seven for Tanisha Wright to tie a career high. The issue remains at the defensive end, where Candice Dupree and Kristi Toliver have combined for 45 points on 23 shot attempts. Yikes.
No Separation
End Third Quarter: Storm 61, Chicago 61
On this night, these two teams have been as even as two teams possibly could be. The biggest lead of the night by either side has been an eight-point Storm advantage in the early going. We've had 11 lead changes and five ties, the most recent of them right now at the quarter break. A free throw by former Storm forward Shyra Ely (who received a very nice hand when she was introduced before the game) evened us up at 61 apiece entering the final 10 minutes of play. In the Storm's favor is the home-court advantage. However, the Storm will have to face foul trouble in the frontcourt. Camille Little is on the bench with five fouls, while Lauren Jackson will start the fourth quarter despite having four fouls herself. Janell Burse is going to need to keep coming up big for the Storm off the bench.
The crowd is definitely into this game after the quarter break, which featured the second of a six-part series on Storm history. This one looked at the drafting of Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson in consecutive years. The biggest cheer came for a clip from ESPN during the 2002 WNBA Draft where Lin Dunn said there was no chance the Storm would trade Bird after taking her. Look for that video on the site soon.
Bench Contributions
Third Quarter: Storm 57, Chicago 54
The Storm has the three reserves who are part of the regular rotation on the floor right now, and all three of them have been part of a 7-0 run that has turned a four-point deficit into a three-point lead. Janell Burse has played excellent basketball in the third quarter and has six points, four rebounds and a block tonight. Katie Gearlds just knocked down a three-pointer and Shannon Johnson's defense has been a factor against the red-hot Kristi Toliver. Toliver, leading the Chicago reserves, did knock down another deep, deep three-pointer - her fifth of the night. She's got career highs of 17 points and five assists.
Inside-Outside Battle
Third Quarter: Storm 46, Chicago 45
Two contrasting styles on offense tonight, and that's reflected by the numbers. When Chicago has been driving, it has been to create open looks on the perimeter after the Storm offers help. That's turned into seven three-pointers in 11 attempts, 63.6 percent shooting. The Storm, on the other hand, has attacked the rim and converted there or at the line. The Storm has a 24-12 advantage in scoring in the paint and an 11-5 lead in free throw attempts. So far, both have been virtually equally effective as the Storm holds a narrow one-point lead.
All Square at the Half
Halftime: Chicago 42, Storm 42
The Storm finished the first half with an 8-0 run to tie the game at 42 as the teams head to the locker rooms. The offensive surge was fueled by Tanisha Wright, who handed out assists on three straight buckets. She's got four on the evening after tying her career high with seven assists on Thursday against Sacramento. Wright even got a chance to play some point late in the half as Sue Bird got a rest. Besides Wright, Swin Cash and Lauren Jackson have 12 points apiece to power the Storm. Candice Dupree and Kristi Toliver lead Chicago with 14 points each.
Tonight is Tacoma Night at KeyArena, and that's carried over to our halftime free throw shootout. One team is representing Seattle and the other is from the T-Town. The Seattle side got a big boost from Doppler, who hit a halfcourt shot while playing for the Seattle team. It's also unofficially Aussie Night. Carrie Graf, the head coach of the Australian National Team - and a former Storm assistant - has been in town this week. Sitting next to her tonight is another Australian sports star here in Seattle besides the Storm's Suzy Batkovic-Brown and Lauren Jackson - Mariners pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith. When they were introduced at the last timeout, the strains of "I Come From a Land Down Under" by Men at Work naturally filled the Key.
Shootout Developing at Key
Second Quarter: Chicago 42, Storm 38
Given the way the Storm's defense has played the last two games - and, quite frankly, given the way the team's offense has played at time - a shootout was the last thing I expected tonight. All of a sudden, that's what we have. During the last five minutes, the teams have combined for 30 points, Chicago outscoring the Storm 16-14 in that span. That's nearly as many points as the two teams had in the first quarter.
For the Sky, the key player has been the aforementioned Kristi Toliver. She is unconscious right now, hitting four three-pointers in five attempts, a pair of them from way, way downtown. She's tied her career high of 14 points. The good news for the Storm is that Toliver has played an extended stretch and will now have to get a rest going into halftime. The Storm has answered with balanced scoring and some triples as well from both Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson.
Dupree Hot Early
Second Quarter: Chicago 29, Storm 26
The Sky's offense has gotten a big boost from Candice Dupree. The All-Star forward has a game-high 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting to go along with five rebounds. She's demonstrated a soft touch as well as the ability to step out and knock down a three-pointer. Chicago has also gotten a pair of triples from rookie Kristi Toliver, part of a productive bench that has contributed 10 points. The Storm has gotten just two points from its reserves on a Pee Wee Johnson layup.
Chicago Leads After One Quarter
End First Quarter: Chicago 19, Storm 17
As we discussed in the Insider Preview today, the first quarter has been a bugaboo for the Chicago Sky the last four games, trailing by double-figures three times in that span and being effectively out of the last two games. With Sylvia Fowles back in the lineup, tonight was a different story. After missing the first four shots, Chicago was 8-of-12 the rest of the way and now leads 19-17 on the strength of a Kristi Toliver 25-foot three-pointer just before the buzzer.
The Storm's offensive execution has been suspect in the early going. The team shot just 25.0 percent in the first quarter. The only thing that kept the Storm offense going was trips to the free throw line - 10 of them in all, eight of them makes.
Storm Defense
First Quarter: Storm 6, Chicago 3
The Storm went through a major drought to open the game last month in Chicago and had to expend a lot of energy digging out of that early hole. The Storm's offense hasn't been particularly sharp tonight, the team shooting 3-of-11 from the field, but the Storm still holds a lead on the strength of outstanding defense. That's what we've seen from the team the last two games. Defense has helped cover up any issues the Storm has gone through on offense. Chicago has just three points through more than five minutes of action, all of them from Dominique Canty.
The Storm is also dominating the offensive glass, having come up with four second chances. Lauren Jackson converted a pair of them into hoops plus the foul. She's got four rebounds to Chicago's five as a team.
Fowles Returns
Pregame
As we expected, Chicago will get star center Sylvia Fowles back tonight after Fowles missed the last four games - all of them losses, and two of them lopsided - with soreness in her right knee. Fowles will start for the Sky in the middle. Storm Head Coach Brian Agler noted that Lauren Jackson will have to deal with Fowles' size and strength, but that Fowles will also have her hands full with Jackson's quickness at the other end of the floor. It should be a fantastic matchup between two players who are highly familiar with each other - Fowles and Jackson played together for Spartak Moscow Region during the winter.
Signing On
Pregame
It's Go Red for Women Night at KeyArena as the Storm hosts the Chicago Sky. The Storm is looking to even the season series after suffering the first loss to Chicago in franchise history last month at the UIC Pavilion in the Windy City. Now the Storm faces the Sky in the friendly confines of KeyArena, where the team is 5-0 this season and has won 15 straight regular-season games dating back to last season. We'll have complete coverage as the Storm looks to extend that streak.
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