Insider Preview - Storm vs. Sacramento

DeLisha Milton-Jones

When Sacramento visited Seattle on June 27, Insider Preview noted, "Tops in the WNBA in Defensive Rating a year ago, the Monarchs currently rank seventh, just slightly better than league average. Given that Sacramento has perennially boasted one of the league's best defenses under Coach John Whisenant, it seems reasonable that the defense will get better by season's end." It has not taken that long. Sacramento has allowed no more than 63 points to five of its last six opponents. The Monarchs are now fourth in the league in Defensive Rating, part of a four-team group of elite defenses.

The catalyst to the Monarchs streak may have been a change in the starting lineup. Erin Buescher moved into the starting lineup on June 29, and Sacramento is 6-1 with her as a starter. Buescher has the best net plus-minus rating on a balanced Monarchs squad (+8.2) and looks like the clubhouse favorite for Most Improved Player honors. It's somewhat surprising, given that Buescher is more known for her offense than her defense, that Sacramento has improved defensively since the change.

The Seattle Storm wraps up a five-game homestand over nearly three weeks tonight. Thus far, the Storm is just 2-2 in that stretch, continuing to struggle to repeat the home-court advantage the team has enjoyed in recent seasons at KeyArena.

"It's important, more than anything, for our fans," says Storm Coach Anne Donovan. "We want to keep them interested and behind us."

Right now, the Storm needs wins of any variety, but games against Sacramento and other teams with which the Storm is jockeying for playoff position are doubly important. The home team has won all three head-to-head matchups thus far, with the Storm progressively playing better. Seattle was run off the court in Sacramento in May, lost a lead down the stretch at ARCO in June and then won at KeyArena three weeks ago.

G U A R D S
	The biggest difference in the Storm's win in Seattle was the point-guard matchup. Ticha Penicheiro outplayed Sue Bird in the two games in Sacramento. Bird committed seven turnovers and shot 3-for-14 from the field while Penicheiro totaled 27 points on 10-for-16 shooting. Back at KeyArena, however, Bird got aggressive, tying her season high with 17 points on 8-for-13 shooting. Penicheiro, meanwhile, scored six points on 3-for-11 shooting. This matchup may be key to the outcome of this game.
	Rookie Scholanda Dorrell has stepped up where Chelsea Newton, lost to Chicago in the Expansion Draft, picked up as a perimeter defender. Dorrell is averaging a steal per game and has matched up with Bird regularly, harassing her and other guards. Dorrell had 17 points in the first two matchups with the Storm, but shot just 1-for-6 in Seattle. Betty Lennox has traditionally been effective against Sacramento's "white-line defense," and she's averaged 17.7 points in three matchups this season.
F O R W A R D S
	Sacramento forward Nicole Powell has tended to struggle against the Storm since joining the Monarchs. After scoring 14 points in the first matchup this season, she's come back with a combined nine on 3-for-11 shooting in the last two battles. Powell is hitting 35.1% of her 3s, a decline from last year, when she connected on 41.5% from downtown. Barbara Turner made her first career start against Sacramento, effectively feeding the post and handing out a career-high seven assists.
	Before this season, Buescher had never averaged more than 5.7 points per game, that achieved as a rookie in Minnesota in 2001. While she shot 70% from the field last year in limited action for the Monarchs, there was no sign she would have a breakout year, averaging 10.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game on 53.0% shooting. Buescher makes great cuts and has benefited from adding Whisenant's beloved step-through move to her repertoire. But Buescher could struggle to defend Lauren Jackson, who had 16 points and 12 rebounds in the last meeting.
C E N T E R
	Would you believe that the Storm's Janell Burse (four) has far more double-doubles than Sacramento legend Yolanda Griffith (one)? At 36, the All-Decade Team member has slowed down a bit, but she can still dominate. Griffith had a season-high 21 points against the Storm in May and matched it Saturday against Connecticut, shooting 9-for-14 from the field. Coming off consecutive double-doubles, Burse faces another challenge tonight.
B E N C H
	Fourth-year guard Kara Lawson (right) is the most dangerous member of Sacramento's bench. Lawson hasn't been at full strength this season after a mysterious preseason illness, but she's hitting a cool 39.4% of her 3s. DeMya Walker has played 10 games after giving birth before the season, working her way back into the shape that made her an All-Star last season. Rebekkah Brunson, demote when Buescher moved into the starting lineup, is one of the league's best rebounders but has been unable to finish down low this season, shooting 37.8%. Hamchetou Maiga-Ba is one of the league's best defenders. Storm reserve guard Tanisha Wright (left) has played well since the All-Star break, combining for 15 points in her last two games. The rest of the Storm bench has not been particularly productive of late as the team looks to replace the energy and defense lost with Shaunzinski Gortman's ACL tear.

TEAM LEADERS JACKSON GRIFFITH Jackson 20.2 PPG Griffith 12.0 Jackson 8.2 RPG Griffith 6.6 Bird 5.4 APG Penicheiro 3.6 Bird 1.9 SPG Penicheiro 1.9 Jackson 1.6 BPG Buescher 0.5 Bird 31.2 MPG Griffith 25.6

The home team has won the last eight head-to-head matchups of these teams, including the playoffs.

LAST TIME

After two losses in Sacramento, the Storm finally got the Monarchs in Seattle on June 27 and turned the tables in a 68-53 victory. Leading by two at the break, the Storm opened the game up in the third quarter, going on a 10-1 run late in the period to go up by double-figures. The Monarchs mustered just 11 points in the fourth quarter as the Storm cruised to the win. Turner, making her first WNBA start, had seven assists, effectively feeding the post as Jackson and Burse combined for 29 points. Meanwhile, Bird tied her season high with 18 points on 7-for-13 shooting.

INJURIES

Storm - Forwards Shaunzinski Gortman (torn right ACL) and Wendy Palmer (partially torn left Achilles tendon) are out.

Sacramento - None.