Insider Preview - Storm at Los Angeles (Game 3)

For the fourth time in the last three seasons, the Storm will play a deciding Game 3 tonight against the Los Angeles Sparks. For the first time, however, the Storm will do so without the benefit of a raucous KeyArena crowd for support. The home-court advantage keyed the Storm's pair of deciding wins that brought the WNBA Championship to Seattle in 2004, but the Houston Comets quickly quieted the crowd and blew out the Storm a year ago.

For the Los Angeles Sparks, it's the third time their First Round series has gone to three games in the last four years. In 2003, Los Angeles defeated Minnesota 74-64 en route to the WNBA Finals, but in 2004 the Sacramento Monarchs dominated the second half of a 73-58 win at the Staples Center. Those same Monarchs now await the victor of tonight's game.

18 times in WNBA history has a best-of-three series played out the way the first two games of this series did, with the home team taking both games. The home team naturally has had the advantage in Game 3, but it's not as dramatic as you might think - they've won 13 and lost five. Looking at all Game 3s, home teams are 18-7.

The Storm's focus entering tonight's game is to better combat the zone defense Los Angeles used over the final three quarters, holding the Storm to 11 field goals (on 34.4% shooting) and 41 points in that span. Coach Anne Donovan tweaked the Storm's zone offense slightly during yesterday's practice to match up with the Sparks and get more shots for Lauren Jackson, who attempted just four in Game 3.

Injuries could also be a factor in Game 3. The Storm got a scare when Sue Bird ran off the floor clutching her nose in the final minute of Game 2, but further examination showed a contusion, not a break. Bird practiced on Monday and will play tonight wearing a mask. For Los Angeles, Chamique Holdsclaw played just two minutes in Game 2 because of a strained left foot ligament. Holdsclaw is listed as questionable for tonight's game.

During today's game, check out storm.wnba.com's "Live From TOJ," with Kevin Pelton live-blogging from the viewing party at Theatre Off Jackson.

G U A R D S
	For the first time since the end of last season's playoffs, Bird dons the mask that she wore during the Storm's run to the 2004 Championship. The last time Bird's nose made her a question mark before a deciding Game 3, all she did was hand out a WNBA-record 14 assists as the Storm defeated Sacramento in the Western Conference Finals. Temeka Johnson has struggled with her shot in this series, shooting just 6-for-19 from the field. The Storm's zone has dared Johnson to shoot from the perimeter.
	Sparks Coach Joe Bryant apologized to Tamara Moore after Game 1 for forgetting to use her at all. He made sure he would not forget in Game 2 by returning Moore to the starting lineup, and the veteran guard repaid him by hitting two early 3-pointers. Moore finished with 10 points and six assists and provided more of a perimeter threat than the big lineups L.A. used in Game 1. Betty Lennox's 19 points and eight rebounds both led the Storm on Sunday, but the Sparks had to feel good about forcing Lennox to beat them from outside, as she attempted nine 3-pointers - the most for her since the 2005 season opener against Los Angeles. Lennox had a painful crash out of bounds late in Game 2, but, this being the playoffs, she's ready to go.
F O R W A R D S
	Mwadi Mabika was huge for the Sparks in the second and third quarters, combining for 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting. She finished with 17 points and a team-high seven boards. After Mabika attempted 10 3s in Game 1, Bryant encouraged her to use her athleticism, and Mabika got to the free-throw line eight times. Iziane Castro Marques helped carry the Storm early and had 11 points, but she also committed four turnovers trying to do too much against L.A.'s zone.
	Assuredly, Jackson will have more than four shot attempts in tonight's game. The Storm's backcourt was not focused enough on getting the ball inside to the MVP, while Jackson could have been more aggressive going to get the ball. During the middle of the season, Jackson endured a similar stretch where she got few shot attempts, but the Storm seemed to work through it later in the year. Quietly, Jessica Moore was a contributor for the Sparks on offense, hitting three of the four shots she took and handing out a pair of assists.
C E N T E R
	Lisa Leslie wasn't dominant in Game 3, shooting but 4-for-12 from the field and committing five fouls while scoring 17 points and grabbing six rebounds, but she got to the free-throw line (and made her free throws, shooting 9-for-10 at the charity stripe). Moving Leslie to the perimeter might not have helped her shooting percentage, but it opened the middle of the floor for the Sparks as a team. Janell Burse struggled with foul trouble much of the game, finishing with seven points and five boards before fouling out.
B E N C H
	Holdsclaw's health is the big question mark for the Sparks. While Game 2 demonstrated that Los Angeles certainly can win without the six-time All-Star, the Sparks have been much better over the course of the season with Holdsclaw in the lineup. If healthy, Holdsclaw might start, giving the Sparks a third different lineup in this series. Without Holdsclaw, Christi Thomas (right) was very important, posting 10 points and six boards on 5-for-7 shooting and continuing to show range on her jumper. Doneeka Hodges-Lewis also hurt the Storm with her shooting, scoring seven points. Good news for the Storm was a solid all-around performance from rookie Barbara Turner (left), who has slumped recently. Turner had five points, two rebounds and two assists and was the only Storm player to see more than five minutes of action without committing a turnover. Tiffani Johnson again gave the Storm strong minutes behind Burse and Jackson, posting seven points and five boards.