Insider Preview - Storm vs. Detroit

Swin Cash

Now, Detroit must try to extend its run without Laimbeer, who resigned as head coach to pursue NBA coaching opportunities a month ago. The loss of Laimbeer is just one of the challenges the Shock has faced so far in a trying 2009 season. Detroit began the season with center Kara Braxton serving a six-game WNBA suspension and Ford sidelined by a setback in her recovery from ACL surgery. In the season-opening loss at Los Angeles, forward Plenette Pierson reinjured her right shoulder, requiring season-ending surgery. With three key players in the frontcourt out of the lineup, the Shock became the first team to have to make use of the WNBA's exception allowing injury-depleted teams to go over the 11-player roster limit.

More recently, Detroit played Saturday at Connecticut without guard Deanna Nolan, the first game Nolan had missed since August 2005, a stretch of 111 straight games. To replace Nolan, the Shock signed Anna DeForge, last of the Minnesota Lynx. A day after being signed, DeForge started and played 38 minutes.

Through the injuries, Detroit has started 3-7, last in the Eastern Conference. Still, no one is ready to write the Shock off, and with good reason. When Detroit gets healthy, save for Pierson, the core of the championship team still remains. Last year, the Shock was able to overcome the absence of Ford to win the title, filling her minutes with the addition of veteran All-Star Taj McWilliams. Having a healthy Ford alongside McWilliams will help replace some of the minutes Pierson filled in the past.

Detroit gave notice of its ability to overcome adversity Saturday, winning on the road against the Sun without Nolan. In her stead, Katie Smith stepped up as the Shock's go-to player on the perimeter. Smith scored 25 points on 9-of-17 shooting, including the game-winning jumper with 6.3 seconds left in the extra session.

Before resigning, Laimbeer was the WNBA's longest-tenured head coach (L.A.'s Michael Cooper has coached as many seasons with the Sparks, but left the team for two years). Nonetheless, Detroit retains continuity on the sidelines after Laimbeer was replaced by his lead assistant and fellow former "Bad Boy," Rick Mahorn. Mahorn had been part of the Shock's coaching staff since 2005, and Laimbeer granted a great deal of responsibility to Mahorn and fellow assistant Cheryl Reeve (who has assumed Laimbeer's personnel duties and was promoted to GM when he resigned). Mahorn has left Laimbeer's systems largely intact.

"To me, they're playing very similarly to how they have played," observed Storm Head Coach Brian Agler. "They run very similar things."

Statistically, two explanations for why the Shock has not been as successful can be found in turnovers and fouls. A year ago, Detroit had a positive +2.2 differential in turnovers, forcing more than two more per night by opponents than committed by Shock players. This year, that differential has turned around almost completely, with Detroit having a -1.9 differential. Five Shock players are averaging at least two turnovers per game, including young wings Shavonte Zellous (2.8 topg) and Alexis Hornbuckle (2.3 topg), who have struggled with heavy offensive responsibility. Hornbuckle is also a reason that Detroit has not been as effective at forcing turnovers. Last year, she led the league with 2.3 steals per game - a ridiculous 4.2 per 40 minutes. Hornbuckle is playing more minutes this season, but has seen her steal average drop to 1.0 per game.

Under Laimbeer, the Shock has always played a highly-physical style that has resulted in plenty of trips to the free-throw line for both teams. Last year, that equation was a net positive for Detroit, which committed 38 fewer fouls than opponents over the course of the season and made four more trips to the free throw line. This year, partially because of injuries in the frontcourt, the Shock has been called for 16 more fouls than opponents and has seen them attempt 10 more free throws over the course of the season.

For the Storm, this is the second straight game against an Eastern Conference foe after falling 86-81 to Chicago on Sunday. The loss dropped the Storm to 0-3 against the East this season, while the team has the best record of any Western Conference team within the conference (8-2). With so few games against the East so far, it is probably safest to consider the trend nothing but a fluke. The Sky has been a bad matchup for the Storm, sweeping the season series, but the only other East team the Storm has played was on the road at Indiana - a win that was the first of 10 in a row (and counting) for the Fever.

KEY MATCHUP
	Smith began her professional career playing for Agler with the ABL's Columbus Quest, then followed him to the WNBA with the Minnesota Lynx. After her high-scoring days in Minnesota, Smith has become a valuable role player in Detroit, playing all three positions on the perimeter to win two WNBA championships to go along with the pair of ABL titles she won in Columbus. Last year, Smith gave the Storm fits defensively, scoring 33 points in the matchup at The Palace of Auburn Hills and averaging 25.5 points in the two games - the only Shock player to average double-figures against the Storm. Tanisha Wright, then coming off the bench, played sparingly in the two games (26 total minutes). If Nolan does not play, Wright is the most likely defensive matchup against Smith, which means the challenge of following her through screens and staying with her beyond the three-point line.

Three days after losing to the Shock in Detroit, the Storm showed the value of home-court advantage in a 75-67 victory last June 7 that snapped the Shock's WNBA season-long six-game winning streak. The Storm took control early with an 11-0 run and never trailed in the game. Detroit pulled within six with two and a half minutes left to play, but consecutive three-pointers by Sue Bird and Sheryl Swoopes put the game out of reach. The Storm shot a sizzling 53.8 percent from the field while holding the Shock to 34.3 percent shooting, helping make up for a 13-2 Detroit advantage on the offensive glass.

Lauren Jackson led the Storm with a versatile effort, adding a career-high-tying five assists and a season-high three blocks to her game-high 24 points. Swoopes tied her season high with 15 points and Bird scored 14 as the Storm's starting five outscored the Shock's starters 68-29. Smith paced the Detroit offense, scoring 16 of her 18 points in the second half.

INJURIES

Storm - Forward Ashley Walker (right big toe) is out.

Detroit - Guard Alexis Hornbuckle (left knee injury) is probable. Guard Deanna Nolan (right hamstring) is questionable. Forward Plenette Pierson (right shoulder surgery) is out.