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On the game:
I thought our transition defense was terrible, but I thought Sheri Sam stepped up big time and Lauren (Jackson) did a great job with the matchup with Lisa (Leslie). But obviously we let a whole lot happen on the perimeter that we can’t afford to let happen. According to the way we chart transition, we gave up 30 points. You can’t do that and win a game.
On whether transition defense was the difference:
Definitely. No doubt.
On whether Sam's performance is what the Storm will need from her in the playoffs:
I think so. Through the five losses prior to tonight we have been learning a lot. A lot of the double- and triple-teams have come off of Sheri’s man, so she has been learning a lot about how to get herself to the free-throw line and make herself available when her man leaves and goes to Lauren. I think tonight was the payoff.
On the crowd's impact:
It’s amazing to me that we played so poorly defensively and had the opportunity to go to overtime. There were some really good things in this game. We had 15,000 people in here that helped us come back. It was electric in here.
On the quality of the play:
It was great competitive game, which is what we needed. We obviously would have liked to have had the win. There are things that we can do drastically different. It gives me hope. I hope we see LA down the road.
On the focus going into the playoffs:
Our defense has to be better. We need to get our energy back and get after it. We need to be much more aggressive than we were tonight.
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On her effort:
I know it’s the time of year where it’s time to play basketball. You just have to step your game up, and our goal is to win a championship. Whatever I need to do to do that, that’s what I want to bring. My offense was good tonight, but every game I’m coming out hard.
GUARD BETTY LENNOX:
On her game-tying shot attempt at the buzzer:
It was just one of those lucky shots. If it goes in, it’s good, if it doesn’t, it’s bad.
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On the similarities between this game and others with L.A.:
I think this game was different because in the first half we had the opportunity to go up a lot. We let them back in the game and then were fighting and clawing back the whole time. This is one of those games that doesn’t mean anything, but it does. It has no meaning standings-wise, but for momentum, we had a big crowd tonight, against LA, and obviously we wanted to come out and put on a good show and win. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out for us. Now it’s a new season, we’re off to the playoffs. We’ll just try to get better on the things we didn’t do tonight. I think if we would have played the first half like we played the second half, we would have been in much better shape.
On the defense:
All game we really didn’t have our defense. It seemed like they hit every shot, but that’s what playoff teams do. I think we’ll come back and put on another show. Maybe next time a W-show. If we can get past the first round, hopefully we meet LA to get to the finals.
On who should be the MVP:
I think if Lisa hadn’t come back from the Olympics like she did, it would be Lauren, hands down. But it would be impossible for me to vote for Lisa because I see the things Lauren does, I see what she means to our team. I just see the attention she gets. This is nothing against Lisa, and nothing against anyone else in the league, but Lauren gets double-teamed every single night and triple-teamed every other night. I just don’t know of another player that draws that much attention. Maybe it’s an insult to the rest of us that they’re willing to double Lauren.
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On the game:
It’s always tough coming in here to play. (Seattle) is a great team. Lauren Jackson is a great player, but she also has great players around her. It’s a good win and a good feeling to go into the playoffs on a positive note. Seattle and L.A. will both have to go on the road and get (a win) in a hostile environment and it’s good to be able to get this one.
On the game being a Western Conference Finals preview:
I don’t know, but if I had to choose, yeah, I’m sure it is. And it would be a good one. This is what the crowd and all the people want to see. It’s good for the league.
On coming back from an early deficit:
We just had to grind it out and turn up our defense a little more. They came out initiating the defense. They were pressuring the ball, denying on the wings and in the post, so we just had to turn it around and put some of that pressure back on them.
On Nikki Teasley's performance:
She has the flu, but stepped up for us. She was able to put (her sickness) to the side and she was on tonight. She focused on the task at hand, was able to come out, help her team and be effective on the court. She kept taking the shots. Even after she missed, we wanted her to keep taking them. We need her to be offensive-minded so it’s always good to see her shooting the ball. She’s always going to have her assists.
On the MVP race:
I’m just glad I don’t have to choose. (Lisa and Lauren) are both great players. We have co-head coaches, so why not co-MVPs?
On her team blocking out the KeyArena crowd:
I thought they were able to step it up and ignore the crowd and all of the elements surrounding it when we come in here to play. They weathered the storm.
On playing hard to win a game that had no playoff impact:
I don’t think you could go in either locker room and say that this game had no meaning. Rest? No, it’s no time to rest. Our rest came during the Olympics. We’re in playoff mode. We’re ready to go. We know what to do and we know what it takes. We can’t rest right now.
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On the game:
It definitely was a playoff atmosphere out there. The Seattle fans are great. They definitely do their part. I’m trying to get the Sparks’ fans to be more like them, but our fans are so nice … they’re just clapping for everybody. I thought it was a really good game for both teams. It was a huge challenge for us to get the win on the road because obviously, in order to win championships, you have to win on the road. It was a big win for us. We really fought hard and persevered through everything.
On a possible Western Conference Finals preview:
It’s possible, but you know you can’t ever overlook your competition. We don’t know who we’re going to play just yet … whoever it is, that’s the team we’ll have to focus on.
On her matchup with Jackson:
I thought we handled ourselves pretty good. You know, Lauren and I approach the game in different ways to get to the same place. She came up to me after the game and said she really respected me. That’s the first time she’s ever really said anything nice. I told her thank you. For me, when we play Seattle, Lauren is on the team and that’s really it for me, I promise you. People make so much more of it and I get all the questions about it, but it is what it is – she’s just another player on the team. I guard her and I don’t think she scores as much when I’m on her and that’s it. She guards me hard and we get out there and compete.
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On the playoff atmosphere:
Yeah, we have to be in playoff mode after losing at home to Minnesota. Coming here, we had to get it done on the road. We’re going to have to face a lot of adversity. I think Seattle is one of the hardest places to play. I just take my hat off to my teammates. We just did a great job of sticking together and pulling this win out.
On playing through illness:
Yeah, I have a cold. My teammates helped me and I’ve been getting some treatments from the trainer. I’ve been drinking tea and trying to stay warm. My teammates helped me get through this. I’m going to go home, get some rest and be ready for the playoffs.
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