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Sue Bird's potential tying 3-pointer in the final 10 seconds being one - did not fall and the Storm finished its road trip 1-1 after a 75-72 loss at Houston, it was still a productive road trip.
"1-1 - not bad, could have been better, but I think getting the monkey off our back in Minnesota was good and then, to me, the second 20 minutes against Houston, we were a team that wasn't thinking about home or away," said Coach Anne Donovan after Monday's practice. "We were a team that was just into the moment, into the competitiveness of the game, and that was really important for me, to see us really lose the nervousness or trepidation about being a road team. I think, yes, some good steps. The fact that we were in position to put that game into overtime was all good."
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"Three minutes (left), it could have been over," she said. "I think they were up five. 28 seconds left, we were still talking about, 'It's not over yet,' and you could really see the players buying into that. To me, that's good. That's good fighting spirit at the right time."
The game in Houston was the teams' second in a week decided by three points. Add in a four-point decision in Houston in late June, and a potential Storm-Comets playoff matchup - they would meet up if the season ended today - looks like a doozy.
"All four games were close," said Donovan. "We were down big here the first game, came back. Up big in game three and let them come back, but all games came down to the last couple of minutes. Great series with two very talented teams."
The Storm played both road games, and now has played four straight overall, without guard 
Betty Lennox. Lennox has yet to play since partially tearing the scaphoid-lunate ligament in her left wrist, but she is now wearing a splint only at night and is moving closer to returning to the lineup.
"The swelling is actually down," said Lennox, who worked out on her own during practice. "I still have some big-time tenderness in it; that's just because it's torn. It's feeling better, a whole lot better. I'm ready to play, really.
"I haven't practiced; I know I can't just play Thursday. What I am setting my mind on is hopefully I can play in the Sacramento game Saturday."
Donovan is more pessimistic about Lennox's return.
"It's looking better," said Donovan. "She's a little bit more flexible, but she's still got a ways to go. We're still looking at the end of the season if at all."
Lennox is scheduled to visit a doctor to be re-evaluated on Thursday.
In Lennox's absence, the Storm has gotten good production from rookie 
Tanisha Wright, who scored a career-high 13 points Sunday in Houston and is averaging 7.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in four starts.
"She steps onto the floor and, when teams don't guard her, she makes them pay," said Donovan about how Wright has played as a starter. "She's showing her versatility; she's not just a driver anymore. She can hit the outside shot and she's willing to take it. Defensively, she's always been a great player for us, so I think she's really helping our defense at the moment."
"I think she's doing a great job," said Lennox. "Jumping in, playing a lot of minutes - hasn't really been scoring, but she did well last time because I told her. I said, 'You can't score unless you take shots.' I've been on her the whole time. She's been doing well. She's done everything that's been asked of her stepping in."
To Wright, the difference is more subtle.
"It's not about trying to score," she said. "It's more about, when you're open, shoot it. It's not like I go out there and think, 'Today I'm going to try to score 15 points,' or something like that. It's about, whoever passes you the ball, if you're open, shoot it."
Lauren (Jackson)'s at the head of the list for me, just in how much she's doing. Defensively, she's doing great things for us. It's not just her offense. She's a part of every category we chart. Lauren, to me, is doing as much or more than any player in the league."
Donovan was also very pleased to see Jackson tie her career high with five assists Friday against the Lynx.
"It's been big for me that Lauren can add that dimension to her game," said Donovan. "This year, people are very focused on her, even more than last year. With Betty's absence, there are two or three people on her every time she catches it. Her ability to maintain her composure and make the pass out hasn't always been the case. She had three assists recently, five assists against Minnesota, so it's going in the right direction."
