 |
Houston |
40 |
29 |
69 |
 |
at Storm |
26 |
53 |
79 |
|
For the first half of May 27's game against the Houston Comets, the Storm continued to be plagued by the funk that caused an 18-point loss in the season opener against the Los Angeles Sparks the previous week. The home team went to the locker room trailing by 14 points. But after Coach
Anne Donovan implored her players to play with passion, the Storm was an entirely different team in the second half, hitting 18 of 24 shots, scoring 53 points - the most ever surrendered by the Comets in a half - and going on a 21-4 run after trailing by seven points with just under nine minutes to play to earn a 79-69 win. The surge was propelled by
Lauren Jackson, who had 17 points and 12 rebounds, and
Betty Lennox, who scored 18 of her game-high 24 points in the second half. Also starring in her first Storm start was
Iziane Castro Marques, who tied her career high with 12 points and limited Comets star
Sheryl Swoopes to 16 points on 7-for-16 shooting.
|
Storm |
29 |
38 |
67 |
|
at Houston |
35 |
36 |
71 |
|
The Storm traveled to Houston on June 28 without Castro Marques, who was suspended by the WNBA. They played most of the second half without MVP forward Jackson, who was unexpectedly benched. Still, the Storm trailed by just two with 17 seconds to play after two
Suzy Batkovic free throws.
Michelle Snow followed with two free throws, and Lennox missed for the Storm, sealing Houston's victory. Seattle led with five minutes left in the game, but the Comets additional depth proved just enough down the stretch Swoopes scored 21 points to lead four Houston players in double-figures and also handed out nine assists, while Snow (11 points, 11 rebounds) recorded a double-double. Batkovic's 16 points led the Storm.
|
Houston |
30 |
38 |
68 |
|
at Storm |
36 |
35 |
71 |
|
Aug. 9 in Seattle, the Storm and the Houston Comets squared off in what turned out to be an MVP duel. 2000 and 2002 winner Swoopes had a career-high 34 points for Houston and was unstoppable as the Comets rallied in the second half, when she scored 25 points. 2003 winner Jackson answered with 27 points and nine boards. She set up
Simone Edwards for a shot-clock-beating layup with 47 seconds left that pushed the Storm's lead to five, but Swoopes answered and the Storm missed, giving Houston a chance to tie the game with a 3. After Jackson slipped,
Tina Thompson got a good look at a shot that would have sent the game to overtime, but it missed, giving the Storm a 71-68 win.
|
Storm |
26 |
46 |
72 |
|
at Houston |
29 |
46 |
75 |
|
Aug. 14, the Storm was in Houston for a rematch with the Comets. After a tight first half, timely scores from
Sue Bird (who scored all 14 of her points in the last 13 minutes) kept Houston from breaking the game open. After Comets guard
Janeth Arcain missed a pair of free throws, the Storm got the ball back down three in the final 20 seconds. Jackson's shot was blocked by Swoopes, but out of bounds, giving the Storm another chance. Bird set up for a 3 that could have sent the game to overtime, but it was off and Houston held on for a three-point win of its own, 75-72. Swoopes again led the Comets with 23 points despite being woozy after a collision at the end of the first half, but it was Snow (20 points) who was the Comets go-to player down the stretch. Jackson had 18 for the Storm, who also got a career-high 13 points from rookie
Tanisha Wright and a double-double (15 points, 11 boards) from
Janell Burse.
