3s Spark Storm
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Sue Bird Chats After Monday's PracticeThe tone for the first half of the Seattle Storm's season from behind the 3-point line was set on opening day. Against the Los Angeles Sparks and their packed-in zone defense, the Storm attempted a WNBA-record 32 3-pointers and hit just six of them, a major reason Los Angeles was able to leave KeyArena with a 68-50 victory.
The WNBA's top team in 3-point percentage in 2004, the Storm went to the All-Star break 12th in 2005, shooting just 30.2% from behind the arc. Given the Storm's returning players combined to shot 39.2% in 2004, the shooting struggles didn't make sense.
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"We've said all season it's a matter of time before it comes together," Storm Coach 
Anne Donovan said after practice Monday. "I don't think we're going to continue to shoot 50% from out there very often, but more often than not we're a good shooting team out there, 
Lauren (Jackson) and 
Sue (Bird) in particular."
The Storm's perimeter resurgence has been led by the high-scoring trio of Jackson (6-for-9), Bird (6-for-11) and 
Betty Lennox (6-for-12), all of whom have struggled from 3-point range at times this season. Jackson, who finished third in the WNBA in 3-point percentage a year ago at 45.2%, was at 26.3% at the All-Star break. And while Bird was shooting 42.9%, she went five straight games without a 3 during June.
To Donovan, much of the issue was mental, though she also thinks the Storm has executed better recently.
"I really think that L.A. loss the first game of the season really messed us up from a confidence standpoint out there," said Donovan. "Lauren has really rushed her shot out there much of the season. She's back to being very confident and a stroke versus just a shot. I think we're setting better screens, because a lot of what Sue's getting is off of man-to-man. I think the ball movement has been better the last couple of wins."
Jackson admits her 3-for-12 effort from downtown against the Sparks had an effect, though she puts more of the blame on rustiness after her off-season ankle surgery.
"Obviously it was a bad game for me, and I thought I was doing so well in training camp," said Jackson. "It played a huge factor in my confidence, but the things is, I'm one of those players who just go out and play no matter what. Physically, I don't think that I've been right. I don't feel like I've had my rhythm all year. That's why I haven't been straight with my shot. Now I'm starting to feel like I'm getting that back, which is a good thing."
Bird feels that just as the Storm's poor shooting against the Sparks was contagious, so too has been the hot shooting recently.
"Shooting is one of those things that can be contagious," Bird said. "Look at a game like our first L.A. game. Once we started missing, we just started missing. At the same time, once one person starts hitting, it definitely can be contagious throughout the team."
Lennox, meanwhile, points to the team's focus recently: Defense.
"That's one of the reasons we got those open," she said. "Those can be fast-break 3-pointers or we got the outlet, pushed up and nobody was back in defensive position. So it still all comes from aggressive defense to even get those shots, and also great ball movement."
The 3s have keyed a pair of big Storm runs to break open each of the wins. Friday against San Antonio, it was a 20-7 run after the Silver Stars got within one. Saturday, the Storm had a 15-4 run midway through the second half. In both cases, when the Storm's offense got hot, so too did its defense.
"You're always better for two reasons defensively off of scores," said Donovan. "One, they're taking the ball out of the net instead of off the backboard. Two, you feel better about yourself, so you're a little more confident, your energy is a little higher."
"I think it just gives you all-around energy," concurred Jackson. "Especially when we were playing against L.A. and we were up, it gave the team so much more energy and confidence."
Thompson Injured, Vodopyanova in Rotation
Forward 
Alicia Thompson watched the practice in street clothes, her back flat against the wall. Thompson, who missed a game last season because of back spasms, appears to have a problem with her SI joint, which is located at the junction of the spine and the pelvis.
"We're still trying to figure out exactly what the diagnosis is," said Donovan.
Thompson began having problems after the Storm's flight to Los Angeles Saturday morning, and the pain got progressively worse throughout the day. How long Thompson will be sidelined is uncertain. If there is a positive about the timing, it's that Donovan had already used rookie 
Natalia Vodopyanova in place of Thompson as a backup small forward against San Antonio.
Vodopyanova played a career-high 16 minutes at Los Angeles, posting career highs in points (seven) and rebounds (three).
"It just felt like we had to do something," said Donovan. "Vodo's been working hard here and done some good things. She's a high energy player; at times we struggle with our intensity, and she always brings that. We've given her enough time to really get comfortable here and get her confidence up, and it seemed like the right time to make a change."
At 6-3, Vodopyanova gives the Storm a bigger look defensively than the Storm's other small forwards, which is becoming a necessity as the small forward position grows bigger.
"She's proven she can defend at the three, so that size, she can defend the bigger players like a (Mwadi) Mabika, (Sheryl) Swoopes hopefully," Donovan said. "She's not as athletic as some of those players, but she's not going to get beat and be out of the play. She's going to hustle and get back into it."
