WEEKLY LEADERS
POINTS Jackson - 25.5 Sam - 11.5 Vodichkova - 9.0 Lennox - 7.5 Bird - 5.0 REBOUNDS Vodichkova - 9.0 Jackson - 6.5 Sam - 5.0 Bird - 4.5 Lennox - 4.0 ASSISTS Bird - 4.0 Jackson - 2.5 Lennox - 2.0
storm.wnba.com PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Rocky Widner/NBAE/Getty Lauren Jackson 25.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 3.0 bpg, 3.0 spg, 47.2% fg, 12-12 fts, 5-8 threes There should be a certain sense of democracy to Storm Player of the Week honors, and the award was initially conceived to be awarded to the player who did best relative to expectations so as to involve the entire roster. However, when one player is as good and as dominant as Jackson has been during the month of July, these best of intentions must be laid by the wayside. How can Jackson be denied when she continues to find new and better ways to deny opponents victory? Facing two future Team USA opponents in Tamika Catchings and Tina Thompson, Jackson gave them a taste of what they're in for next month, outscoring the two players 51-28 and controlling both ends of the court. Jackson scored more than 40% of the Storm's points for the week, carrying the team through offensive slumps by some other key players (notably Sue Bird). For the second straight week, Jackson was also named WNBA Player of the Week. She did it despite experiencing back pain that might have sidelined a lesser player. "It would have to be pretty bloody severe to get me out of a game these days," Jackson said after Saturday's game.

Jul. 19-Jul. 25
Record for the week: 2-0
Overall Record: 15-7
Standing: 2nd, Western Conference

Thursday, Jul. 22, 2004

Indiana 33 21 54 at Storm 35 24 59

After four days off, the Storm returned to KeyArena Thursday for a matinee against the Indiana Fever and MVP candidate Catchings. The Fever led most of the first half, but in the final six minutes before intermission, Jackson caught fire. She scored the Storm's last 16 points of the first half, outscoring Indiana 16-8 all by herself to give the Storm a lead at the break. Jackson scored the first bucket of the second half, giving her 18 straight Seattle points, two off her own record of 20 straight points for a team scored by a single player, set last Aug. 6 against Los Angeles. Indiana caught on, double-teaming Jackson even when she did not have the ball to make her largely a non-factor in the second half. That stymied the Storm offense, which went nearly 12 minutes without a field goal at one point. Still, the Storm stayed in the game thanks to strong defense of its own. With 5:20 left, the Storm was down six when Catchings went to the bench with a bloody nose. The lead was down to two at the 2:40 mark when Catchings returned, and the Storm led 55-54 when Betty Lennox, who scored 15 points, hit a jumper with 15 seconds left. Catchings missed a good look on the ensuing Fever break, but Stephanie White rebounded and was fouled in the act of shooting. With a chance to put her team up, White missed both shots. After grabbing the board, Jackson was sent to the line, where she hit both attempts. Indiana still had time to tie with a three, but White threw the inbounds pass out of bounds. Kamila Vodichkova hit two free throws to secure the 59-54 win. Jackson finished with 25 points to lead all scorers. On the Indiana side, Catchings had 15 points and 10 rebounds despite struggling with her shot, and Kelly Miller scored 15.

Saturday, Jul. 24, 2004

Houston 32 31 63 at Storm 31 36 67

Saturday, Houston visited KeyArena, with the Storm looking to avenge its only loss at the Key this season. The Storm got off to a quick start, taking an 11-point lead early. With both benches in the game, the Storm was able to maintain the lead, but Houston went on a 12-0 run to end the half and took a one-point lead to the break, the seventh time in eight games the Storm has trailed at halftime. Neither team could take control in the second half, with no leads larger than six points, but Houston went up 63-58 with 3:21 to play on two Sheryl Swoopes free throws. Jackson answered with a three to cut the lead to two by the three-minute mark, and three free throws put the Storm up 64-63 with 58 seconds left. After both teams failed to score, the Comets had a chance to go ahead. Michelle Snow got the ball down low and seemed likely to hit the go-ahead layup, but Jackson came in for her third block in the final two minutes to deny Houston. Sheri Sam left the door open by splitting two free throws, but Swoopes, defended by Jackson, came up short on her shot with less than a second left. Two Vodichkova free throws sealed a 67-63 win, the Storm's fifth straight. Jackson had 26 points, nine rebounds and five blocks to lead the Storm, with Sam adding 14 points. Swoopes paced Houston with 23 points, Tina Thompson adding 13 of her own.

Weekly Happenings

Rookie Trina Frierson was activated before Thursday's game. Jeff Reinking/NBAE/Getty

Storm Streaking
By completing its second consecutive week undefeated, the Storm ran its winning streak to five games. That ties the second-longest winning streak in franchise history after the six straight games the Storm won last month (Jun. 3-18). The Storm also won five straight games from Jul. 25-Aug. 1, 2002.

The Storm's previous six-game winning streak is tied for the longest in the WNBA this season. Four other teams - New York, Connecticut, Los Angeles and Minnesota - have won six consecutive games this season, but all five have lost the seventh game.

Since dropping two straight home games in late June, one of them in Spokane, the Storm has won all six games its played at home during the month of July. Earlier, the Storm boasted a six-game home winning streak that dated back to the end of last season. The longest home winning streak in Storm history is eight games, from Jun. 22-Aug. 8 last season.

Jackson Doubles her POTW Fun
Jackson's consecutive Player of the Week honors made her the first player to successfully defend a Player of the Week win the next week since Houston's Cynthia Cooper did it during the 1998 season. Cooper is the only other player to win Player of the Week back-to-back, also doing it in 1997.

Jackson has now won Player of the Week twice this season, one off the single-season record of three she shares (from 2003) with Lisa Leslie (2000). Jackson has won Player of the Week five times during her WNBA career, which ranks her tied for third on the all-time list with Catchings. Leslie (9) and Cooper (6) are the only players who have won Player of the Week more times.

Thanks to pilight for providing Player of the Week information.

Burse to the Injured List
Before Thursday's game, the Storm made its first transaction of the season, placing center Janell Burse on the injured list and activating rookie Trina Frierson, who had spent the entire season on IL after preseason knee surgery. Burse was diagnosed with hip bursitis after being injured during Wednesday's practice, which she left on crutches. With the Storm playing two close games, Frierson has yet to make her WNBA debut, but may have the chance to do so this week.

Injury Report