Storm Tracker (Aug. 22-28)

WEEKLY LEADERS
POINTS Bird - 13.7 Lennox - 11.0 Jackson - 10.7 Wright - 10.7 Castro - 10.0 REBOUNDS Jackson - 7.0 Castro - 6.0 Batkovic - 5.0 Burse - 4.7 Bird - 3.3 ASSISTS Bird - 6.3 Wright - 2.3 Zara - 2.3
storm.wnba.com PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sue Bird 13.7 ppg, 7.0 apg, 3.3 rpg, 14-24 fgs, 8-8 fts, 5-11 3s Numerous candidates for Player of the Week in a balanced week that saw no less than seven Storm players average more than 9 points per game. With apologies to several of them, notably rookies Suzy Batkovic and Tanisha Wright, we're going with Bird. She capped another outstanding season by averaging 13.7 points and 7.0 assists per game last week, including tying her season high with 20 points in the season finale against Phoenix. Bird won her first WNBA assist title and finished third amongst point guards in scoring at 12.1 points per game.

August 22-28 Record for the week: 3-0 Overall Record: 20-14 Standing: 2nd, Western Conference

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Kevin Pelton, storm.wnba.com

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August 23, 2005 - Recap | Box | Quotes/Notes |

Storm 32 45 78 at San Antonio 19 32 51

The Storm concluded its road schedule Tuesday in San Antonio. While the Silver Stars slumped in August, the Storm knew better than to take San Antonio lightly after losing at the SBC Center on June 30. The Storm clamped down on defense in the early going, holding the Silver Stars to two points in a stretch of over eight minutes in the first half. The Storm took a 13-point lead to the break and San Antonio got no closer in the second half as the Storm ran away with a 78-51 victory to clinch a playoff berth. Five players scored in double-figures, led by 12 apiece from Wright and Betty Lennox, returning after missing six games with a partially torn ligament in her left wrist. Katie Feenstra had 14 points and 12 rebounds for San Antonio.

August 25, 2005 - Recap | Box | Quotes/Notes | Press Row | Photo Gallery

Sacramento 38 25 63 at Storm 49 27 76

The Storm hosted Sacramento Thursday with a chance to clinch home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. In the early going, Seattle shredded the Monarchs league-best defense, shooting 63.3% from the field and scoring 49 points, a season high for the first half. Sacramento rallied after halftime behind Nicole Powell's outside shooting (she finished with 17 points), but Luaren Jackson sparked a 7-0 run inside the final four minutes that put the game away. The Storm shot a season-high 52.9% from the field to overcome committing 20 turnovers.

August 27, 2005 - Recap | Box | Quotes/Notes | Press Row | Photo Gallery

Phoenix 31 43 74 at Storm 34 51 85

The Storm closed the regular season Saturday at home against the Phoenix Mercury. Despite being locked into playoff position, the Storm played to win and did just that. The Storm quickly opened up a 7-0 lead over a sluggish Mercury with Lennox back in the starting lineup, but the rest of the first half was tight. Late in the half, Jackson left the game for good with a minor back injury. Phoenix was within five with four minutes left, but Bird hit a 3 and Lennox scored three straight times as the Storm pulled away for an 85-74 win despite Diana Taurasi finishing with a career-high 31 points. Bird had 20 and seven assists for the Storm, who also got a career-high 17 points from Wright. Former Storm center Kamila Vodichkova recorded a double-double (18 points, 10 rebounds) after receiving her championship ring before the game.

Weekly Happenings

Betty Lennox returned to the lineup by scoring double-figures in two of three games last week. Visit the new Photo Galleries page for more Storm photos. Jeff Reinking/NBAE/Getty

Storm Ready For Playoffs
With the first two wins last week, the Storm locked up home-court advantage in the First Round of the 2005 Playoffs. Just as last year, when the Storm ended up winning the WNBA Championship, Seattle begins as the second seed in the Western Conference. On Saturday, the Storm found out that the First Round opponent will be the Houston Comets. The Storm will host Game 2 and, if necessary, Game 3 of the three-game series.

Lennox Returns
After missing six games because of a partially torn ligament in her left wrist, Lennox wasn't expected back until the Storm returned home for the last two games of the regular season, if then. It was a surprise, then, when she ended up playing against the San Antonio Silver Stars Tuesday. Lennox cannot do any further damage to the wrist and the pain is manageable, so she is ready to help the Storm in the playoffs.

"That was probably the best day of my life," said Lennox of her return. "I feel probably just as good as it's going to get throughout the rest of the season. I've just got to tolerate and deal with it."

Donovan Signs New Deal
Storm Coach Anne Donovan is in the last year of a three-year contract she signed when she first came to Seattle and the Storm organization in December of 2002. Negotiations on a new contract have been ongoing, and after Saturday's season-ending win, Donovan and the Storm made it official by announcing the new contract.

"I was dragging my feet," Donovan said after the game. "There was never a doubt that it wasn't going to get worked out. I'm happy. Very, very happy."

Around the Web

The Seattle Times' Jayda Evans has more on Lennox's return to the lineup.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer columnist John Levesque contends the Storm's wins set them up for another title run.

Wendy Carpenter of The News Tribunediscusses the Storm's desire to finish the regular season strong.

The Week Ahead

Tue, Aug. 30 Houston Comets 6:30 p.m. Toyota Center KJR 950 AM and ESPN2 Thu, Sep. 1 Houston Comets 7:00 p.m. KeyArena () KJR 950 AM and NBA TV Sat, Sep. 3 Houston Comets 7:00 p.m. KeyArena (IF NECESSARY) KJR 950 AM and NBA TV

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