Seattle Storm vs. Minnesota Lynx – WNBA Preview
A 23rd consecutive home victory will be on the line tonight when the Seattle Storm host Minnesota Lynx at Key Arena.
Storm are the reigning champions of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the defending champions opened the 2011 season with an impressive 78-71 victory over of the Phoenix Mercury, the team it knocked off in
the Western Conference finals, on Saturday night at home. Storm led the Mercury throughout the game to seal the victory. Camille Little had a team-high 18 points while guard Sue Bird scored 13 points and 10 assists, in the victory.
Excited after the win, Storm guard Bird said, "It was a lot today. One of those things where you wouldn't change it but definitely a lot." "A lot of emotion. ... You are going back and forth. It can be a challenge to stay focused
but we are a mature group.
Lauren Jackson, three-time league MVP, could not find her rhythm in the first half of the game as she attempted just one shot and scored only three points at halftime. However, she managed to finish with 15 points and seven rebounds.
Seattle guard Jackson , who became fifth player in the WNBA last season with an average of 20.5 points per game, showed completed confidence in her abilities and said, "I just made a point not to get frustrated.” "It just got to
a point where they can stop me from scoring but they can't stop everybody else. For me, I am going to have to battle it. I don't need to score all the time."
Minnesota Lynx, on the other hand, are coming off a 75-65 victory over the Tulsa Shock on Tuesday night at American Airlines Center. Minnesota forward Rebekkah Brunson registered her third straight double-double with a game-high
17 points and 15 rebound, shooting 6-for-9 from the field.
The 29-year-old is averaging 12.3 points and 14.0 boards this season. However, she did not record even a single double-double in any of her three games against the Storm previous season. Seattle won three of their four games against
Lynx during the last season. However, Minnesota were without the No. 1 overall pick Maya Moore that time. Maya has been a high profile addition in the Minnesota squad and is averaging 18.5 points in her first two games of the current season.
Come Thursday night, Lynx are definitely in a strong position with a healthy roster while Minnesota could be without Camille Little, who hurt her right knee during her game-best performance in the last game. Little is under day-to-day
observation.
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