The Seattle Storm were fighting for the top seed in the Western Conference in their last visit to the Verizon Center. Seattle already has that spot locked up as it makes this season's trip to the nation's capital.
Watch Basketball LIVE TV
The Storm suffered their most lopsided defeat of the season their last time out after playing mostly reserves, but Seattle is expected to rest its starters again when it faces the Washington Mystics on Sunday.
Seattle trailed West-leading Phoenix by 2 1/2 games when it came to Washington on Sept. 3. The Storm were on a season-high six-game winning streak, but suffered a 78-67 loss.
The defeat proved costly, as Seattle finished three games behind the Mercury, who went on to win the WNBA championship.
Two-time MVP Lauren Jackson, who missed that game and all of the 2009 postseason with a stress fracture in her back, is questionable for Sunday after missing Friday's 88-68 loss at Connecticut with back spasms.
With his team having clinching the top seed in the playoffs with an 80-70 victory at Atlanta on Tuesday, Storm coach Brian Agler went with backups for most of Friday's contest. He will likely do it again as Seattle (25-5) finishes a three-game trip.
"I mean, I don't think it would be advantageous for us to have Sue Bird, Lauren Jackson, Swin Cash and those people worn down going into the playoffs," Agler told the Storm's official website. "That being said, I don't know what is going to happen in Washington. I'm sure we will probably do something similar."
Battling New York and Atlanta for the second seed in the East and just three games ahead of Connecticut for fifth place, Washington (18-12) cannot afford to rest its top players. Sparked by Katie Smith's go-ahead 3-pointer with 43 seconds left, the Mystics matched a franchise high in victories Friday with their second straight win, 61-58 over Minnesota.
"This is the way it's going to be I think throughout the rest of the season, but also when the playoffs arrive," Smith said. "Nip and tuck."
With Jackson and the rest of the Storm's starting frontcourt likely to see few minutes, forward Monique Currie and Mystics leading scorer and rebounder Crystal Langhorne could find it easier to operate in the post.
Currie had 24 points and five rebounds in an 82-76 loss at Seattle on May 25, while Langhorne added 14 points and four boards.
Langhorne had 12 points and 11 rebounds in last season's home win over the Storm.
The home team has won the last eight meetings between these clubs.
Tags:
Watch,Seattle,Storm,vs,Washington,Mystics,Live,Stream,Womens,NBA,|,Online,Basketball,Broadcasting,August,15,,2010.
0 comments:
Post a Comment