Storm (5-13) at Washington Mystics (9-6)

Verizon Center | Washington, D.C.

July 29, 2015 | 8:30 a.m. PT

Broadcast: NBATV, Monumental

 

2014 vs. Washington: 2-0

Last meeting: W 89-86 (June 22, 2014)

Leading scorer: Camille Little 22

 

The Storm finished the first half of the season strong by taking two out of the last three heading into the long break and return from the WNBA All-Star Break looking to keep the momentum going against Washington on Wednesday.

It will begin the team’s longest road trip of the season with the next six coming away from KeyArena.

PLAYER TO WATCH: Ramu Tokashiki

Since being inserted into the starting lineup three games ago, Tokashiki has continued to gain confidence and has scored 14 points in each of the last two games while shooting 57 percent. She has reached double figures in scoring in seven of her last 11 games.

JEWELL SHINING AMONG ROOKIE

Rookie Jewell Loyd has also become more comfortable in the WNBA and it is showing. She returned to the starting lineup on July 10 against Phoenix and, over her last 10 games, she is averaging 12.2 points per game and scored in double figures in six of the last 10 games, including a career-high 21 against Tulsa on June 28. She is second among all WNBA rookies in scoring with 9.4 points per game and is 33-for-35 from the stripe during this stretch. At 87.7 percent from the line, Loyd is third among all rookies and sixth in the league with at least three attempts per game.

BIRD IN THE HAND, WORTH TWO IN THE BASKET

Sue Bird has dished out 19 assists in the last two games and recorded 12 in the win over Atlanta on July 18, two off tying her career high. Bird’s 5.5 assists per game is a league best and she is one of only two players to be averaging at least 10 points and five assists (Courtney Vandersloot).

TOK TAKING CONTROL

Ramu Tokashiki ranks among the best rookies in several categories and, in doing so, has become one of the better players for the Storm. Over her last 11 games, the rookie has averaged 10.7 points while shooting 51.5 percent from the field and 80 percent from the line. She has started the last three games and has scored in double figures in each of them. Among her fellow rookies, Tokashiki is fourth in points (8.1), fourth in blocks (1.00), second in free throw percentage (88.2), and fifth in field goal percentage (46.0).

BIG NAMES CAN’T WEATHER STORM

During the two-game winning streak just before the break,, the defense has been the star and it has done it against the stars. Los Angeles’ Nneka Ogwumike was held to 12 points and eight turnovers in the Storm’s win on July 15. Seattle forced 25 turnovers in that game and followed it up by forcing Atlanta into 19 on July 18. The WNBA’s second leading scorer Angel McCoughtry scored 16 points and committed seven turnovers.

‘THE BENCH MOB’

The Storm wrapped up one of its toughest stretches of the season last week with six of eight games on the road, which included seven cities in 19 days. As it has done all season, the bench played a major role. The second unit is averaging 27.8 points per contest (second in the league) and is also accounting for 39.9 percent of the team’s total points, which is tops in the WNBA. On June 28, it poured out a league-high 54 points, which included a career-high 21 points from both Ramu Tokashiki and Jewell Loyd.

SUE APPROACHING 5K

With her three pointer late in the fourth quarter on June 25, Sue Bird eclipsed Sheryl Swoopes for 13th on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list. With her 12 points against New York just before the break, she now sits at 4,974. The next two on the list are Taj McWilliams-Franklin, who finished with 5,013 points, and Tangela Smith with 5,048.

SCOUTING WASHINGTON

The Mystics share the ball better than any team in the league and dish out 18.3 assists per contest and have seven players who average at least two assists, led by Kara Lawson at 4.1. Washington will also limit its mistakes and is second in the league in turnovers at 13.4 per game. Stephanie Dolson leads the way with 13.4 points per game and is shooting 54.3 percent.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Because Washington doesn’t make many mistakes, the biggest key will be to not compound that with mistakes of your own. The Storm has done a good job turning turnovers into points over the last few games and has scored 61 points in those three contests, including 25 points against Los Angeles on July 15.