Storm (7-20) vs. San Antonio (7-21)

KeyArena | Seattle, Wash.

August 28, 2015 | 7 p.m. PT

Broadcast: NBATV, Justice

 

2015 vs. San Antonio: 1-2

Last meeting:  W 72-63 (August 16, 2015)

Leading scorer: Jewell Loyd 18

 

After a lengthy rest, the Storm will return to action for two on the weekend with the first on Friday as it aims for the second straight win against San Antonio at KeyArena.

PLAYER TO WATCH: Jewell Loyd

The last time the Storm faced off with San Antonio, Jewell Loyd scored 18 points to lead the way in a 72-63 win. She has scored 15 or more points in four of the last six games and is making the case for her second straight Rookie of the Month award. The rookie guard is averaging 12.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists, all better than her season averages.

SCOUTING SAN ANTONIO

The Stars have struggled to put the ball in the basket and have averaged just north of 63 points per game over the last 10 games, a league worst. Nearly half of that production has come from Kayla McBride and Jia Perkins. Over those 10 games, the pair has averaged 29.9 points which included a 32-point outburst from Perkins against the Storm on Aug. 8 and a 19-point outing from McBride in Seattle on Aug. 16.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Contain either McBride or Perkins. What can burn the Storm is if both players find their shooting touch early. Finding Kayla McBride or Jia Perkins and making shots difficult will help the Storm turn its defense into offense. Speaking of offense… Without the services of Ramu Tokashiki for the next few games, the Storm will need someone to step up in her absence. This could mean more of Markeisha Gatling on the post.

PLAYOFFS? YES, PLAYOFFS!

The Storm sit three games back of Los Angeles for the fourth and final spot in the West with seven games to go and have three games against teams with records below .500. While it is a tall order, the possibility remains especially when you take into account the Storm own the tiebreaker with the Sparks, having swept the team from LA.

BIRD FLYING UP THE CHARTS

It has been a season of milestones for one of the all-time greats. 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. On August 2 at Madison Square Garden, she surpassed the 5,000-point mark to become the only player in league history to record 5,000 points and 2,000 assists for a career and did it in front of her hometown crowd. She is at 5,058 points and passed Tangela Smith for 11th all-time after scoring 13 in the win over San Antonio on Aug. 16. Bird will have a long road to trek to potentially break into the top 10 with DeLisha Milton-Jones sitting at 5,559.

LOYD FOR ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Jewell Loyd is starting to show why she was taken first overall in April’s draft. She earned WNBA Rookie of the Month honors in July after averaging 10.5 points and shooting 94 percent from the line. Loyd has reached double figure scoring in six of her last eight games and is averaging 14 points over the last six, including 18 points against San Antonio on Aug. 16. She has also been near automatic from the line and has made 42 of her last 45 attempts.

LANG FILLING UP THE STAT SHEET

Crystal Langhorne has been one of the more efficient and effective players in the league this season. She is second in the league with a 55.1 shooting percentage from the field and had a stretch of eight straight games in double figures, including a 29-point performance where she shot 12-for-13 from the field. She is also one of only two players in the league to be averaging 10 points, five rebounds, one steal, and be shooting better than 50 percent from the field. The other is Nneka Ogwumike.

CLARK LEADS THE LEAGUE

Alysha Clark has been one of the more effective offensive players in the league so far this season. At 56.1 percent from the field, she would lead the league in shooting percentage but comes up just short for qualifying for the category. However, she is the best in the league in true shooting percentage, which takes into account field goals, three pointers, and free throws. Her .671 percentage is tops in the WNBA is and well clear of the next player, Brittney Griner, at .610. Clark also comes in as third in the league in offensive rating (116.2) behind only Elena Delle Donne (125.1) and Skylar Diggins (116.6).

BIRD IN THE HAND, WORTH TWO IN THE BASKET

Sue Bird continues to be one of the better distributors in the league and dished out a season-high 13 assists, one off a career-high, on August 8 at San Antonio. She also collected 12 on July 18 against Atlanta. Bird is second in the league with 5.5 assists per game and is one of only two players to be averaging 10 points and five assists (Courtney Vandersloot).