Storm (8-20) vs. Washington Mystics (16-11)

KeyArena | Seattle, Wash.

August 30, 2015 | 6 p.m. PT

Broadcast: NBATV, KONG

 

2015 vs. Washington: 0-1

Last meeting:  L 87-74 (July 29, 2015)

Leading scorer: Abby Bishop 17

 

The Storm ran away from San Antonio in the first half and never relinquished the lead for the 83-69 win and are now 2-2 on the current homestand. Seattle looks to make it two straight when it hosts Washington on Sunday night.

PLAYER TO WATCH: Markeisha Gatling

The second-year center got her first start of the season on Friday night and chipped in 11 points in the 83-69 win against San Antonio. She is likely to see more playing time with Ramu Tokashiki overseas for the next few games. Gatling has shown a knack for getting the ball in the basket with her best performance being a 16-point outing where she only played 12 minutes.

SCOUTING WASHINGTON

Watch the paint. Stephanie Dolson and Emma Meesseman have combined for 12.4 rebounds per game and LaToya Sanders is coming off the bench and grabbing nearly six boards herself, including 2.1 offensive rebounds per contest. This is also a team still trying to clinch a playoff spot and will be very motivated after coming off a win against Phoenix.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Limiting turnovers. The Storm committed 19 turnovers against San Antonio but were still able to come away with the victory. It likely won’t be that easy against the Mystics. Washington takes care of the ball very well and will not give the Storm many extra chances.

PLAYOFFS? YES, PLAYOFFS!

The Storm sits 2.5 games back of Los Angeles for the fourth and final spot in the West with six games to go and have two 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.

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. She is the only rookie in the top five in points, rebounds, and assists. Loyd has reached double figure scoring in six of her last nine games and is averaging 13 points over the last seven, including 18 points against San Antonio on Aug. 16. She has also been near automatic from the line and has made 45 of her last 48 attempts.

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 5,068 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.

LANG FILLING UP THE STAT SHEET

Crystal Langhorne has been one of the more efficient and effective players in the league this season. She leads the league with a 55.6 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. Langorne picked up her first double-double of the season on Friday against San ANtonio with 22 points and 10 rebounds. 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 55.3 percent from the field, she would place third in 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 .660 percentage is tops in the WNBA is and well clear of the next player, Brittney Griner, at .609. Clark also comes in as third in the league in offensive rating (116.3) 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).