Lauren Jackson News Archives

Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings has been named the WNBA's defensive player of the year for the third time.

Unlike past years where franchise relocation, player contracts and ownership sales made the Storm's offseason more uncertain than Pacific Northwest weather, where to practice in 2010 is the only major issue.

They don't have to say anything to each other. Heck, they don't even have to look at each other.

Two-time MVP Lauren Jackson was named to the all-WNBA first team this afternoon, joining Phoenix stars Diana Taurasi and Cappie Pondexter, San Antonio G Becky Hammon and Indiana F Tamika Catchings.

Diana Taurasi was the top vote-getter and was joined by teammate Cappie Pondexter on the all-WNBA first team announced Wednesday.

Once again the Storm made early postseason plans as it was knocked out of the playoffs in the opening round for the fifth straight season.

Sparks @ Storm, 2 p.m. For Michael Jordan, it was Anita Baker's "Giving You the Best that I've Got." For Storm guard Tanisha Wright, it was Jay-Z's remix of the 1980s hit "Forever Young." Both seem to be odd choices as locker-room jams for big playoff games because of their leisurely tempos.

Seattle Storm's Shannon Johnson looks up after being called for a foul against the Los Angeles Sparks in the second quarter of the third and deciding WNBA first round basketball game in Seattle.

Los Angeles' strengths were easy to peg. But their WNBA playoff opponent's? Not so easy.

The Storm has lost in the first round of the WNBA playoffs each of the past four years.

Just before the start of the WNBA playoffs, the Seattle Storm have signed coach Brian Agler to a two-year contract extension.

The Atlanta Dream had a chance to win their first playoff game and put the defending WNBA champions on the ropes.

Storm: Sue Bird, 5-10, 12.8 ppg, 5.8 apg. Sparks: Kristi Harrower, 5-4, 3.1 ppg, 2.2 apg.

Since winning the WNBA title in 2004, the Seattle Storm have failed to get out of the first-round of the playoffs every season since.

It's 6:12 a.m., and I'm already out of breath. A simple assignment - shadow Storm coach and director of player personnel Brian Agler for a day - has turned into a physical fitness test.

The Storm is facing a future without All-Stars Lauren Jackson, Swin Cash and Sue Bird, who all have circumstances that prevent them from playing.

Tanisha Wright of the Storm drives between Cappie Pondexter and Penny Taylor of Phoenix during Thursday's WNBA game at KeyArena.

Shannon Johnson scored 16 points and Janell Burse added 15 to lead the Seattle Storm to a 64-55 win over the San Antonio Silver Stars on Saturday night.

So, so. It was a tough game to play. We grinded it out. : Tough. They shot great.

Diana Taurasi scored five of her 22 points in overtime, and the Phoenix Mercury went on to a 92-84 victory against the injury-depleted Seattle Storm on Thursday night, clinching home-court advantage for the entire WNBA playoffs.

Sue Bird has agreed to a multiyear contract extension to stay with the Seattle Storm, keeping the All-Star guard with the only WNBA team she's played for.

After a summer stacking pallets of Coke cans and looking for errors in shipment forms, La'Tangela Atkinson is happy to return to her first choice for a summer job.

There are 13 days left in the WNBA regular season and there's more unknown than is known about the playoff race in its final two weeks.

WASHINGTON While Congress continues to debate health care nearby on Capitol Hill, there was nothing debatable about the way the Washington Mystics took care of its own health issues Thursday night in enhancing their WNBA playoff hopes with a 78-67 win over the Seattle Storm at the Verizon Center.

Monique Currie scored 17 points, Matee Ajavon had 16 in her first start of the season and the Washington Mystics beat the Seattle Storm 78-67 on Thursday night.

Storm @ Liberty, 4:30 p.m. Think players don't adapt to new roles quickly in the WNBA? Janell Burse offers evidence to the contrary.

Camille Little had 17 points and 13 rebounds, Sue Bird scored 12 points, and the short-handed Seattle Storm rallied to win their sixth straight, 65-58 over the New York Liberty on Tuesday night.

Departure of the Sonics notwithstanding, pro hoops in Seattle has been looking up lately.