Storm-Liberty Preview

Aug 31, 2009 - 4:37 PM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Seattle (18-11) at New York (12-17), 7:30 p.m. EDT

Having clinched a sixth straight playoff appearance, the surging Seattle Storm are hoping to get healthy before the postseason.

They'll start a three-game road trip Tuesday night without star forward Lauren Jackson when they face the New York Liberty.

Seattle (18-11) is the hottest team in the league with five straight wins, and trails first-place Phoenix by two games in the Western Conference. The Storm lead third-place Los Angeles by three games in the race for home-court advantage in the first round.

Jackson is out indefinitely with a stress fracture in her back and won't play on this trip. She missed Saturday's 91-84 double-overtime win over Atlanta that completed a perfect four-game homestand.

"After this game, we all know we're going on the road for three games and we don't have Lauren and that's a big blow to our team," Storm point guard Sue Bird said. "For all of us tonight on our home court, we wanted to make the most of this opportunity and get a win."

Tanisha Wright scored 25 points and Bird added 24 as Seattle improved to 3-2 in overtime this year. The two had a combined seven points at halftime before making 17 of 30 shots the rest of the way.

"We've been playing together for five years," Wright said of Bird. "I think we kind of have a good read on one another and enjoy playing with one another. We kind of sense when it's time for each other to pick it up and do our job and tonight was a good indication of that."

New York again has the good fortune of facing an opponent that will be missing its best player. That's been the case in the last five games for the Liberty, who played Connecticut twice without Asjha Jones, Minnesota without Seimone Augustus and Chicago twice without Sylvia Fowles.

The Liberty (12-17) went 3-2 in that stretch and are in last place in the East, 1 1/2 games out of the final playoff spot.

Janel McCarville had 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists as she returned Sunday in a 77-63 win over Chicago. McCarville missed Friday's loss to the Sky with a sprained ankle.

New York fell one game shy of reaching the WNBA finals last year, but is in a desperate situation now.

"We've still got a little sliver of a chance to get in, but a lot of it is on us," McCarville said. "We know we need help from other people. But we've got to take care of us first."

Seattle beat New York 70-69 on Aug. 8 behind Jackson's 21 points and nine boards. The Storm have won six of seven over the Liberty.