Final
Sky-Storm Preview
Jul 11, 2009 - 8:16 PM By DAN PIERINGER STATS WriterChicago (6-7) at Seattle (8-4), 9:00 p.m. EDT
The Seattle Storm are riding the WNBA's longest home winning streak in more than seven years.
The Chicago Sky aren't playing like a team capable of snapping that run.
The Storm look to extend their franchise-record home winning streak to 16 games and improve to 6-0 in Seattle this season Sunday night when they take on the Sky, losers of four straight.
Seattle (8-4) hasn't lost a regular-season home game since falling 74-67 to Connecticut on June 16, 2008. The Storm's 15-game winning streak at KeyArena is the league's longest run at home since Los Angeles won a WNBA-record 28 straight from July 4, 2000-June 27, 2002.
The Storm appear to have a good chance of inching closer to that mark against the Sky, who have lost six of seven on the road and four in a row overall.
After winning six of its first nine, Chicago (6-7) has lost by an average of 18.0 points during its skid. It trailed 33-9 after the first quarter of an 83-54 home loss to Indiana on Friday night.
Chicago's struggles have coincided with the absence of Sylvia Fowles, the team's top rebounder (9.0 per game) and third-leading scorer (12.7). Fowles, sidelined for each of the four defeats by a sore right knee, could return Sunday.
"It's clear to us that (Fowles) is more important to us than just points and rebounds," coach Steven Key said Friday. "She brings a presence for us and we hope to get her back soon."
Even if Fowles returns, the Sky will likely have their hands full if the Storm's Swin Cash can continue her hot streak. Cash missed most of training camp while recovering from offseason back surgery, but after an inconsistent start to the season, she's averaging 17.7 points and 8.7 rebounds over her last three games.
The two-time All-Star led Seattle with 18 points in a 66-55 victory over Sacramento on Thursday night.
"I just feel like I'm a better me," said Cash, whose production had dipped in recent years after starring for Detroit early in her career. "I don't think too much about trying to be exactly like I was a couple of years ago. Hopefully, I can be better than that. That's my goal, and I just try to do that every game."
Storm coach Brian Agler isn't the only one noticing the new spring in Cash's step.
"We had the Detroit coaches, Bill Laimbeer (the former Shock coach for whom Cash played previously) and some of the other coaches tell us she looks like she was three or four years ago," Agler said. "She's just one of the great competitors in the league. She practiced maybe twice before our first game. She's just getting healthier and she's getting her legs back underneath her."
Cash had six points in 32-plus minutes as the Storm lost their first game against the Sky, 64-57 on the road June 14. Candice Dupree scored 14 points to lead four Chicago players in double figures.
- WNBA
CHICAGO 86
SEATTLE 81 FINAL
Jul 12 11:19 PM - WNBA
CHICAGO 19
SEATTLE 17 END, 1ST QTR
Jul 12 9:32 PM
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