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Sparks-Storm Preview

Jun 10, 2010 - 3:28 PM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Los Angeles (2-6) at Seattle (8-1), 10:00 p.m. EDT

The Seattle Storm have exited in the first round of the playoffs each of the last five seasons. If the reigning league MVP's prediction is true, they'll advance much further than that in 2010.

The Western Conference-leading Storm look to extend the best start in franchise history Friday when they go for their third victory against the Los Angeles Sparks this season.

Since winning the franchise's only championship in 2004, Seattle has not advanced to the conference finals, falling to Sparks in the opening round the last two seasons.

After missing both of those series due to injuries, the Storm's Lauren Jackson is making a making a strong push for a third MVP. The reigning Western Conference player of the week is averaging 20.8 points and 8.1 rebounds.

Jackson, Swin Cash and Camille Little scored 16 points apiece and Sue Bird added 12 with a season-high 11 assists in Sunday's 97-74 win over Phoenix.

The Storm (8-1) led by 41 in the fourth quarter and improved to 5-0 at home.

"I don't see them losing another game the rest of the season, really," said Mercury guard Diana Taurasi, the 2009 MVP. "They're really good right now. They've got a lot of people doing a lot of good things."

Led by Jackson's 23 points and 10 rebounds, Seattle opened the season with an 81-67 victory against the visiting Sparks (2-6) on May 16. Bird hit a season-high four 3-pointers and had 22 points and six assists Saturday as the Storm defeated Los Angeles 79-75 at the Home Depot Tennis Center in the league's second game played outdoors.

The Sparks rebounded from that defeat with a 92-91 win over Phoenix on Tuesday. Candace Parker's layup with 3.4 seconds remaining helped Los Angeles snap its second three-game slide this season.

"I'm so happy that it went in," said Parker, who leads the league with 22.6 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. "We needed this win so bad."

Looking to win back-to-back games for the first time this season, the Sparks will try to snap a six-game regular-season losing streak at KeyArena.

Seattle, which has won its last two home games by an average of 20.5 points, will try to win five in a row overall for the first time since a six-game stretch Aug. 18-Sept. 1.