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Storm-Mercury Preview

Jul 13, 2010 - 10:55 PM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Seattle (16-2) at Phoenix (7-11), 3:30 p.m. EDT

The Seattle Storm are already setting the pace in the WNBA, and it can only be bad news for the rest of the league that superstar Lauren Jackson has made a quick recovery from a concussion.

Jackson expects to return to action for the league-leading Storm on Wednesday when they visit Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury in a matchup of the WNBA's top scorers.

Seattle (16-2) is one of two teams to use the same starting lineup from last year, and the continuity has resulted in a seven-game win streak that has given the Storm a nine-game cushion atop the Western Conference.

"I couldn't have pictured a better first half," forward Swin Cash told the Storm's official website. "Not so much because of the record, but how well we've played together and finding our chemistry and finding our stride."

One of the rare negatives was the concussion Jackson suffered in a 75-62 win at Los Angeles on July 3. The two-time league MVP sat out last Tuesday's 78-70 win over New York.

Jackson returned to practice Monday after doing shooting drills over the weekend during WNBA All-Star festivities. She expects to play Wednesday.

"I've done what I was told to do just to gradually get back into it," Jackson said. "Sure enough, I feel great and I think that was what was anticipated."

Jackson is averaging 21.4 points to rank second in the league to Taurasi's 22.5. The new-look Mercury (7-11), though, have not resembled the team that won the WNBA title a year ago despite once again leading the league in scoring at 92.9 points per game.

Phoenix is seeking its first three-game win streak after a 98-89 victory at Los Angeles last Tuesday. Taurasi scored 30 points and Candice Dupree added a season-high 25 and 12 rebounds.

"We're just playing a little more consistent throughout the game," Taurasi said. "Sometimes, that's all it is: just playing with more energy and a little bit harder for the 40 minutes."

The Mercury traded Taurasi's backcourt mate Cappie Pondexter in a three-way deal in the offseason that netted Dupree, who is averaging 24.0 points and shooting 69.0 percent from the field in three games in July as she gets accustomed to Phoenix's up-tempo style.

Seattle is 2-0 against Phoenix this season, limiting Taurasi to an average of 12.0 points and 25.9 percent shooting. The Storm are looking to maintain that kind of success.

"It's an interesting point in the season," coach Brian Agler said. "We feel really good where we're at, but we want to come back ready to finish this thing off."