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Storm-Mercury Preview

Aug 19, 2010 - 4:33 PM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Seattle (26-6) at Phoenix (15-17), 10:00 p.m. EDT

The Seattle Storm already have secured the best record in the WNBA and set a franchise record for regular-season victories. They'll tie the league mark by winning their final two games.

The Storm will pull within one win of that record if they can complete a season sweep of the Phoenix Mercury on Friday night.

Seattle (26-6) has clinched the league's best record, securing home-court advantage throughout the playoffs as the club attempts to make a run at a second championship and first since 2004.

The Storm have two regular-season games remaining, and winning both would let them match the league record of 28 victories set by Los Angeles in 2001.

They host the Sparks on Saturday in a potential opening-round playoff preview.

Seattle's chances at Los Angeles' record appeared dim Tuesday, but the club overcame a 14-point, second-half deficit to beat Minnesota 68-64. That performance came after consecutive losses by an average of 14.5 points.

"We've had a lot of games like this. But everyone really stepped up, and that was great," said forward-center Lauren Jackson, who scored 24 points Tuesday after totaling 28 over the previous two games. "We've proved all year it wasn't a fluke that we've won as many games as we have."

Jackson, fourth in the WNBA with 21.0 points per game, has been a big reason the Storm are in position to sweep all five meetings from Phoenix (15-17).

The two-time league MVP has averaged 26.3 points and 10.8 rebounds in the season series, including a season-high 33 points and 11 boards in a 91-85 home win July 27 in the most recent matchup. In the Storm's last game at Phoenix, Jackson had 31 points and 18 rebounds while Sue Bird made a 3-pointer with 6.4 seconds to play in the third overtime to secure Seattle's 111-107 win July 14.

While the Storm own the Western Conference's top seed, the reigning WNBA champion Mercury have clinched the second seed after winning 90-84 at Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Phoenix ended a four-game losing streak despite another poor performance from Diana Taurasi. Averaging a league-leading 22.6 points, the reigning WNBA MVP was held to 15 points Tuesday after scoring a season-low five on 1-for-7 shooting in a 107-69 loss at New York on Saturday.

Taurasi had a season-high 44 points in the last home matchup with Seattle.

Phoenix concludes the regular season at San Antonio on Sunday in another potential first-round playoff matchup.