Point guard

Sue Bird vs. Janeth Arcain

Bird had to adjust to playing the majority of the season with a restrictive facemask after breaking her nose for the second time in as many seasons June 7. She also fractured her right orbital bone, but has rebounded to lead the league in assists and record two 20-point games this month. Arcain returned from an Olympic hiatus to have a subpar season numbers wise, but her leadership and familiarity with the team are reasons the Comets are back in the playoffs after missing their first appearance in franchise history last summer. Arcain is versatile, switching to shooting guard if coach Van Chancellor opts to start trade-pickup Dawn Staley. Arcain's scoring is quiet but normally comes at critical moments in games.

Advantage: Storm.

Shooting guard

Betty Lennox vs. Dominique Canty

Lennox still is coping with a partially torn ligament in her left wrist, which caused her to miss six games in August. She returned to the starting lineup for the Storm's season finale and is finding her rhythm. The time away allowed her body to rest, so the 2004 Finals MVP should be offensively explosive and feisty on defense. Canty is a deceptive guard who can shoot and has solid court vision to set up teammates. Her athleticism allows her to create and get ahead of defenses, but she has dealt with a knee injury. Canty is comfortable with her role to play off the bench or start at either perimeter position, averaging 30.2 minutes.

Advantage: Storm.

Center

Janell Burse vs. Michelle Snow

Burse has dramatically improved her game, learning post moves to clear paths to the basket and broaden her game beyond shot-blocking and rebounding. She's fourth in the league in field-goal percentage (52.3). Burse can hit the occasional midrange jumper but can get caught up in foul trouble, which hurts the team. Snow averaged 18.5 points in the past two meetings with the Storm. Her thin frame makes it easier to slice between defenders for put-backs and her long arms are magnets for rebounds. She could be the difference in this evenly matched series.

Advantage: Comets.

Power forward

Lauren Jackson vs. Tina Thompson

As the only player to rank in the top five in the WNBA in scoring (second), rebounding (second), blocks (fourth) and double-doubles (first), Jackson is the league's most dominant player. She's shown more defensive prowess this summer, returning from reconstructive ankle surgery. She has a tender lower back, but as fans saw last season, nothing keeps Jackson out of postseason play. Thompson has played in only 15 games since giving birth to her first child in May, but any rust is quickly shaking off. She has averaged 13.5 points this month and is a strong defender. Thompson still is looking for her rebounding and three-point shot to return to form.

Advantage: Storm.

Small forward

Iziane Castro Marques vs. Sheryl Swoopes

Castro Marques has been getting the Storm rolling lately with quick fast-break layups or pull-up jump shots that catch defenders off guard. Defense has been hardest for the Brazilian to adapt to this season, but she hasn't had too many meltdowns. Castro Marques will need to be rested for this series, defending the league's most potent player for possibly three games. Don't think just because the Comets are back in the postseason that Swoopes has accomplished her goal. The focus has always been the title, and she'll try to help her team raise its level of play to win it all. Swoopes has had a magical season, winning All-Star MVP honors and the league's scoring title. Her all-around play is what makes Houston a scary team to face in the playoffs.

Advantage: Comets.

The bench

Seattle: Unlike last season, when the bench primarily made spot appearances in blowout games, this season's reserves have guest starred throughout. Veterans Alicia Thompson and Simone Edwards are anchors, while injuries made rookies Tanisha Wright and Italian Francesca Zara part-time starters on the perimeter. Australian Suzy Batkovic is a surprise addition and Russian Natalia Vodopyanova is a spark.

Houston: Guard Dawn Staley is the Comets' biggest threat off the bench. She has experience as an Olympian, though this will be the best playoff team she's been on since Anne Donovan coached her former Charlotte Sting. Center Tari Phillips has trouble guarding Jackson, and the remainder of Houston's reserves don't receive much action due to inexperience.

Advantage: Storm.

Coaching

Seattle, Anne Donovan , 103-95 overall, 10-8 playoffs: Donovan became the first woman to win 100 career games, joining an elite group of four men that includes Houston coach Van Chancellor. The season has probably been the most challenging for her, altering her preference for an eight-player rotation to using the entire roster for the majority of the games. She also managed major reconstruction with four rookies, under the banner of defending WNBA champions, finishing with the same regular-season record as last summer.

Houston, Van Chancellor , 193-95 overall, 18-9 playoffs: The Comets have so much experience, the team can run itself. The challenge for Houston has been getting the ball around to everyone, averaging 13.7 assists, second-lowest in the league. Chancellor also has to drill rebounding and defense into his team's head.

Advantage: Storm.

The series: Storm in three games.

Storm roster
Starters
Pos	Player	Ht	Age	PPG	RPG	APG	FG	3-PT	FT
PF	Lauren Jackson	6-5	24	17.6	9.2	1.7	.458	.288	.834
SF	Iziane Castro Marques	6-0	23	8.2	2.9	1.5	.384	.333	.808
C	Janell Burse	6-5	26	10.0	5.8	0.7	.523	.000	.699
SG	Betty Lennox	5-8	28	12.4	4.4	2.0	.392	.308	.874
PG	Sue Bird	5-9	24	12.1	2.4	5.9	.442	.437	.855
Bench
Pos	Player	Ht	Age	PPG	RPG	APG	FG	3-PT	FT
C	Suzy Batkovic	6-4	24	6.9	3.2	0.9	.437	.286	.776
C	Simone Edwards	6-4	31	2.0	1.1	0.1	.585	.000	.583
F	Alicia Thompson	6-1	29	2.8	1.5	0.5	.395	.318	.750
F	Natalia Vodopyanova	6-3	24	1.5	1.2	0.6	.364	.200	.667
G	Tanisha Wright	5-11	21	3.6	1.7	1.6	.462	.000	.667
G	Francesca Zara	5-10	28	2.6	1.2	1.5	.400	.227	.810

Comets roster
Starters
Pos	Player	Ht	Age	PPG	RPG	APG	FG	3-PT	FT
PF	Tina Thompson	6-2	30	10.1	3.8	1.5	.413	.300	.762
SF	Sheryl Swoopes	6-0	34	18.6	3.6	4.3	.447	.360	.850
C	Michelle Snow	6-5	25	12.0	6.8	1.2	.551	.000	.708
SG	Dominique Canty	5-9	27	8.2	3.3	3.1	.399	.00	.727
PG	Janeth Arcain	5-11	36	10.1	2.7	1.6	.421	.188	.883
Bench
Pos	Player	Ht	Age	PPG	RPG	APG	FG	3-PT	FT
G	Roneeka Hodges	5-11	23	1.3	0.3	0.1	.277	.192	1.000
G	Edwige Lawson	5-6	26	1.4	0.4	0.2	.286	.333	1.000
C	Sancho Lyttle	6-4	22	4.2	3.8	0.5	.584	.000	.550
C-F	Tari Phillips	6-2	36	3.5	2.4	0.4	.426	.000	.646
G	Dawn Staley	5-6	35	5.4	2.1	4.5	.396	.375	.800
G	Kiesha Brown*	5-10	26	0.3	0.2	0.3	.500	.000	.000
*Injured list