Notebook | Sheryl Swoopes misses 1st start with tender hamstring

PHOENIX — Storm forward Sheryl Swoopes missed her first start of the season due to a pulled right hamstring.

Swoopes suffered the injury in the opening half of the Storm's win against Minnesota on Tuesday in which she played 12 minutes. Swoopes said there was no collision, she was simply running and felt her leg tighten.

She shot baskets after practice Thursday in Phoenix and said the injury felt better Friday, but not enough to play. Guard Tanisha Wright started in Swoopes' place.

"I was able to do more things in shoot-around, but at this point I've just got to take it one game at a time," Swoopes said. "If I'm able to play Sunday then I definitely want to. If not, I'll come back after the break."

Center Yolanda Griffith returned to the lineup after missing the Minnesota game due to a concussion. She still has nagging injuries and, like forward Swin Cash (lower back), could use rest, however.

End of the road

The Storm concluded its longest road trip of the season — four games — at 2-2 without leading scorer Lauren Jackson (20.3). Jackson is with the Australian national team preparing for the Olympic Games.

Seattle hosts Sacramento (14-11) on Sunday, then will take a break until Aug. 9 as part of the league-mandated shutdown for athletes not competing in Beijing.

Storm coach Brian Agler said he'll practice his players five days a week — taking Wednesdays and Sundays off — until the season resumes Aug. 28.

"It's going to be about how quick we can regroup when we get back because we'll still be missing three players," Agler said of practicing while guard Sue Bird (USA) and post players Jackson and Kelly Santos (Brazil) compete in China. "I think the break will be real good, especially for Yo, Sheryl and Swin [Cash]."

Taurasi's two cents

Players across the league have slowly shared their displeasure with the league's handling of the suspensions for the Los Angeles-Detroit fight on Tuesday. Phoenix guard Diana Taurasi was particularly vocal because of her history.

She received a two-game suspension last season for berating an official on-court.

"I get two games for doing nothing and you've got people punching people and they get one game?" Taurasi said. "To me, that's not justice."

But Taurasi, one of the league's most spirited players, didn't mind the fighting, while close friend Bird was indifferent to the whole situation.

"Who doesn't like watching a nice fight?" Taurasi said. "We were on every channel. And it's acceptable in every other sport — in hockey they're like, 'go ahead and punch it out and cool down.' There's nothing wrong with that. It's sport, and sometimes it gets to that point."

Friday night's box

SEATTLE
min		fgm-a	ftm-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Little	33:35	6-12	1-4	3-7	1	3	13
Cash	27:04	2-9	4-4	1-6	1	2	8
Griffith	26:25	6-12	5-10	3-7	3	4	17
Bird	32:02	2-8	5-6	0-1	4	0	9
Wright	28:25	4-9	6-6	4-8	2	5	14
Gearlds	17:56	2-8	0-0	0-1	0	3	5
Ely	24:10	3-9	3-4	1-1	0	5	10
Robinson	4:30	0-1	0-0	1-2	0	0	0
Santos	4:51	1-2	2-2	1-4	2	1	4
O'Neill	1:02	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0
Totals		26-70	26-36	14-37	13	23	80

Percentages: FG .371, FT .722. Three-point goals: 2-14, .143 (Ely 1-2, Gearlds 1-5, Wright 0-1, Little 0-2, Bird 0-4). Team rebounds: 9. Team Turnovers: 10 (10 PTS). Blocked shots: 6 (Cash 3, Griffith, Little, Robinson). Turnovers: 9 (Bird 3, Little 3, Ely, Griffith, Wright). Steals: 4 (Wright 2, Gearlds, Griffith). Technical fouls: None.

PHOENIX
min		fgm-a	ftm-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Taurasi	31:47	9-17	10-11	2-9	2	5	31
Willingham	27:04	5-7	1-2	2-8	2	3	11
TSmith	23:57	3-7	0-0	0-1	2	4	7
Miller	28:07	4-7	0-0	0-4	4	5	10
Pondexter	26:35	4-12	4-4	0-3	4	1	12
Mazzante	19:15	2-6	0-0	1-2	1	2	5
Quigley	4:05	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0
Farris	10:48	0-0	0-0	1-1	0	1	0
Pringle	17:09	2-5	10-10	2-6	0	1	14
Oga	10:11	1-4	2-2	1-3	0	0	4
BSmith	1:02	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0
Totals		30-65	27-29	9-37	15	22	94

Percentages: FG .462, FT .931. Three-point goals: 7-18, .389 (Taurasi 3-6, Miller 2-3, T.Smith 1-1, Mazzante 1-5, Oga 0-1, Pondexter 0-2). Team rebounds: 8. Team Turnovers: 11 (7 PTS). Blocked shots: 5 (Pringle 3, Taurasi 2). Turnovers: 10 (Pondexter 4, Taurasi 2, Farris, Miller, T.Smith, Willingham). Steals: 4 (Taurasi 2, Farris, Pringle). Technical fouls: None.

Seattle	17	16	28	19 — 80
Phoenix	26	21	25	22 — 94

Attendance: 8,323 (19,023). Time: 1:55. Officials: Michael Price, Sue Blauch, Jeff Smith.