Originally published September 5, 2008 at 12:00 AM | Page modified September 5, 2008 at 8:15 AM
Comments (0)
E-mail article
Print view
Storm claims spot in WNBA playoffs
There's clinching a playoff berth, and there's doing it with the gutty style of a 9-0 game-ending run.
Special to The Seattle Times
CHICAGO — There's clinching a playoff berth, and there's doing it with the gutty style of a 9-0 game-ending run.
The Storm claimed its fifth consecutive playoff spot and took solo possession of first in the Western Conference with a 70-62 victory over the Chicago Sky before 3,829 at the UIC Pavilion Thursday night.
"The longest we held first was something like 13 hours," Sue Bird said. "Hopefully, we can hold it longer than that."
Bird scored 13 of her 19 points in the fourth quarter for the Storm (20-10), which trailed by as much as 12 in the second quarter and by 10 midway through the third.
The Storm took its first lead of the game, 54-52, at 8:54 in the fourth on a three-pointer by Bird.
"Sue Bird is an Olympic gold-medalist and she will make you pay," Sky coach Steven Key said.
Her jumper was part of an 11-0 run, keyed by a three-point play by Camille Little, that eventually stretched the lead to 56-52.
"We were persistent in our play," Storm coach Brian Agler said. "She was persistent in her play. [Bird] is as smart a player as I have been around."
Little finished with 13 points. The lead seesawed until Bird hit another three for a 64-62 lead with 3:05 remaining, a lead the Storm never surrendered.
"Bird lit us up," Sky forward Candice Dupree said. "If Bird didn't score, she could get the ball to her open teammates."
Yolanda Griffith's block set up Bird's three, which started the 9-0 game-ending run. Griffith also added a rebound and a layup in the closing run and finished with eight of her 10 points in the second half.
"We didn't come out with our normal aggressiveness and it took time for us to turn it around," Bird said. "We were lucky at the half to only be down five [34-29]."
![]()
It didn't start that rosy for the Storm.
The Storm had no answer for Jia Perkins, the red-hot guard for the Sky. The Eastern Conference's Player of the Week continued her award-winning pace with 22 points. She scored half the Sky's points as Chicago built a 20-10 lead at the end of the first half.
The Sky (11-18) won its first three games after the Olympic break and is fighting for its playoff life. Chicago came into the game trailing Indiana by 11/2 games for the fourth and final playoff spot in the East.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
E-mail article
Print view Share:
Digg
Newsvine
NEW - 08:27 AM
High winds and rain expected again tonight

New Beginnings Christian Fellowship
Coming in this Sunday's Pacific Northwest Magazine: Pastor Braxton's mission is to preach a message that appeals to everyone.
nwautos
Local riders say they've seen a surge in scooter interest in recent years, mostly from people wanting another commuting option. Seattle now ranks as o...
Post a comment
nwjobs
Post a comment
Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
Do you suffer from "sitting disease"?
Post a comment
- Home break-in ends in shootings, Everett police say
- Steve Kelley | Next Seahawks GM should be Mike Holmgren
- Mariners Blog | Jose Lopez appears to be on his way out
- Illegal workers quietly let go
- Amazon, Wal-Mart escalate Web price war
- As glam as he wants to be: Adam Lambert's real debut
- Sprouts, raw fish on attorney's 'do not eat' list
- Bellevue Blog | Bellevue residents blast new bikini espresso stand
- Big demand, grim outlook for state Basic Health Plan
- Husky Men's Basketball Blog | An interview with Enes Kanter's coach
- Bellevue residents blast new bikini espresso stand
252 - Jose Lopez appears to be on his way out
243 - Big demand, grim outlook for state Basic Health Plan
206 - Next Seahawks GM should be Mike Holmgren
153 - Washington State coach Paul Wulff says he's excited about Cougars' future
139 - Hate crimes against gays, religious groups up, FBI says
90 - Some fans at Fort Bragg see themselves in Sarah Palin
82 - Man shoots self at Westlake Center
79 - Teen pimp found guilty of human trafficking
63 - Portland cafe's specialty: medical-marijuana tokes
49
- Sprouts, raw fish on attorney's 'do not eat' list
- Tattoos at Mill Creek church pierce skin, soul
- Food-safety lawyer's wish: Put me out of business
- Illegal workers quietly let go
- Architects, chefs find 'kid' within to build Gingerbread Village
- Nicole Brodeur | Homeless woman bent on giving
- Portland cafe's specialty: medical-marijuana tokes
- Big demand, grim outlook for state Basic Health Plan
- Hutch gets $10M from Bezos family for immunotherapy research
- Rediscovering Moab, 'the most beautiful place on Earth'





