Five post players create Storm logjam

Almost a third of the way through the WNBA season, Storm coach Brian Agler is confident with his backcourt rotations but still tweaking how to play his posts.

The cluster of five players consists of two Olympians and four who could start on any team. But with power forward/center Lauren Jackson averaging 32.5 minutes and third-year pro Camille Little continuing to shine, Agler hasn't been able to squeeze in centers Suzy Batkovic-Brown, Janell Burse and Ashley Robinson.

Agler expected Burse and Batkovic-Brown to compete for the starting position. Yet entering today's Storm (7-4) matchup against Sacramento (3-8), Burse is averaging 10.5 minutes and Batkovic-Brown, who hadn't played in the WNBA since 2005, is averaging 7.5.

Problem?

"When I was watching the draft, this guy was like, 'Having too many good post players is like having too many $100 bills,' " said Burse, who was a Storm starter from 2005 to 2007. "You can't ever have enough. Too me, that's a foundation of a team and then, of course, you have to have a good point guard.

"But it's definitely an adjustment getting in the game after just sitting. You're cold and you go out trying to get in the flow with people who have been out there playing. It's just different, it definitely is."

Following a home win against Los Angeles in June, Agler said his staff could have made better substitutions, noting it is hard to play 11 players. Wednesday, he again noted that Burse, who's 6 feet 5, needs more time on the floor.

Agler, who also is the club's director of player personnel, re-signed Burse after she missed the 2008 season to rehabilitate injuries to her shoulder and foot.

"We're making progress," said Agler of the interior rotations. "Unfortunately you get in games and you have to try to analyze a couple of things — matchups, time and score. It's at the forefront of our decision-making, but it hasn't played out yet."

Agler also noted it's easier to play four guards than four posts because you need more than one ballhandler on the floor. Yet with hybrid posts like reigning MVP Candace Parker and Phoenix rookie DeWanna Bonner, the Storm inside players will need to be more versatile, too. For now, Agler has countered those types by playing traditional forwards Little and Swin Cash at power forward and moving Jackson to center.

Against Sacramento, pressure is normally on the backcourt. In fact, Agler started guards Sue Bird, Tanisha Wright, and Shannon Johnson as the Storm opened the season by beating the Monarchs. .

"It's not like the people playing in front are some slouches," Robinson said of the posts who get more playing time. "With the minutes that we play, I think everybody goes in and contributes pretty well when we're in there."

Jayda Evans: 206-464-2067 or jevans@seattletimes.com