Storm routs Sparks, 82-60

The game started well before KeyArena was filled with fans.

Before the blaring music or "Beat L.A." chants, Storm forwards Lauren Jackson and Camille Little played a game of H-O-R-S-E. It was an awful match, ending prematurely with both bricking a halfcourt shot.

Their defense against the Sparks was much better.

The 6-foot-5 Jackson provided the intimidation, and Little swiped the ball away three times at the start, igniting the Storm's 82-60 win before 7,286 fans on Friday.

Little's flashiest steal was taking the ball out of Sparks star Candace Parker's hands on a double team with Jackson. Little, who's 6-2, then passed the ball ahead and Jackson scored the fast-break layin for Seattle's first points.

"It was just a bit of fun; maybe we'll continue to play H-O-R-S-E," said Jackson, noting she was winning that game. "We know how to play with each other and that's going to be to our advantage. We don't need to spend three years getting to know someone or a different style of coaching. We know everything; we've just got to go out there and do it."

Execution was Storm coach Brian Agler's concern heading into the team's third matchup this season against Los Angeles, the second in a week's span. The team had two days off and two practices since defeating Phoenix on Sunday.

Even though the team entered the game 8-1, the defense wasn't to its standard, so the coach gave point guard Sue Bird instruction to really take control to start the game.

Little didn't need a cue.

The WNBA leader in steals (2.8), Little had a career-high five to complement 13 points, four rebounds, and two blocks. Jackson led all scorers with 17 points.

"The whole team is doing a great job defensively," said Little, whose team scored 27 points off 20 Los Angeles turnovers. "Brian drills us so hard in practice everyday and it's paying off for us."

Little's steal and a Bird block helped Seattle build an early 8-2 lead after a Tanisha Wright jump shot. The Storm later went on a 14-4 run to build a 26-11 lead and the Sparks didn't get any closer than 11 points.

"We didn't come out with a lot of energy to start the game," said Parker, who said she was fine after injuring her left shoulder in the opening half. "That's become a trend for us and we have to change that."

The Sparks (2-7) are winless in five road games against Western Conference teams. Three of the Storm's next four games are against the East, which entered Friday with four of its six teams at .500 or better.

The West has one: Seattle.

"It'll show where our focus is and if we are really that (high) caliber of a team," the Storm's Tanisha Wright said.

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

Storm 82, Sparks 60

LOS ANGELES		fg	ft
min		m-a	m-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Thompson	31:34	4-8	2-2	2-4	1	1	10
Milton-Jones	20:38	2-7	1-2	1-2	2	4	6
Parker	31:29	6-12	0-2	2-7	2	1	13
Penicheiro	3:15	1-2	0-0	0-0	0	0	2
Quinn	14:08	1-2	1-2	0-1	1	3	3
Toliver	26:06	1-7	2-2	2-4	2	3	4
Lennox	16:51	2-5	0-0	0-2	0	4	5
Wisdom-Hylton	23:58	4-4	2-2	2-4	1	3	10
Ferdinand-Harris	17:10	2-7	0-2	1-2	2	1	4
Riley	10:39	1-4	0-0	0-0	0	0	3
Mokango	4:12	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0
Totals		24-58	8-14	10-26	11	20	60

Percentages: FG .414, FT .571. Three-point goals: 4-13, .308 (Parker 1-2, Riley 1-2, Lennox 1-3, Milton-Jones 1-3, Ferdinand-Harris 0-1, Thompson 0-1, Toliver 0-1). Team rebounds: 11. Team turnovers: 20 (27 PTS). Blocked shots: 2 (Parker 2). Turnovers: 19 (Parker 5, Milton-Jones 4, Riley 2, Thompson 2, Toliver 2, Wisdom-Hylton 2, Lennox, Quinn). Steals: 5 (Milton-Jones 2, Lennox, Thompson, Toliver). Technical fouls: Milton-Jones, 6:30 fourth.

SEATTLE		fg	ft
min		m-a	m-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Cash	30:00	5-12	0-0	4-6	2	4	11
Jackson	32:20	6-17	5-5	4-9	1	3	17
Little	28:26	2-3	9-12	0-4	3	3	13
Bird	32:36	6-11	0-0	0-3	5	1	15
Wright	24:50	1-8	2-2	0-2	2	4	4
Willingham	15:34	3-3	0-0	2-3	0	1	6
Abrosimova	19:47	3-5	2-2	1-2	2	0	9
Vesela	11:15	2-3	2-2	2-4	2	2	7
Robinson	2:54	0-0	0-0	0-2	0	0	0
Lacey	1:09	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0
Bishop	1:09	0-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	0
Totals		28-63	20-23	13-35	17	18	82

Percentages: FG .444, FT .870. Three-point goals: 6-24, .250 (Bird 3-7, Abrosimova 1-2, Vesela 1-2, Cash 1-3, Bishop 0-1, Wright 0-3, Jackson 0-6). Team rebounds: 6. Team turnovers: 13 (12 PTS). Blocked shots: 4 (Little 2, Bird, Jackson). Turnovers: 12 (Cash 5, Jackson 4, Wright 2, Little). Steals: 13 (Little 5, Abrosimova 3, Willingham 2, Bird, Jackson, Vesela). Technical fouls: None.

Los Angeles	13	16	18	13 — 60
Seattle	26	16	21	19 — 82

Attendance: 7,286 (9,686). Time: 1:50. Officials: Clarke Stevens, Ginter Felicia, Eric Brewton.