Submitted by | StormFanNo1

This was a great game to watch. We were behind in the first half. They were doubling LJ and rendering her ineffective and Snow was having a field day scoring at will. But we found new life in the second half and took the game.
Our all stars LJ and Sue did their thing. But we always need another player or two to step up to win the game. In this game it was Amanda and Simone.
 
Amanda stepped up big time defensively, putting the brakes on Swoopes. Swoopes scorred only two points entire time Amanda was defending her. (She scored another 5 when Tonya was defending her). To keep a player like Swoopes limited to 7 points only is a big accopmlishment. Excellent job Amanda!!
 
Simone, did an excellent job offensively, especially at the end of the game. I have never seen her play with this level of intensity. Even though she was out of place defensively on occasion, she played really hard, hustling for every rebound. Twice in the game she took impossible shots just as the shot clock was expiring and nailed them!. Two defenders were on her both time, and she even went to the foul line after one, scoring another point. You go girl! You showed us that you are capable of palying so much better, erasing all doubt whether you belong in this team or not.  Now we will be  expecting this level of play from you at every game.
 
Best part of the game was the last three minutes. We  were up 62-59 and Tonya was the only bench player in the game subbing for Amanda. We leave Swoopes open and she nails a three, tying the game at 62. We take the ball to our court. Houston is clamping down on defense. We pass around a while, trying to get a shot. Clock is down to 4 seconds, and the ball  is passed to Simone who is out of the paint on the right side. Both Snow and Arcain double her up just as she throws a very diffcult side shot. The ball bounces off the backboard and goes in just as  the whistle blows for a foul on Snow. Simone goes to the line and nails the free throw, putting us up by three (65-62). Houston gets the ball, and Swoopes scores another layup on the other end. (score 65-64). She is exactly the wrong type of player to leave open in the last few minutes of a close game! Amanda gets back into the game subbing for Tonya. After that Swoopes becomes a non factor. 2 minutes left on the clock. We get the ball, and our shot bounces off the rim. Houston gets the rebound, but Sandy grabs the ball for a jump shot before the ball leaves our court. Sandy and Figgs go for a jump ball at our free throw line. After bouncing off a few players, the ball lands in LJ's hands right under the rim. LJ turns around and nails the shot just as Tina is fouling her. LJ goes to the free throw line, scoring another point for us. Now is is 68-64 Seattle, and we have 1 minute left. Houston takes the ball to their court. Pass around a while, but cannot score. Amanda picks up the rebound and takes the ball to the other court. We pass the ball for a while, just as the shot clock is expiring we find Simone under the basket. Simone puts it in. No foul from Snow this time, since she already has 5 fouls.  So 35 seconds left and the score is 70-64. Houston takes the ball to their court. Tina tries a three pointer and misses. Janeth gets the rebound and tries to put it in but misses. Sue gets the ball. Janet fouls Sue. Sue goes to the free throw line, making one of two. It is 71-64 now and there is 15 seconds left. Houston brings it in. Their first shot bounces off the rim. Tina gets the rebound but Simone blocks her shot. Awesome! The time expires before Houston can take another shot.

Submitted by | BCDawg04

I think that's the first game that I've seen in the Key that wasn't already decided going into the last few minutes.
 
There are games that are huge blowouts, like our victory over the Sparks.  There are games that are decided in the last second, like our victory over the Sun.  And then there are games like these that are just back-and-forth battles until one team manages to pull away in the final minutes and it's hard to figure out how it happened.
 
In the first half, I was truly in awe of Houston's smooth offensive sets.  Their ball movement was great.  They always seemed to be able to find the open player.  Even when the shot clock was winding down, they never threw up a panic shot with 3 ticks left.  They would make that extra pass and get an easy basket with 1 second to go.
 
When they didn't need 29 seconds to find the high-percentage shot, one of their vets like Arcain or Thompson would go right at the defense and make a tough shot.
 
Strange what polar opposites the veteran-led Comets and the youthful Storm are but how well we matchup.
 
Our all-stars shined tonight--Bird leading us in the first, and LJ taking over in the second.  Yeah, they were big for us, but--like someone already said--this was nothing if not a team effort.
 
I don't understand how people on this board can claim that the Storm is not a deep team.  We've got one of our superstars hobbling and at less than 100%; two of our other starters are sidelined with injuries.
 
Yet tonight we played like a playoff team.
 
We had massive contributions from Lassiter and Simone.  Massaline gave us some solid minutes.  Rita hit a couple of clutch shots.
 
Despite missing half our starting lineup, we looked like a playoff team.  And maybe, in the end, proving that we are every bit as good those who are in the playoffs will be enough for the MVP voters to give LJ the nod.
 
Can you imagine just how far we would have gone with a healthy roster?

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