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(Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE/Getty Images)
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Storm 82, Mercury 74: Seattle beats Phoenix and take the 1-0 series lead. For the first three minutes neither team got off to a great start, but the Storm found their rhythm outscoring the Mercury 23-14. Once the Storm took their lead the Mercury were never able to take a lead. Seattle shot 38.8 percent from the field and 40 percent (10-25) from three-point range. Just winning her third MVP award Lauren Jackson led her team to victory. LJ was 7 for 15 from the field and 3 for 8 beyond the arc finishing with 23 points and 17 rebounds. While some of the other starters struggled offensively Svetlana Abrosimova came off the bench and dropped 16 points and Le’coe Willingham also in double figures with 10 points. Sue Bird (seven points) dished out 10 dimes.
Not a good game for the Mercury. They did shoot 60 percent (9-15) from the three-point line, while shooting 38 percent from the field. Phoenix down by 15 at one point they pulled within four in the third quarter, but never got any closer. Their leading scorer Diana Taurasi wasn’t herself in this game. DT scored nine points on 2 of 15 shooting from the field and 1 of 4 beyond the arc. Penny Taylor was the leading scorer with 16 points, Candice Dupree had 15 points and 11 rebounds,and Temeka Johnson 10 points and seven assists.
Game three(Sunday at 3 pm on ABC) shifts to Phoenix and the Mercury will try and avoid a sweep by the Storm.
