Seattle Barely Pulls Out Stops

In a season that has been as competitive and combative as the 2004 season has been, it’s fitting no team could sweep its way to the WNBA championship.

Seattle kept its hopes alive -- barely -- and forced a third and deciding game by edging the Connecticut Sun, 67-65, before 17,072 in KeyArena, a record crowd for the Storm and the seventh-largest crowd to see a league playoff game.

Game 3 is here Tuesday night.

The fans here and those watching on television were treated to a terrific duel between Seattle guard Betty Lennox and Connecticut forward Nykesha Sales. Lennox had 27 points -- four shy of her career high -- and set a Finals field goal percentage record by making 11 of 16 shots (68.8%).

“I wouldn’t say it’s the best game I’ve ever played,” Lennox said. “But this was the most exciting game I’ve ever been a part of.”

Sales also had a record night, scoring 32 points to surpass the Finals mark of 31 set by Houston’s Sheryl Swoopes against New York on Aug. 26, 2000. She was almost as hot at Lennox, making 14 of 22 shots (63.6%). But there was one shot she’d like to have back.

With 3.1 seconds to play and the Storm clinging to its two-point lead, Connecticut took the ball out near midcourt. Lindsay Whalen got the inbounds pass, quickly wheeled around her defender and drove to the basket. As two other defenders leaped at her, Whalen passed to an open Sales in the right corner. She fired up her sixth three-pointer, one that would have given the Sun its only lead in the game, but it bounced off the side of the backboard as time expired.

“It was a really good look, I have to admit. I think Sheri turned her head just a little bit,” Sales said of Sheri Sam’s defense on the final shot. “I got the ball right in my hands and I saw the rim. But it hit the backboard.”

Seattle Coach Anne Donovan described Sunday’s battle as a great game for the WNBA and the state of the league.

“Two players that weren’t highlighted coming into this series took over, one great play after another coming from both ends,” Donovan said. “It was fun to watch.

“And I’m glad we’re going to Game 3.”

Knowing it had to win or the season was over, Seattle looked for every emotional boost it could find. Seated among Sunday’s crowd were the franchise’s first coach, Lin Dunn, and first assistant, Carrie Graf (now head coach of the Phoenix Mercury). Also on hand were “Downtown” Freddie Brown -- who played on Seattle’s 1978-79 NBA champion -- and Slick Watts, another former SuperSonic.

Feeding off its roaring crowd, Seattle had a 22-10 lead at the 10:56 mark.

But Sales gave notice that it would not be easy for the Storm, scoring nine consecutive points to spur Connecticut.

By halftime, the Sun was within five points, at 35-30.

The Storm, which also got 15 points and 11 rebounds from Lauren Jackson and 10 points from Sue Bird, built its lead back up to 13 points, at 52-39, with 11:09 remaining. But Sales went off again, with nine points in the midst of an 18-4 Sun spurt, and she tied the score at 57-57, on a layup with 5:20 left.

“We kept thinking, ‘If we can just get a lead we’ll win,’ ” Sun guard Debbie Black said.