Storm face Fever on Friday

Published 7:36 pm Thursday, June 16, 2011

The winning streak at KeyArena is over, but Friday brings an opportunity for the Seattle Storm to start a new streak when they host the Indiana Fever.

The Storm will have had eight days off going into the game against Indiana, but the Fever should pose quite the challenge. At 3-1, Indiana is

tied with Connecticut for the best record in the Eastern Conference.

The Storm will have to come out with more intensity than they did on June 9 when they gave up the game’s first 22 points of a 81-74 loss to the Minnesota Lynx.

Seattle also has a challenge in stopping the WNBA’s leading scorer Katie Douglas. Douglas, the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week, comes into the game averaging 21.3 points per game and can be deadly from the perimeter. The Fever have a solid No.2 punch behind Douglas — forward Tamika Catchings is averaging 13.8 ppg.

The Storm will also need a better performance from the 2010 WNBA Most Valuable Player Lauren Jackson. Through two games, Jackson is averaging just 12 ppg.

Seattle could get a boost off the bench if guard Belinda Snell is able to go. Snell has missed the season’s first two games with a sprained left ankle, but returned to practice this past weekend. Snell would give the Storm a boost in their perimeter shooting.

The two teams split their two meetings in 2010.