Monsoon season notwithstanding, storms are rare in the city of Phoenix, where the temperature often makes you feel like you're on the planet Mercury.
The Phoenix Mercury dominate during much of Sunday's 95-89 triumph over the Seattle Storm, and win the WNBA Conference Semifinal series, 2-0.
Forward Cappie Pondexter kept the Mercury orbit fast and hot, scoring 25 points and grabbing 5 rebounds.
"We just went out there and played really hard," claims Pondexter, still only two years removed from her days as a Rutgers Scarlet Knight. "Everyone was confident...we just wanted to go out there and close it out."
'Closing it out' was Phoenix's specialty in the series, as they are the league's only postseason-reaching squad to move past the semifinal round in two games.
"If you get that first game on the road, then your chances are pretty good to come home and close it out," says guard Diana Taurasi, who contributed 20 points, 6 assists and 2 rebounds. "Today was just an unbelievable game, we played well, they played an unbelievable second half."
The Storm did bring some late afternoon thunder, coming back from a 22-point deficit to tie the game at 85-all late in the 4th quarter. With 2:30 to play, Taurasi threw in a clutch 3-point shot, and there was no looking back as Phoenix, who never trailed at all in the contest, regained the lead for good.
"We're always an interesting team," claims Phoenix head coach Paul Westhead. "I have to give credit to Seattle; they never gave up and they kept at us."
Storm forward Lauren Jackson packed Seattle's biggest offensive punch, 22 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. She picked up her 5th personal foul midway through the 3rd quarter, yet avoided fouling out. Guard Sue Bird chipped in 21 points and earned 6 assists.
"This is the playoffs," says Bird. "40 minutes is a long time...everyone has that do or die attitude. They're a very offensive-minded team...they're very hard to stop," she adds about Phoenix.
The Mercury made 40.3 percent of their field goals. While Seattle drilled 46.7 percent and delivered the aforementioned comeback, the loss appears to drown out the significance of both.
"They're going to make a lot of tough shots," Bird says. "We can't give them easy ones. We did that in the first game, and we did that a majority of this game."
The Storm head home for the offseason having reached the playoffs for the fourth straight time. A fifth straight run may not happen for them in Seattle though, as they and the NBA's Supersonics could be relocating to Oklahoma City if plans for a new arena in Seattle are not agreed upon by Halloween. However, it is likely Seattle will celebrate a WNBA Most Valuable Player award, as Jackson remains the heavy favorite for the title, to be awarded during the 2007 WNBA Finals.
The Mercury hope that they are representing the western conference in those finals. They travel to San Antonio for a conference championship showdown with the Silver Stars, who take a gritty game 3 of their semifinal series over Sacramento Monday, 80-78.
Phoenix took 3 of 4 regular season meetings from San Antonio in '07, yet admit that the postseason is like a new season.
"It’s a different tune during the playoffs but I think we are all eager to win," says Pondexter. "I think that is the most important part.”
Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals tips off Thursday at AT&T Cener, and will shift to the desert for game 2 Saturday, and if necessary, game 3 Sunday.
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