Janell Burse News

Sue Bird and the Seattle Storm haven't won a playoff series since 2004. Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images The Seattle Storm finished the 2009 season with a 20-14 record, marking the eighth straight season the team has ended with a record of .500 or better.

Once again the Storm made early postseason plans as it was knocked out of the playoffs in the opening round for the fifth straight season.

Lisa Leslie's voice could be heard down the hall. In the basement of San Antonio's AT&T Center, media could clearly hear the Los Angeles center screaming at her team.

Los Angeles' strengths were easy to peg. But their WNBA playoff opponent's? Not so easy.

Storm: Sue Bird, 5-10, 12.8 ppg, 5.8 apg. Sparks: Kristi Harrower, 5-4, 3.1 ppg, 2.2 apg.

Since winning the WNBA title in 2004, the Seattle Storm have failed to get out of the first-round of the playoffs every season since.

Diana Taurasi doesn't care who or where Phoenix plays in the WNBA playoffs. However, if it comes down to a deciding game, she made sure the Mercury will be at home.

Monique Currie scored 17 points, Matee Ajavon had 16 in her first start of the season and the Washington Mystics continued their playoff push with a 78-67 victory over the Seattle Storm on Thursday night.

Storm @ Liberty, 4:30 p.m. Think players don't adapt to new roles quickly in the WNBA? Janell Burse offers evidence to the contrary.

Tanisha Wright scored 25 points and Sue Bird added 24 to lead the Seattle Storm to a 91-84 win in double overtime over the Atlanta Dream on Saturday night.

Storm , Dream 84, 2 OT. Wrigh4 scored six in the second overtime as the Storm outscored the Dream -4 for their fifth straigh4 win.

The Storm could clinch a playoff spot tonight with a victory over Connecticut at KeyArena, but they might have to do it without Lauren Jackson.

Janell Burse scored 14 points and Sue Bird added 13 to help the Seattle Storm shoot their way to a 78-68 win over the Washington Mystics on Tuesday night.

Janell Burse scored 14 points and Sue Bird added 13 to help the Seattle Storm shoot their way to a 78-68 win over the Washington Mystics on Tuesday night.

Also among the 110 team members are Ryan Lochte , Rebecca Soni and Aaron Peirsol .

Swin Cash, center, of the Storm maneuvers to the hoop against Washington's Marissa Coleman and Chasity Melvin in Tuesday's game at KeyArena.

Janell Burse scored 14 points and Sue Bird added 13 to help the Seattle Storm shoot their way to a 78-68 win over the Washington Mystics on Tuesday night.

Sue Bird scored 16 points, and Janell Burse added 14 points, seven rebounds and two blocks on Saturday night, leading the Seattle Storm ... LOCAL NEWS Can Manual High School succeed? It's the first day of the new year at Manual High School, and English teacher Jill Haughawout is rushing to the gymnasium, where hundreds of... FROM THE ZONES BUSINESS ...

Seattle @ Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m. Taken a gander at the WNBA transaction wire lately? All of the potential Western Conference playoff teams have added punch except Seattle, which is three games behind conference leader Phoenix.

Seattle @ Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m. Taken a gander at the WNBA transaction wire lately? All of the potential Western Conference playoff teams have added punch except Seattle, which is three games behind conference leader Phoenix.