Seattle point guard has been the star in at least half of the team's 14 comeback victories this season.

Did you hear the Storm swept Phoenix to advance to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2004? It's true, making these gray skies in Seattle blue for those who follow the team. The others still hoping for a Washington football rival will have to wait another week -- at least.

Angel McCoughtry scored 13 of her 21 points in the fourth quarter, leading the Atlanta Dream to an 81-75 victory over the New York Liberty in the opener of the best-of-three Eastern Conference finals.

The Storm used a 15-0 run in the final 3 minutes to beat the Phoenix Mercury 91-88 on Sunday, finishing the best-of-three Western Conference finals in Game 2 at US Airways Center.

WELCOME SEATTLE HOME: The Storm's flight arrives at 10:15 p.m. on Sunday at SeaTac International Airport and the team welcomed fans to celebrate their arrival with the Western Conference championship. The Storm is on Alaska flight No. 637.

WNBA president Donna Orender didn't want to talk about poker in her brief visit to KeyArena on Thursday, handing out the MVP and Coach of the Year trophies before jet-setting back home. Despite a recent report stating ESPN2 has done well with its viewership for WNBA games, declining for other programming, the entertainment network still opts to air NFL exhibition games or poker instead of the WNBA postseason.

The Storm expects Phoenix star Diana Taurasi to rebound with her team facing elimination.

Lauren Jackson showed why she's the best women's basketball player in the world Thursday night, especially in the first half. She took control early of an uneven, foul-prone game and led the Storm to an 82-74 victory over the Phoenix Mercury.

The highly anticipated matchup started with both teams hitting the snooze button. Phoenix and Seattle combined for 2-for-14 shooting from the field. Sue Bird snapped her team out of the offensive funk, sinking an 18-foot jumper that started a 17-5 run.

STORM WINS: And another goose egg is gone with Seattle getting its first postseason win against Phoenix in a 82-74 decision before a sell out crowd of 9,686. The Storm lead by as many as 15 but if it weren't for Wright being aggressive in the fourth quarter, drawing fouls and making half of the ensuing FT attempts, one of the Mercury's other stars may have helped them win the game. Taurasi fouled out with 54 seconds remaining and shooting 2 of 15 from the field. Dupree led her new team with 15 points and 11 boards for her second postseason double-double. "Phoenix controlled it a little more than we did, they wanted us to play slow, they wanted us to think and not be aggressive," said Abrosimova of how the game started. "When we're aggressive, we're really dangerous. By (them) not defending us hard, we couldn't really read the defense. They kind of stood in front of us and (said) you do it, you figure out what you want to do. So, sometimes you have to take the ball and go to the basket and create." Wright did just that and scored all nine of her points in the fourth quarter to stave off repeated challenges by the defending champions. Abrosimova's six in the third were key in keeping Seattle lifted. The star, however, was Jackson with her 23 points and career playoff-high 17 boards - also a franchise record. Jackson, who was honored with her MVP award on-court, too, said the day was draining and that she was looking forward to having a glass of wine to relax. "From the middle of the first quarter to the second, she was really doing some damage inside," Agler said of the Aussie. "She was feeling it. Obviously everyone got tired. I think both teams were tired out there. Some people lost their legs and when that goes, sometimes your offense goes." Yet, you can always play defense. And the Storm's defensive effort held the Mercury to their fewest postseason points since Game 1 against Los Angeles in 2000. The Storm has Friday off and will travel to Phoenix, practicing there on Saturday. Game 2 is scheduled for noon on ABC. Crazy thing, if Seattle sweeps, it would advance to the WNBA Finals before Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals between No. 4 seed Atlanta and No. 1 seed New York begins Sunday evening. "Game 2 is going to be even more difficult," said Bird, who finished with 10 assists on Thursday. "You never know what's going to happen."

Lauren Jackson is the WNBA's MVP for a third time, and the Storm's Brian Agler is Coach of the Year.

How the Storm and Mercury match up in the best-of-three Western Conference Finals: Wings Storm F Swin Cash, 18 ppg, 5 rpg: Was 4 for 4 from...

Storm has supported stars Lauren Jackson and Sue Bird with other players on what could be another championship team.

Storm's Tanisha Wright played fewer than 14 minutes in Seattle's Game 2 playoff victory over Los Angeles.

Storm star Lauren Jackson talks about the playoffs, Storm fans, posing nude for photos and meeting Bill Russell in her regular Q&A with The Seattle Times.

The Indiana Fever beat visiting New York 75-67 to force a decisive Game 3 in their WNBA Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. Game 3 is Wednesday in New York.

After losing in the first round the past five years, Seattle sweeps Los Angeles and will play Phoenix in the Western Conference finnals starting Thursday at KeyArena

Diana Taurasi scored 23 points and Tangela Smith added 16 for Phoenix in a 92-73 victory Saturday over San Antonio, sweeping the Silver Stars in the best-of-three first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

STREAK ENDS: Well, you won't hear me talk about first-round hexes, anymore. At least for a season. The Storm defeated the Sparks 81-66 to advance to the Western Conference Finals -- a first since the team won the title in 2004. Phoenix awaits and Jackson said it was important to get the sweep because the Mercury had done the same on Saturday to San Antonio. "We need as much time to get rest and focus our attention on Phoenix and making it to the Finals," she said. The second quarter was fun with all the three-point shooting, but Cash particularly liked the way Seattle finished the game. The Storm entered the fourth quarter ahead by 10 and stretched the lead to 17 following a three-pointer by Bird with 1:52 remaining in the game. Thompson continued to fight, making layins and blocking a shot by Cash, but Abrosimova played a stellar game to be the undercurrent in sealing the win. Her defense against Toliver was really fun to watch, frustrating the second-year guard into 0 of 2 shooting after scoring 16 in Game 1. Willingham was another star in the game, finishing with seven points and seven boards. The Storm's bench outscored the Sparks' 17-5, both teams using the services of eight players. "Le'coe really played well tonight," said Agler, whose team was 7-0 against the Sparks this season. "Camille got into foul trouble and Le'coe came in, she passed the ball well, she hit the three, she rebounded well, she defended well, she's a smart player and it was her night tonight." Jackson led all scorers with 24 points and nine boards while Cash added 14 of her final 16 in the first half and Bird had all 15 of her points in the second half. Thompson led her team with 18 points, six rebounds and five assists. Quinn added 15 and Milton-Jones chipped in 13 with nine boards. "Playing this team was a real challenge and we really had trouble stopping all their offensive weapons," Gillom said. "In the first half Lauren really took it to us and we made some adjustments but in the second half Bird and Cash really picked them up and took the game over." The Sparks, of course, played without 2008 MVP Candace Parker, who is injured along with Lennox. "Overall, we encountered as many trials and tribulations as I have seen over the course of my career," Thompson said. "I felt the team competed throughout the season and we felt the team was playing its best going into the playoffs. Losing players and facing adversity is something these players must get used to. I thought our team played hard and I'm proud how we left everything on the floor." The Storm returned home after the game and will have Sunday off. Agler said the team will rejoin on the practice floor on Monday to begin preparations for Thursday's Game 1 against Phoenix at KeyArena.

Veteran Tina Thompson was the key to the Los Angeles Sparks' turnaround at midseason. The Sparks face an elimination game Saturday against the Storm.