Jackson seeks return to action
SEATTLE – Lauren Jackson has become well-versed in sitting – leaning against a wall with ice attached to her painful shins and watching her Seattle Storm teammates prepare for the WNBA season.
One of the best players in the world, Jackson has played for years with shin fractures. Asked how the legs are holding up, the blond, 25-year-old Aussie shrugs.
“They’re OK. They’re always OK,” Jackson said.
How Jackson’s legs hold up may determine whether the Storm can return to the top of the league. Last year, as the defending league champion, Seattle won 20 regular-season games before being bounced by Houston in the first round of the playoffs. The Storm lost by 17 at home in the deciding game.
Seattle opens the season Sunday night, hosting Los Angeles.
“Just in terms of disappointment, it was probably the worst off-season, just thinking about it,” all-star guard Sue Bird said. “We had a successful year that ended on a bad note and that’s what sticks with us.”
Jackson nearly didn’t return to the States for her sixth season with the Storm. Frustrated by the constant pain, she had X-rays of her lower legs after the WNBA season and before beginning play with the Canberra Capitals in Australia’s professional league.
Doctors found two stress fractures in her left leg. They originally told her she’d be out for nine months, wiping out her chance to play for the Storm. Additional scans determined she would not need surgery, just rest.
“It’s annoying,” Jackson said. “At the moment, they’re trying to preserve me. I can’t wait for (the season) to start.”
Coach Anne Donovan intends to monitor Jackson’s minutes closely, trying to keep her to less than 30 per game. She also may bench Jackson on the back end of the few consecutive games Seattle has this season.
“I have an idea, but I’m not locked into it, and Lauren doesn’t help me because she’s willing to go as much as she can,” Donovan said.
Last season, Jackson put together an MVP-worthy season, averaging 17.6 points and 9.2 rebounds. But this year, Seattle’s success rests on Bird.
Bird has always been a playmaker first and scorer second. Donovan has implored her to be more selfish. It’s difficult for the fifth-year guard to accept, but she understands the need to stop passing on open shots.
“A lot of people have to sacrifice things. For some that’s giving up an aspect of their game. For me I have to add something, or get something back that I had earlier on in my career,” Bird said.
Since averaging 14.4 points in her rookie season, Bird’s scoring has progressively decreased. Last year, Bird averaged 12.1 points.
“She’s such the unselfish, consummate point guard. All the great point guards, their tendency is to shoot first and pass second,” Donovan said. “We need Sue to get 50-50 on that.”