Storm host the Stars as they battle for the final playoff spot.

Records: San Antonio Stars (7-17) at Seattle Storm (6-19)
Location: Key Arena, Seattle, WA
Game Time: 08/16/15 - 6:00pm PST
Broadcast: NBA TV and Kong TV; Live Access Streaming
Season Series: Stars lead 2-0; last win 88-81 on August 8th in San Antonio, TX.

The Seattle Storm and the San Antonio Stars are in a very interesting situation as we get into the 2nd half of the season.  The two teams are at the bottom of the WNBA League standings and yet, both teams are both within reach of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.  The Storm are just two games back of a playoff spot and the Stars just a half game back of the Los Angeles Sparks.

On the other hand, if both teams miss the playoffs, the team that ends the season with the worst record in the league will have the best chance at the Number one overall pick and landing the Breanna Stewart sweepstakes.  The UCONN Senior star is expected to go #1 overall in next year's WNBA Draft.

But for now both teams have a shot at the playoffs and that's the focus.  The Storm are led by veterans Sue Bird and Crystal Langhorne and a trio of rookies: Jewell Loyd, Ramu Tokashiki, and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis.  Emerging second year Center, Markeisha Gatling, fresh off her career game of 16 points on Friday, is also starting to show signs of a strong future.

Meanwhile, the Stars are led by Kayla McBride, Jia Perkins, and Sophia Young-Malcolm.  McBride leads the team in scoring with 15.0 PPG.  But it was Jia Perkins who had a season-high 32 points against the Storm in their last meeting on August 8th.  Sophia Young-Malcolm is third in scoring at 13.0 PPG and leads the team in rebounding with 5.5 RPG. 

WHAT TO WATCH?:
As this season has gone on, we've had more and more players step up in different ways.  Ramu Tokashiki has improved as she's entered the starting lineup, averaging double-figures since then.  Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis has started to contribute more off the bench and is getting more playing time as she's become more adjusted to the pro game.  She's averaging 11.3 PPG in her past three games.  Markeisha Gatling had sixteen points in Friday's game and it'll be interesting to see if she can continue to improve her game and she adjusts to the new system.  Jewell Loyd had one of her most impressive games of the season on August 8th against the Stars and it'll be interesting to see if she can continue that tonight.

Crystal Langhorne dominated the last time these two teams met.  She had 29 points and was nearly perfect from the field.  She'll get another opportunity tonight as the Stars don't have a dominant low-post defender.