Shock loses fourth straight, announces trade
The Tulsa Shock came up short for the fourth game in a row, losing 75-59 Sunday night to the WNBA Western Conference leading Seattle Storm. The win pushed Seattle's record to 20-2, becoming just the second team in league history to open a season with that record. Lauren Jackson led all Storm scorers with 16 points while Storm teammate Svetlana Abrosimova 15 points.
The Shock held with the Storm in the opening quarter, as the two teams went into the break tied at 18-18. From there, however, Seattle powered ahead and never looked back. The Storm outscored the Shock by a combined 20 points through the second and third quarters. Tulsa battled back to outscore the Storm 16-12 in the final quarter as guard Shanna Crossley scored 13 of her game-high 19 points in the second half, but it would be too late as Seattle claimed their eleventh-straight win at Key Arena.
SHOCK DEALS BRAXTON, ACQUIRES OHLDE AND FIRST ROUND PICK FROM PHOENIX
One day after the Phoenix Mercury set four new league records at the BOK Center, they left town with one of the two remaining original Detroit Shock players on Tulsa's roster. The Shock agreed to a deal with the Mercury on Friday that sends Kara Braxton to Phoenix, and in exchange brings veteran Nicole Ohlde to Tulsa. Alexis Hornbuckle, who logged just under 15 minutes Sunday night in her first game back from injury, is now the only player left on the squad that wore a Detroit uniform last season.
Braxton started in 16 of 22 games for the Shock this season and averaged 9.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. In three of Tulsa's four games against the Mercury she had point totals in double digits, culminating with an 18-point performance last Thursday. The 6'6" center from the University of Georgia is in her sixth season in the WNBA.
A six-year veteran, Ohlde averaged 3 points and 1.9 rebounds in 20 games with Phoenix this season. The Kansas State graduate spent her first five professional seasons with the Minnesota Lynx before joining the Mercury in 2009. Ohlde scored eight points and added four rebounds in 27 minutes of action against Seattle Sunday night.
The trade gives Tulsa two first round picks in the 2011 WNBA draft. Rumors have been circulating that the Shock could try to make more moves before the league trade deadline which is 7 p.m. tonight.
The Shock return to the BOK Center to host the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday at 12:20 p.m. On Friday they will host the San Antonio Silver Stars in a 7 p.m. tip-off. Tickets for all remaining Shock home games are available at the BOK Center box office, online, or by calling 599-WNBA.