Storm stars Sue Bird and Swin Cash paid a visit to the KUOW studios yesterday for an interview as part of The Conversation, discussing their post-playing careers, the experience of playing overseas and more.

On ESPN.com, Mechelle Voepel looks ahead to the second half of the season, including the Storm’s goals the rest of the way.

We know what can go wrong for the Storm — or anybody else — and that’s injuries. But other than that, the rest of the regular season for Seattle should just be about Coach Brian Agler balancing his players’ opportunities to rest and the need to stay sharp.

Especially considering Bird and Cash both played on an undefeated team in college that kept up its intensity until the final minute of the season, there is really not much worry that the Storm might get into any lull of complacency.

WNBA.com updates its rankings and Lauren Jackson is still atop the Race to the MVP leaderboard:

It’s fair to say that Lauren Jackson is the top contender for the MVP Trophy as we head into the second half of the season. After all, she has held down the No. 1 spot weeks two through eight and shows no signs of letting up.

… while the Storm also leads the Team Power Rankings:

The Storm are on pace to shatter the Phoenix Mercury’s 23-win high from last season. They ride a seven-game win streak into the half, with both of their losses coming against Eastern Conference opponents, the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky.

Jayda Evans makes some midseason award picks in her blog:

The lack of need to focus on issues with Seattle has allowed more time to peek across the WNBA to see who can challenge this team. But I don’t see anyone taking two awards away from Seattle — MVP and Coach of the Year.

[. . .]

[T]he comeback award definitely goes to Swin Cash – although the WNBA doesn’t hand this out. She’s playing like the ACL (2004) and back (2009) surgeries never happened, adding the three-point shot to her game. Yeah, I said I was peeking out elsewhere only to name a bunch of Storm players, but you try arguing with those picks. I’m listening.

It’s always a fun weekend as the WNBA gathers to celebrate the world’s best players, with USA Basketball joining the mix for this year’s Stars at the Sun game. The Storm was well represented, even with Lauren Jackson sitting out as she continues on the road to recovery from her concussion (more on that process later today after the team’s early evening practice). For your reading pleasure from the weekend:

Chicago’s Sylvia Fowles leads Team USA over WNBA, 99-72 – Jayda Evans, Seattle Times

“Sylvia is key; I don’t think there’s anybody in the world who can stop her when she has her mind set,” said Storm forward Swin Cash, who finished with 13 points and three assists. “As long as I’m around, I’m going to continue to push her because when you have somebody like that on your team that you know you need in order to win, it can’t always be the coach. It has to be Sue (Bird), it has to be Diana (Taurasi), it has to be me — not only getting on her, but motivating her and telling her she is that good.”

Storm stars Swin Cash, Sue Bird reunite with former college coach Geno Auriemma – Jayda Evans, Seattle Times

Cash, the 2009 All-Star Game MVP, has been fighting for a spot on the roster since a back injury kept her out of the 2008 Olympic Games. She’s one of six UConn players who could be named to the U.S. team when rosters are due Sept. 21.

“She’s perfect for this team because she can do so many things,” said Auriemma, the coach of USA Basketball through the London Olympics in 2012. “I’m sure there are people out there who think because Geno’s the coach, they’ve got all these UConn people on the team.

Storm star Lauren Jackson practices with WNBA stars, but won’t play Saturday – Jayda Evans, Seattle Times

Jackson, voted to the WNBA lineup by fans, will not play in the game against USA Basketball on Saturday due to suffering a concussion on July 3. Jackson missed Seattle’s win against New York on Tuesday and remains questionable for Wednesday’s game in Phoenix.

“I’m so much better,” said Jackson, who is still being evaluated. “I’m not symptomatic anymore. I was definitely beat up there for a minute, but life is good.”

Game thread: WNBA Stars vs. USA Basketball – Jayda Evans, Seattle Times Women’s Hoops Blog

A Priceless Lesson for USA Basketball – Frank Della Femina, WNBA.com

Fowles’ Dominant Performance a Welcome Sight to USA Teammates – Brian Martin, WNBA.com

“The only person who can stop her really is herself, as cliché as that is, but it’s very true in Sylvia’s case,” said Bird. “Coach Auriemma knows that and he really gets on her and he wants her to be that dominant player. She had an okay first half but for her to respond the way she did in the second and just basically get every rebound and hit every layup, that was great and we’re going to need that from her.”

USA Basketball Postgame Quotes

WNBA Stars Postgame Quotes

Q. How much would you say the absence of Lauren Jackson hurt you today?
COACH AGLER: Well, I don’t know if it would have changed the outcome because, you know, there was quite a difference in the score. But, I mean, you’re talking about arguably the best player in the world, impacting both ends of the floor. I’ve said this multiple times. The reason that she is so valuable is the fact that she really dominates at both ends of the floor. She’s not just an offensive player. You’re talking about somebody that can defend multiple people, that can alter shots and block shots, that can roam the lane and really impact things that happen around the basket.

Win a good start for Team USA – Graham Hayes, ESPN.com

Analysis from Rebecca Lobo and Carolyn Peck, ESPN.com

Lobo: You can definitely tell a difference when Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi are on the court because they have so much experience playing together. Whether it was playing alongside each other at UConn, or internationally with the Olympic team, or in the offseason in Russia, they share a special chemistry.

Looking at USA vs. Australia Scrimmage – DishinNSwishin, SwishAppeal.com

Abby Bishop played extremely well against her WNBA counterparts, and had a very nice pump fake, dribble jump shot combo that she used a couple of times in hitting 5 of 8 shots for 11 points.

Today’s biggest news is that Storm stars Sue Bird and Swin Cash will participate in the Three Point Contest before The Stars at the Sun on Saturday. Bird is a regular entrant, but Cash earned the honor thanks to her improved accuracy from long distance in the first half of the season. Already, Cash has set a career high by making 20 three-pointers at an excellent 45.5 percent clip.

The WNBA also announced that Lindsay Whalen will replace the injured Becky Hammon (quadriceps) during Saturday’s main event. The team of WNBA stars coached by Brian Agler has now lost three of its best players due to injury – Hammon, Lauren Jackson and Sancho Lyttle.

In his new blog, The Brewery, Seattle Times columnist Jerry Brewer ranks Seattle’s top 20 athletes at the request of a reader. Cash (No. 15), Bird (No. 9) and Jackson (No. 3) all crack the list. Here’s Brewer on Jackson.

The versatile Aussie star is a seven-time WNBA All-Star and a two-time league MVP. She has three Olympic silver medals. She led the Storm to the 2004 title. She’s on pace for another MVP and championship season this year if the team can stay healthy. And she’s only 29.

Five things to watch Saturday – Rebecca Lobo, special to ESPN.com

2. Will they pick up where they left off?
Taurasi, Sue Bird, and Swin Cash were teammates on the UConn team that went undefeated and won a national championship in 2002. That team is widely considered to be the best college team of all time.

They also played together on the 2004 Olympic team, but this is the first time they are playing together again for UConn (and 2012 Olympic) coach Geno Auriemma. Huskies fans will delight in seeing the three on the floor together and it will be fun for the casual fan to watch players with this kind of chemistry.

WNBA and USA Basketball Stars Visit ESPN Headquarters – Frank Della Femina, WNBA.com … also see some video from the trip.

Sue Bird has made her way to Connecticut and some early Stars at the Sun content is coming out.

- Bird and Taurasi together again – Mechelle Voepel, ESPN.com

Trying to think of a comparative duo for Bird and Taurasi for analogy purposes, somehow the Redford-Newman partnership kept coming to mind.

The parallels are not that numerous. Newman was 11½ years older than Redford, while Bird is about a year and a half older than Taurasi. The film icons made just two movies together, albeit both smash hits: “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “The Sting.” The two women’s hoops icons have collaborated far more often: one perfect NCAA season, an additional Final Four, three Olympic gold medals and three EuroLeague championships with Spartak of Russia.

Yet the Bird-Taurasi pairing does resemble Redford-Newman in … well, the “ultimate coolness” factor. And star power. And their shared ability to hilariously needle but deeply respect one another.

- Bird chat, ESPN.com

Jess (Australia):
Birdy, any chance we can get you tweeting or bloging again? Your blog with DT was interesting reading and hilarious.Sue Bird (10:12 AM)
As of right now, I’m retired from the blog game. I don’t think I’ll ever Tweet in my lifetime, but you never know.

- Jana Vesela makes WNBA.com’s latest Rookie Rankings in fifth place.

Storm fans probably already know this, but you might want to keep your eye on Vesela in the second half of the season. As a veteran of the Euroleague and the Olympics, Vesela is a seasoned pro and could prove to be the most underrated addition of the past off-season… assuming she continues to get minutes. Right now she’s seeing more court time mainly because Jackson is sidelined with a concussion.

- Bird ranks ninth among best selling WNBA jerseys.

- Reminder: This is your last week to vote for Lauren Jackson for the ESPY award. Do so at ESPN.com/ESPYs or Facebook.com/ESPYs.

- You might have seen a feature with Jackson reflecting on a slideshow of images from her career during halftime of last Saturday’s ESPN2 game against Los Angeles. Now, the WNBA has uploaded an extended version of that interview to YouTube. Very cool.

The Storm heads into The Stars at the Sun break with a franchise-record-tying seven-game winning streak courtesy of yesterday’s Kids Day victory over the New York Liberty without Lauren Jackson. Let’s see what they’re saying.

Storm 16-2 after winning without Lauren Jackson – Jayda Evans, Seattle Times

Jackson is doubtful to play in the WNBA vs. USA Basketball game Saturday, too. She has been evaluated three times since suffering a concussion after a hit from Los Angeles forward DeLisha Milton-Jones on Saturday and will continue to be monitored.

Jackson, whose team is 18-22 all-time without her during the regular season, still expects to travel to Connecticut for the All-Star festivities, along with Storm reserve Abby Bishop, Cash, Bird and Agler. Bishop will participate in the Australia national team’s training while Cash and Bird are representing USA Basketball in the midseason event.

Shootaround with LJ – Growing pains in Seattle – Seattle Times

I remember being so scared (as a rookie), coming into a new city. I was 19. I’d been living away from home since I was 16. So I didn’t see it as a long-term thing. I guess being drafted, I didn’t really understand the expectations or anything. I didn’t understand any of it. I didn’t know what the difference was between Australia and American basketball. But after the first year I realized it was going to be my career, and where I was going to be. I had to get used to it.

Even without Lauren Jackson, Storm rallies past Liberty – Christopher Wells, seattlepi.com

The first lead of the game for the Storm came with just more than eight minutes left in the quarter when Cash hit back-to-back jumpers for a 45-42 advantage, but the Liberty moved back ahead 58-54 at the end of the third period.

In the final quarter of play, the Storm ran out on a quick 7-0 run to take a lead of 62-60 and they went on to outscore the visitors 24-12 in the last period.

Storm use fourth quarter rally to win – Nate P., SB Nation Seattle

Through three quarters, this game seemed like the Liberty’s to lose.

Then Sue Bird stepped up in the fourth for the second time this season against the New York Liberty.

Bird scored 11 points in the fourth quarter to finish with 16 points and three assists. Combined with her 13 fourth quarter points in the first meeting in New York, Bird has scored 24 total fourth quarter points against the Liberty.

Tanisha Wright is the Nate McMillan of the Storm – Seth Kolloen, TheSunbreak.com

McMillan and Wright share a commitment to defense that makes them both coach favorites. Wright is tall for a WNBA guard (5′11″) just as McMillan was tall for an NBA one (6′5″). Both Wright (165 lbs.) and McMillan (played at 195 lbs.) have strong frames that allow them to body up defenders, but aren’t so bulky that they sacrifice speed.

Hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th of July … despite the weather, for those of us in the Seattle area. While you may have the day off, the team is back at work today preparing for tomorrow’s Kids Day game against the New York Liberty. Let’s check the links, after a quick note that the Women’s Hoops Blog has moved – update your bookmarks.

Lauren Jackson takes a hit, but Storm win again – Jayda Evans, Seattle Times

Jackson scored 13 of her game-high 20 points in the opening quarter, helping Seattle jump to an early 13-0 lead. Yet, when she was evaluated after the game, it was determined that she played the final three quarters with a mild concussion.

The Australian rambled about blurred vision as she spoke freely to the media postgame. Jackson struggled after halftime (1-of-4 shooting) and the Sparks pulled to three points twice in the second half after trailing 43-33 at halftime.

But with the Storm leading 60-57 with 7:36 remaining, Seattle guards Sue Bird and Tanisha Wright hit consecutive three-pointers to ignite a 12-2 run, capped by a layin by Swin Cash off an assist from Jackson.

Also, from Friday: Tanisha Wright has won over Storm fans with improved play – Jayda Evans, Seattle Times

“She’s not somebody that wants to play the point,” Agler said of Wright. “How T has been playing in Sue’s absence, it has given us a chance to stay competitive. She’s really embraced that and done it for the team.”

Storm stop Sparks 75-62 for sixth straight win – Christopher Wells, seattlepi.com

The Storm wasted no time taking control as they rallied for a 13-0 lead before L.A. finally scored with six minutes left in the quarter. By the end of the first quarter, the Storm was well in front at 27-16 behind Jackson’s 13 points.

After games against L.A. I always enjoy getting the opposing perspective from Sparks co-owner Kathy Goodman, who blogs for the Los Angeles Times’ Fabulous Forum blog.

It is hard to argue with the level of basketball Seattle is playing. They have the best record in the league because they have earned it — playing consistently good team ball with a core that has been together for a couple of seasons and some great new additions this year. Going into the game, I still felt that if we played our best basketball and they made some mistakes, we could have things go our way. Although we did not continue our win streak — Seattle beat us 75-62 — I left the game feeling that we really competed hard. Seattle just didn’t make enough mistakes.

The Storm retains the top spot in WNBA.com’s power rankings.

The league’s best team improved to 14-2 since the last go round of team rankings and, in turn, remains the team to beat.

On The SunBreak, Seth Kolloen compares Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson to their male counterparts.

What Bird is is this–among the best point guards in the history of her league. Like Jason Kidd. Like Kidd, Bird is unflappable dribbling one-on-one against defenders. Once she gets up court, like Kidd, she looks to distribute before she looks to score. Bird is second all-time in WNBA career assists; Kidd is second all-time in NBA career assists.

Lauren Jackson is replicating Kemp’s best season with the Storm this year. Like Kemp, Jackson easily posts up slower or smaller defenders. Or she steps back and shoots from outside. Jackson can dominate the boards, as she did last night against San Antonio when she grabbed as many offensive boards as the entire Silver Stars team.