SEATTLE - To a person, the Seattle Storm insist that their approach to games will remain the same even with All-Star forward Lauren Jackson out indefinitely with a stress fracture in her back.

Sue Bird scored 24 points, including four 3-pointers, and dished eight assists. Photo by Chuckarelei.

They will continue to play team basketball as a unit while playing to their strengths as individuals.

The Storm demonstrated their resilience in Jackson’s absence by giving the 9,089 fans in attendance at Key Arena their money’s worth, defeating a scrappy Atlanta Dream 91-84 Saturday night in double overtime, a franchise-high fifth overtime game this season.

Seattle guards Sue Bird and Tanisha Wright combined for 49 points, with ample support from their teammates.

The Storm’s frontcourt turned in a strong effort with center Janelle Burse scoring a season-high 17 points and forward Camille Little grabbing a career-high 15 rebounds against Atlanta’s rugged all-star frontcourt.

“That’s always the thing I’ve said about [Coach Brian Agler’s] offense – it doesn’t really revolve around one person, it’s kind of a read-and-react offense,” Bird said, in response to whether the Storm changed their strategy due to Jackson’s absence. “Of course, [Jackson] is such a good player that you’re going to miss what she does. You are … but I think everybody did a little bit more to make up for it.”

After shooting a combined 2-14 in the first half, Bird and Wright indeed found ways to do a little bit more, with Bird making clutch plays with the clock running down and Wright contributing in a number of ways both offensively and defensively. 

Bird and Wright were the difference in the deciding overtime period as they kept producing while the Dream failed to get anything consistent going offensively. 

Bird finished with 24 points, eight assists and four 3-pointers, while Wright recorded a career high-tying 25 points, six assists, and four rebounds. 

“Sue [Bird] and Tanisha [Wright] didn't statistically have good first halves,” said Storm coach Brian Agler. “You look at their lines, I don't know what their second-half stats were but they had to be extremely impressive.” 

Beyond statistics, the Storm’s backcourt was impressive because they made game-breaking plays. 

With the Storm down 73-70 and 22.3 seconds left in regulation, Bird received the ball from Wright in the corner. Almost immediately, she made a shot fake to get the defender in the air, took one dribble to the right, and with a calm expression set her feet and hit an open 3-pointer to tie the game and send it in to overtime.

Bird came up big again with the Storm down two points in the first overtime after Dream guard Ivory Latta missed the second of two free throws. Bird drove baseline around Dream forward Erika Desouza and Latta to find Little at the top of the key for an open jumper that rattled around the rim before falling in.

While Bird figured prominently in the big plays as the clock was running down, Wright made some of her own offensively and defensively down the stretch to keep the Storm in the game in between those big moments.

“I’m just going to come in, work hard, and do what I normally do,” Wright said. “I’m going to take what people give me and I’m going to go from there. I’m not going to focus on trying to make things happen as far as picking things up because Lauren [Jackson] is out – I don’t think anyone is going to do that. We’re going to come in and we’re going to play like we’re capable of playing.”

The Storm won despite making 28 turnovers, which tied a franchise high. 21 of those turnovers were steals, which were caused by Atlanta’s swarming defense that switched effectively on screens and trapped players with the shot clock running down.

De Souza anchored a fierce Dream defense with a franchise-record six blocks to go with her 12 points and either rebounds. Rookie Angel McCoughtry scored 16 points and four steals, and played a key role in keeping the Dream in the game in the final overtime period.

According to Jackson, the length of her absence is still undetermined as doctors figure out the severity of the injury.

“I don’t think they’re completely 100% sure of what sort of fracture it is, or what sort of fractures they are, so I think they want to find out more about the injury itself and go from there,” said Jackson, who will apparently undergo further tests on Monday.

Jackson will not accompany the team on their three-game road trip, which begins on Tuesday against the New York Liberty. Meanwhile, the Dream will play the third game of their five-game road trip against the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday.