Apparently someone forgot to send Seattle Storm forward Swin Cash the memo that All-Star games are about fun and not necessarily about winning.
True to form, Cash out-hustled and out-worked just about everyone during her nearly 21 minutes on the court in San Antonio to record game-highs of 21 points and 12 rebounds and making the same type of energy plays we see at KeyArena.
Cash was rewarded for her efforts with her second WNBA All-Star MVP award despite the Western Conference losing 117-113 today in San Antonio in front of 12,540 fans.
But the game was pleasantly competitive, with Storm coach Brian Agler drawing up a play in the final 20 seconds to set up a game-tying 3-point shot that could have sent the game into overtime. After the East initially fouled after a sideline inbounds, San Antonio Silver Stars guard Becky Hammon was trapped on the second attempt and turned the ball over on a travel.
Yet those final moments of defense were something of a rarity in today's game.
As expected, there wasn't much focus on defense as six players on each team scored in double figures, with New York Liberty guard Cappie Pondexter leading the Eastern Conference with 17 points and seven assists.
Storm point guard Sue Bird finished with two points and four assists, while Gonzaga alum Courtney Vandersloot finished with eight points and two assists.
Cash is the second player in WNBA history to win two All-Star MVPs (2009 and 2011), with women's sports legend Lisa Leslie one ahead of her with three (1999, 2001, 2002). She is the first in WNBA All-Star game history to win the MVP on the losing team, to which Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings said afterward, "I’ve never really heard of that."
For more on the 2011 WNBA All-Star game and the WNBA, visit SB Nation's women's basketball site Swish Appeal.