Aces and Eights, Seattle falls to Las Vegas 79-63
The Seattle Storm have now lost eight games in a row after Thursday's defeat.
(Seattle, WA) - Las Vegas came to Seattle for another showdown against the Storm. The Aces picked up their 20th win of the season. It’s a different story for the team from the Emerald City. This was their 8th consecutive loss. They’ve lost every single game they’ve played in the month of July. The Storm haven’t won since June 24th against the Phoenix Mercury.
Seattle lacked a dominant scorer in this game. The Aces consistently threw double and triple teams at Jewell Loyd and held her to 12 points. Ezi Magbegor finished with 12 points as well. Jordan Horston scored 11 points off the bench as the only other player to reach double figures for the Storm.
On the bright side, this was an improvement over the first two games these two teams had against one another this season. Seattle lost the first meeting by 41 and the second contest by 33 points. The Storm gave up 105 points the first time and 96 points the next. Holding this high-powered Aces team to 79 is certainly an improvement.
And despite the fact that Seattle trailed by 24 points late in the third period, they rallied with a 19-2 run to make it a seven-point game with 6:34 left to play. They wouldn’t get any closer than that but Seattle forced Vegas to keep their starters in until the very end.
I spoke with Coach Noelle Quinn after the game if she was proud of her team for their improvements and the fact that they were able to make it a competitive game midway through the fourth quarter.
“I thought our energy level was high. I thought we were rebounding the ball well. Closing out strong. We were playing with some pace and in transition. That’s our bread and butter. Some shots fell for us and it was good to see our rhythm in that moment” Quinn said of the 19-2 run late.
“I have a lot of pride. And (I’m seeing) a lot of growth in a lot of areas. Obviously, we’re different from day one. We are not where we want to be but that’s what the second half of the season is. To continue to grow and progress in a lot of ways. When we face opponents again, how are we adjusting to that? I think it’s a positive to be in a situation where we’re in a single-digit game late in the game with a team who is very talented and primed to win the championship. For a young team like ours, there is a lot of pride. It’s a testament to the work that we’re putting in.” She added.
With that said, there is still so much more room for improvement. They were out-rebounded 40-33. They committed 18 turnovers and gave up 21 points off of those turnovers. Seattle shot under 40% (24-62 FG) and they missed more than 50% of their free throw attempts (8-18 FT).
“We’ve struggled mightily from the Free Throw line this year. We are getting there. We’ve talked about growth. We hadn’t been a team that got to the free throw line a ton historically. We’re getting there now but it does us no good if we can’t make those shots. We’re leaving points on the board by not being focused and sharp. But it’s been addressed. It will continue to get addressed, we’ll continue to rep it, work on it, and hopefully we’ll get better.” Quinn stated.
Las Vegas Aces
It starts with A’ja Wilson. Wilson looked every bit the dominant MVP player she is in this game. She led all scorers with 23 points. She was the only player with a double-double with 15 rebounds to go along with her points. Wilson was relentless with her rebounding and her defense. She finished with three steals and three blocked shots.
Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum were the two other players to do major damage to the Storm. Young continues to get better and better each and every season. Her three-point shooting is much improved as she knocked down three of her four attempts in this game. She is shooting just a hair under 50% from beyond the arc this season after making 43% of her three-pointers last year. Jackie finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, and two steals.
Plum has adjusted well to the WNBA after a couple of difficult seasons. She now looks like the unstoppable scorer from UW that led the Huskies women’s basketball program to the Final Four in 2016.
It was the team’s three consecutive #1 overall picks (2017-2019) that carried the Aces to victory. Those three players were all key pieces of their 2022 Championship team and will be the reason they repeat as champions if they manage to do so at the end of this season. They are also a reminder to Storm fans that being where Seattle currently is, isn’t always the worst situation for a franchise to be in.
This has been a tough season to endure, especially after the success of this era that saw the team reach the playoffs for seven consecutive years and came away with two more championships. But San Antonio/Las Vegas had to go through some really bad seasons in the not-so-distant past. Now look where they stand, at the very top of the WNBA standings.
Game Breakdown
Chelsea Gray knocked down a difficult shot with two defenders running at her. It drew loud groans from the crowd who may have had a little PTSD from last year’s playoff series. Kelsey Plum then knocked down a three-ball and got an easy layup as Seattle missed their first three shots. The Storm would respond knocking down back-to-back triples by Ivana Dojkić and Ezi Magbegor.
A’ja Wilson banked a midrange jumper off the glass and in. Then Gabby Williams got dribble penetration and kicked it back out to Dojkić who connected on her second three-pointer of the quarter.
Gabby Williams made a couple of nice plays, jumping into the passing lane for a steal and then driving hard to the rim to put the Storm on top 11-9. Vegas got free throws from Young and two more baskets from Wilson to regain the lead 15-11. Wilson would score two more from the foul line to cap off an 8-0 run before Mercedes Russell scored inside the paint for Seattle.
A’ja deflected a pass from Jordan Horston intended for Mercedes. Jordan was quick to react, snatched the ball out of the air, and laid it in to cut the Aces’ lead to four to end the first period. Las Vegas led 19-15 through the first 10 minutes.
Jackie Young scored on an AND1 layup to begin the second quarter scoring. Horston banked in a three but Alysha Clark immediately responded on the other end with her own triple. More points from Kierstan Bell, Wilson, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Young capped off a 9-0 run for the Aces. That ballooned Las Vegas’ lead to 15 at 33-18.
The Storm tried to battle back using layups from Gabby and Ezi and a pair of free throws from Jewell Loyd. The free throws were Jewell’s first points of the game late into the second quarter.
Through two quarters the Aces led the Storm 39-28. Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young led the way with 11 points each. A'ja Wilson added 10. Ivana Dojkić led the Storm with eight points. Jordan Horston and Ezi Magbegor contributed five points each.
Las Vegas outshot Seattle in the first half but it wasn’t a significant difference. They made 39% (14-36 FG) compared to Seattle which made 34% (11-32 FG). The Aces did out-rebound the Storm 23-17. They also forced Seattle into eight turnovers through the first twenty minutes while only committing five of their own.
Jewell was able to get to the foul line for two but then Jackie Young buried two three-pointers in a row to put the Aces up 15 at 45-30. It got worse from there as Chelsea Gray snatched her fourth steal of the game that resulted in an uncontested layup for Plum.
A’ja Wilson made some fantastic defensive plays throughout the game but several stood out in the third period. She was able to keep Ezi in front of her forcing her into tough shots. She guarded players out in the perimeter and still got back inside the paint to pick up another steal. She then had a disrespectful block against Sami Whitcomb to emphasize her dominance.
As Wilson continued to shut the Storm down on one end, her teammates continued to score on the opposite side. Multiple three-pointers by Jackie Young and an AND1 from Chelsea Gray extended the Aces’ lead to more than 20.
Sami Whitcomb led a late rally to end the third quarter. It was all hustle plays by Whitcomb. She got deflections, steals, hit a three, and found Jewell for a wide-open three that helped Seattle cut the deficit from 24 down to 16 at the end of the third. Las Vegas still led 62-46 as the two teams entered the final period.
Between the end of the third period and the beginning of the fourth, the Storm used a 19-2 run to cut the deficit down to just seven. Kelsey Plum provided a spark for the Aces scoring two baskets and assisting on a third to put the Aces back up double digits.
A’ja Wilson then sealed the deal scoring five more points to put Las Vegas back up by 15 points.
Seattle’s rally fell short again. The Aces won the game 79-63.
“I thought we did a good job of fighting back and getting it close. But then we missed a box out on A’ja and she gets a putback. I think we then turned it over or missed a shot and they ran it back down. It’s when we get in those moments, to really understand that we got the momentum and capitalize on it instead of letting them back in. I thought it was a lot of our own doing tonight with turnovers, missed shots, and missed free throws. It’s frustrating not capitalizing when we keep putting ourselves in a position to steal some of these (games).” Sami Whitcomb said during the post-game press conference.
Additional Analysis
Alysha Clark’s Impact
While New York got all the headlines with the additions of Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart, Courtney Vandersloot, and Las Vegas with the addition of Candace Parker. It might be the Aces’ other signing that could make the biggest difference in the playoffs. One of the most underrated signings this past off-season was Alysha Clark to Las Vegas.
Clark’s stats won’t ever land her on the All-Star team. But AC always does the little things that lead to team-winning basketball. Clark finished with six points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
“She’s brought toughness defensively. Vegas can outscore you but AC has honed her defensive skills. Defense is important to her. Her ability to knock down shots is huge. Their small-ball lineup isn’t very small because she can guard multiple positions. They were already a tough team but she’s brought another level of toughness. A consistent three-point shooter. All of the things we’ve seen AC grow into this league.” Coach Quinn said of her former teammate.
Sami Whitcomb chimed in with her thoughts on AC as well.
“We know what she does obviously here better than a lot of people. They are known for their offense but she’s a lockdown defender. Her versatility, she can play 1-4. She provides that for them. You can’t leave her open you know? She’s another spacer from them. She’s a gritty, gritty, tough player. She’s really smart. I think she’s really a great addition because she is that defender that maybe they didn’t have before.” Whitcomb answered.
A’ja Wilson DPOY
A’ja Wilson won Defensive Player of the Year in 2022. She might be even better this season. She led all scorers with 23 points but it was her impact on the defensive side of the ball that really stood out to me. She had a season-high 15 rebounds. Three major blocked shots and three steals.
There were times when she just erased Seattle’s offensive output during the game.
“They were playing a box and one. (Wilson) didn’t have to leave the paint. They are just so smart. Her impact is strong on both ends of the floor. They play with their minds. Not having to chase people around. Just be solid. Be an anchor in the paint. She’s tremendous. She’s in an amazing rhythm and she’s so competitive. No matter what the matchup is. She plays hard. She finds ways to score and be so impactful on the defensive end as well.” Coach Quinn said of A’ja’s performance.
Their Box and One defensive scheme limited Jewell Loyd to just 12 points in this game.
“She’s just relentless. She’s constantly pursuing whether it’s her own missed shot or other people’s, she’s there to tip it back. Very physical, runs the floor well, she does all of those things. She’s the MVP of the league. I thought today where she really hurt us, where maybe she traditionally hasn’t, was on the second effort stuff. I thought she really punished us there.” Whitcomb added.
More Evaluation is Needed
The team is a work in progress. This season is one long major evaluation of every single player on this team.
Ivana Dojkić is a great example of that. She started off being an unknown, emerged as the team’s starting point guard, and scored in double figures five times in her first seven starts. And then went ice cold through most of July as fatigue set in. Dojkić looked great to start this game scoring six points in the first quarter and had eight points at halftime as one of the team’s leading scorers. But she only played five minutes in the second half and was held scoreless.
Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu has missed seven games this season just as a DNP (Did Not Play) - Coach’s Decision. Then she started the last three games before the All-Star break. She had double-doubles in the first two games and scored in double figures in all three of them. But tonight she really struggled. She was in foul trouble at times. She didn’t score at all during her 16 minutes of action. Dulcy missed all four of her free throw shots. Mendjiadeu finished with zero points, two rebounds, four fouls, and three turnovers.
Now she was going up against the best post-player in the world A’ja Wilson. That certainly played a factor. But that’s why this evaluation is so necessary during this season for the future of the organization. Is Dulcy a player that can be a legit scorer and a strong rebounder? That is a question they need to find the answer to. She has earned her playing time and there is little doubt she should be on the team next season. But that doesn’t mean Seattle shouldn’t invest in some more post-players in the off-season.
It was also good to see Mercedes Russell play some positive minutes (14) against Vegas. Russell hasn’t seen much action lately. She scored eight points off the bench on a perfect 4-4 FG shooting. She pulled down three rebounds and was solid defensively.
Russell is the team’s second-highest-paid player this year only behind Jewell Loyd. She has a guaranteed contract that runs through the 2024 season. It’s really important for the Storm and Mercedes to get back on track during the second half of this season.
“I thought she was a lot better. Her activity level is #1. That’s her #1 rule right now is to be super active. I thought her defense was sharp. I thought offensively she was aggressive on the post-up that she got. She didn’t shy away from contact when finishing. That’s what we want to see consistently in the second half of this season.” Coach Quinn said on Russell’s performance against Las Vegas.
I asked coach how important it is to evaluate all 12 players on the team throughout the remainder of the season.
“Very! We are laying down the foundational pieces for now and in the future. Seeing who can buy in. Who can play with each other? Who can understand our system and complement players that can complement each other? It’s two-fold. We want to get better every day and every game but we’re looking for players that fit each other. To continue to build championship-level quality.” Noelle told me.
Up Next
The Storm (4-17) will host the Chicago Sky (8-13) on Saturday, July 22nd at 6:00 PM in Seattle. If you’re invested in the Storm’s lottery chances, you’re rooting for the Chicago Sky to miss the playoffs this season. They currently sit in the 8th and final playoff spot.
Notes:
Follow my Twitter (@WNBAStormChaser)
I’m also on the new Threads app (@WNBAStormChasers)
Photo Credits to Seattle Storm/WNBA Photography
Thanks for all the great support! Please tell other Storm fans about my coverage.