Defending Champion Seattle Storm get an impressive win over last year's Finals opponent
The Seattle Storm open up the 2021 season with a strong 97-83 victory over the Las Vegas Aces.
(Everett, WA) - The reigning WNBA Champions were back on their homecourt for the first time since the 2019 WNBA Playoff game against the Minnesota Lynx. After the championship ring ceremony, the team unveiled their new banner with the 2020 title added to the previous three years (2004, 2010, and 2018). After that, it was time to get down to business between the two teams who faced off in the 2020 WNBA Finals.
Las Vegas got off to an early 7-0 start. Candice Dupree scored Seattle’s first four points of the 2021 season. But it was the Aces that looked like the better team early on leading by nine points at 15-6.
Seattle’s offense looked out of sync early in the 1st quarter. Katie Lou Samuelson with only a couple of practices before her first game with the Storm looked especially out of rhythm early. Candice Dupree threw a pass out of bounds as Katie Lou was cutting to the basket. The miscommunication will certainly get fixed as both players get acclimated to the team with more time together. These are the growing pains one would expect after last year’s title team lost two of their starters in the offseason.
Jewell Loyd had a fantastic opening quarter scoring a team-high eight points in the early frame. She used her quickness and athleticism to blow by her defender on multiple occasions.
I asked Jewell during the post-game press conference if the game is slowing down for her as she gains more experience because she was able to get by her defenders multiple times.
“I just try to make the right reads, taking what the defense was giving me. I put in a lot of time studying how to create space. I think the more you play the game the more you understand how to create your own shot.” Loyd answered.
Ezi Magbegor gave the Storm a nice lift off the bench, getting a defensive stop and rebound against Liz Cambage and then knocking down a three-pointer for her first basket of the 2021 season. Magbegor also got a nice layup to score five points in the first period.
While Las Vegas led for most of the first quarter, it was Seattle who finished the period leading by one at 27-26. The Storm’s bench gave them an energy boost to turn the tides early on.
A’ja Wilson looked like her MVP-self scoring 12 points in the opening period. Including showing off her new long-distance range knocking down a three-pointer. Something Coach Bill Laimbeer has been strongly against in the past. Laimbeer has long believed in attacking primarily from the paint whereas other teams have adjusted to the more modern approach of scoring from the outside.
Breanna Stewart started to take over for Seattle in the 2nd period scoring six of her ten points in the first half.
It was Seattle’s three-ball that allowed them to separate from the Aces. Seattle was 6-10 (60%) from the three-point range in the first half while the Aces were just 1-6 (17%). The Storm would finish the game 12-27 (44%) from beyond the arc while the Aces were just 3-12 (25%). That’s a 36-9 advantage for Seattle. I spoke to Coach Hughes about that after the game.
“I don’t think it’s a real secret that one of the ways we separate (from other teams) is at the three. We’re built to be that way. Hopefully, as teams try to take that away, we’ll also be able to score more in the paint. We have players that it’s part of their strengths. We need to continue to be efficient with how we play offense.” Hughes said.
Sue Bird knocked down multiple triples in the 2nd period to help Seattle extend their lead. In total, Seattle hit five three-pointers in the quarter including Katie Lou Samuelson’s first points of her Storm career when she hit a three during Seattle’s final possession of the first half to end a Las Vegas 8-0 run. It put the Storm up nine at the half, 49-40. The home team outscored the visitors 22-14 in the 2nd quarter.
Down 14 points late in the 2nd quarter, Liz Cambage and A’ja Wilson went to work in the low post scoring six quick points. The Aces then got a transition basket by Jackie Young to cut Seattle’s lead down to six.
The first half was a tale of two stories. For Seattle, it was their three-point shot and bench depth. The Storm scored 18 points on 6-10 (60%) from beyond the arc. Their bench outscored the Aces 14-4. Jordin Canada and Ezi Magbegor had 11 of the team’s 14 bench points in the opening half.
Meanwhile, the Aces used their dominant post presence to take a nine-point lead in the first quarter. A’ja Wilson led all scorers at the half with 16 points, while Liz Cambage added 10 points.
Las Vegas shot just 39.5% while Seattle shot 54.3% through the first two quarters. The Storm also held a 13-4 edge in fastbreak points and a 23-18 rebounding advantage.
Seattle exploded for a 10-0 run to open the third period to take a commanding 19 point lead at 59-40.
Coach Dan Hughes also made a very intelligent adjustment starting Ezi Magbegor in the 2nd half. Ezi was a +18 in plus/minus in the first half. And Candice Dupree really struggled to defend 6’8” Liz Cambage (understandably so).
After Seattle went up 19-points the Aces were forced to call timeout. After that, both teams battled back and forth throughout the rest of the third period. Vegas cut Seattle’s lead down to 12 as Kelsey Plum scored five points to give the Aces a boost off the bench.
Ultimately, the Storm outscored the Aces 23-17 in the third period.
Jordin Canada missed two free throws at the end of the quarter and the Aces immediately scored a quick four points to open the 4th period to cut Seattle’s lead down to eleven.
Breanna Stewart had multiple beautiful cuts gliding through the lane for some easy baskets to keep Seattle’s lead above double digits.
Dearica Hamby, who did not score in the first half, brought much-needed energy off the bench for Vegas in the 4th quarter. She got a beautiful steal in the open passing lanes for two points to cut Seattle’s lead to 78-67. In total, Hamby had seven points in the final period.
Sue Bird banged her left knee when she came in contact with Liz Cambage trying to rub off a screen by Breanna Stewart. She was on the floor for a moment before limping off the court with about six minutes to go in the game. Fortunately, Bird was able to return around the four-minute mark and finish the game for Seattle.
It’ll be interesting to see how her knee reacts in practice over the next couple of days and whether or not she plays in Tuesday’s rematch against the Aces.
A rainbow three by Chelsea Gray cut Seattle’s lead to single digits (82-73) for the first time since the opening moments of the 2nd half with just a little over five minutes remaining in the game. Fortunately, Jewell Loyd was able to respond on the very next possession with a three of her own. The ball swirled around the cylinder before falling through the net.
Katie Lou Samuelson had a nice rejection of Dearica Hamby. She then smartly broke out in transition where Bird was able to lob the ball over the defense where Samuelson finished the layup for an easy two. Samuelson had a decent debut overall for the Storm scoring five points and collecting six rebounds. She took just three shots in the game and I’d like to see her a little more involved in the offense moving forward.
The Las Vegas bench came up big in the 2nd half, especially the efforts of Dearica Hamby and Kelsey Plum. Both were held scoreless in the first two quarters but finished with a combined 18 points (11 Plum, 7 for Hamby) over the final two periods.
Bird and Stewart knocked down two more triples to end the game with a final score of 97-83.
Storm coach Dan Hughes was pleased with his team’s effort after the game.
“I thought Vegas came out and did a great job early getting out of the gate. We had to deal with some things, and I thought it was really good. I thought we had a good presence in the game, and I felt like okay, we took their head, and then we came back and were able to get some rhythm and accomplish that in the first quarter. And then the second quarter you can see us get better defensively. In the third quarter, I thought we came out of the halftime situation, and we had made a change. The reality is that both [Breanna Stewart] Stewie and Jewell [Loyd] were really pieces that we could play time and time again. Obviously, Sue [Bird] coming back into the game after she had that knock on her knees and see our team just like really comfortable seeing she was okay. (…) That's a tough matchup with this team. This is a team that presents a lot of challenges in a lot of ways, so I thought it was a good team win. (…) But the bottom line was that we asked the team to rebound and play without fouling, and they really worked hard at that. (…) When this team plays out of its defense there's a lot of potential for runs. And that's what I saw. I saw stops that let us play and transition. The three-ball was very much a part of that in a way. That's Storm Basketball, that's the way we want to play. And it was just good to see with so many new pieces and new roles, that it still reminded us of what we're trying to do.”
Las Vegas Coach Bill Laimbeer added his thoughts after the game.
“I thought we got a little bit frustrated out there and we can't do that because we were not a cohesive team like Seattle right now. They've known each other for a long time. So, it's going to take us some time. Liz [Cambage] missed some easy shots, but you're going to need to make your shots and need to be more physical on the inside and attack the basket a little bit harder and stronger, and get the calls. (…) Jackie [Young] grew up today a little bit more. She wasn't afraid to shoot and make shots, but we need to implement [Dearica] Hamby. And they came back strong in the second half, so I think that's a tribute to them and their fortitude to step forward when the pressure was on them. My job is to figure out what combinations to play at what times and keep people fresh.” Laimbeer said.
Author’s Analysis
The Storm looked better than expected in their debut. I felt this game could go either way before tip-off. Many consider the Las Vegas Aces to be the favorites to win the WNBA Championship this year. That shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. The Aces were the #1 overall seed during the regular season in 2020 finishing 18-4 before advancing to the WNBA Finals. And while they came up short in the Finals, being swept by the Storm, they reloaded quite impressively in the offseason. Even though they lost Kayla McBride to the Lynx, the Aces were getting back dominant center Liz Cambage and former number one overall pick and UW graduate Kelsey Plum. They then added All-Star point guard Chelsea Gray in free agency. And two-time 6th woman of the year Dearica Hamby has returned from injury (that she suffered during the WNBA Semi-Finals last season).
While Seattle was out of sync on offense early in that first quarter, they showed the fight of a champion by rallying down nine to take the lead in the first quarter. Seattle’s offense can be really good and the way they knock down three-pointers allows them to overwhelm other teams.
It’s no real surprise that Breanna Stewart and Jewell Loyd were the stars of the game for Seattle. Stewart finished with a game-high 28 points and 13 rebounds. While Jewell Loyd added 22 points on 9-16 FG shooting (56%), six assists, and four rebounds. These two players are incredibly special and as they hit their prime it’s no surprise the Storm have won two championships in the past three seasons.
Outside of the late injury scare, Sue Bird looked like Sue Bird out there. She had 11 points, led the team with eight assists, and even had five rebounds. She also shot 50% from three going 3-6 from beyond the arc.
I predicted Candice Dupree would be the team’s third-best scorer this season behind Breanna Stewart and Jewell Loyd. That held true in Game 1 of the 2021 season. Dupree had 12 points scoring in both the post and midrange. She wasn’t extremely efficient shooting 6-16 (38%) on her field goals, but I’m sure she’ll make adjustments. As mentioned earlier, it’s also a very difficult matchup against the Aces Twin Towers of A’ja Wilson and Liz Cambage.
Two players that really stood out to me in this game were Ezi Magbegor and Stephanie Talbot. The two Australian natives gave the Storm a nice energy boost off the bench. Magbegor finished with seven points, four rebounds, and two blocked shots. She also had a game-best +24 in plus/minus, meaning the Storm outscored Las Vegas by 24 points while Ezi was on the floor. Magbegor was also able to hold her own against Liz Cambage, limiting the Aces dominant Center while the two were matched up against one another. Talbot added six points, four rebounds, and finished the game with a +15.
I asked Coach Hughes about their contributions after the game.
”It’s the Australian influence right there. It has worked for the Storm for a lot of years all the way back to Lauren Jackson and Tully Bevilaqua. They give us an energy in certain ways. Like, I have really asked Ezi to concentrate on rebounding in her preparation for this season. And Steph has been a major surprise because of her activity level. She has a veteran feel, but she’s only 26 years old. We’ve seen that in training camp. Steph brought that activity to our team. She does some tough things, getting a loose ball, nailing a three. They’ve been able to take what we’ve seen on the practice court onto the game today.” Coach Hughes replied.
I’m a strong believer that Seattle’s depth is going to be critical to their success this season. Losing Natasha Howard, Alysha Clark, and Sami Whitcomb would be devastating to most teams, but I believe the Storm have added enough talent through their own offseason moves and even recent drafts over the past few years with players like Jordin Canada, Mercedes Russell, and Ezi Magbegor that they’re going to be able to compete with just about every team on any given night.
But Sue Bird probably put it best after the game.
“I know we lost a lot in free agency. And I love every single one of those players. But it’s like people forgot we still have Stewie and Jewell. Today was an example of that. We’ve got the hard part. We’ve got the franchise players. And now we just need to figure out how the rest of us can complement that and we’ll go from there” Bird stated.
Even though the Aces bench ultimately outscored Seattle’s 22-19 in this game, the Storm’s 2nd unit had some big moments in this contest. And Kiki Herbert Harrigan and Kennedy Burke didn’t even play. On top of the fact that Russell and Epiphanny Prince aren’t even with the team yet. From 1-12, this team has the potential to be one of the Storm’s strongest rosters ever.
Speaking of Herbert Harrigan and Burke, I wasn’t surprised that Kiki didn’t play. She just joined the team one or two days before this game against Las Vegas. And Coach Hughes mentioned during a media call earlier this week that they need to get Harrigan into better game shape. For Burke, I’m not entirely sure the reason why she didn’t play in this game and I’m sure the media will get a chance to ask Coach Hughes about that prior to the next game on Tuesday. But for right now, it just looks like Stephanie Talbot has impressed them so much during training camp that she’s overtaken Burke in the rotation. I will be interested to see if Seattle makes any lineup or rotation changes in the 2nd game against Las Vegas on Tuesday.
Overall, in this game, the Aces did what works best for them. Dominating the low post where A’ja Wilson had 24 points and Liz Cambage added 16 points. At moments, Cambage was able to get so deep down low it was impossible to stop her. Seattle really missed 6’6” Mercedes Russell in games like this. But the Storm held their own and surprisingly outrebounded the Aces 44-33.
Jackie Young looked really good at times in this game using her size for a guard to score over smaller defenders. Young finished with 12 points.
But the Aces clearly miss Angel McCoughtry who sadly tore her ACL during a preseason game less than a week ago. With McCoughtry out for the entire season, it’ll force the Aces to scramble to find a strong replacement for her.
Without Angel’s scoring and no Kayla McBride, the Aces are lacking scoring options from the perimeter. Something they are going to need to get from Chelsea Gray, Riquana Williams, and Kelsey Plum if their team hopes to compete for a championship this season. Even with their dominant post play from Wilson and Cambage, it wasn’t enough to keep up with all of Seattle’s scorers.
Making Herstory
It was announced that Sue Bird has moved up to 7th All-Time in the WNBA’s leading scorer list surpassing the legendary Lisa Leslie (6,263). Bird has scored 6,273 points in her career now. Diana Taurasi leads all WNBA players at 8,945. Bird’s accomplishment is even more impressive because she’s always been a pass-first point guard always looking to get her teammates involved first before trying to get her own points.
I spoke to Bird after the game about what this meant to her and to reflect on her memories of playing against Lisa Leslie earlier in her career and the battles between Leslie and Lauren Jackson.
“Obviously, I'm only passing Lisa Leslie on the scoring list because I played for longer. I don't really look at it from the actual stat itself. I do take pride in the fact that I have been able to play this long and stay at a high level, of course. So, whenever I move up on these different lists, that's how I look at it. Because, you know, there's no way I would ever pass Lisa Leslie in any scoring category ever. Lisa has been so important to our game. So, it is definitely special to pass a name like that on any list. Of course, I remember the battles between her and Lauren. But I also remember what it was like to be a teammate with her with USA Basketball. She’s a pioneer of our game and somebody we all owe a lot to.” Bird replied.
No matter the reasoning, the things Sue Bird has accomplished in the WNBA are truly incredible. Bird’s already one of the league’s greatest players and she just continues to add to her legacy every single year.
She said WHAT?
Earlier this week I posted a video of the media call with Sue Bird telling us she just found out that her new teammate’s mother is the same age as her. Bird freaked out about that fact in a hilarious fashion. The video went viral with over 75,000 views! Sue Bird’s charm and humor are top-notch, you have to watch the video if you haven’t seen it yet.
Around the W
On opening day on May 14th, the WNBA started the season with four games.
The New York Liberty (1-0) got things started with a hard-fought win over the Indiana Fever (0-1). The Liberty led most of the game but Indiana took the lead in the fourth quarter. With the game tied Sabrina Ionescu curled off a screen and knocked down a shot from beyond the arc to win the game. The 2020 number one overall pick scored 25 points, dished out 11 assists, and pulled down six rebounds. Benijah Laney scored 30 points while rookie Michaela Onyenwere had an impressive debut scoring 18 points and added five rebounds. Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever for 23 points. Teaira McCowan had a double-double with 22 points and 16 rebounds in the losing effort.
The Connecticut Sun (1-0) took care of business over the Atlanta Dream (0-1) by a final score of 78-67. Jonquel Jones returning to the WNBA after missing the bubble season of 2020 made an instant impact for the Sun scoring 26 points and collecting eight rebounds. DeWanna Bonner continued to prove she’s one of the best players in the WNBA with 21 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. The Dream had a more balanced attack with four of their five starters scoring in double figures: Courtney Williams (14 points), Odyssey Sims (14), Tianna Hawkins (11), and Chennedy Carter (10). Third overall pick, Aari McDonald had a disappointing debut scoring just one point on 0-4 shooting in 16 minutes.
The Phoenix Mercury (1-0) edged the Minnesota Lynx (0-1) by a final of 77-75. The game ended in some controversy as Diana Taurasi hit the game-winning shot when the shot clock operator randomly stopped the clock in the middle of live-action. All five starters for the Mercury scored in double figures with Skylar Diggins-Smith leading the charge with 18 points. Taurasi had 14 points, eight rebounds, and five assists on top of having the game-winner. Both Brittney Griner (17 points, 12 rebounds) and Brianna Turner (13 points, 10 rebounds) had double-doubles in the game. Kia Nurse chipped in with 10 points. Four of the Lynx’s players scored more than 10 points with Aerial Powers leading the team with 18 points. Both Kayla McBride and Crystal Dangerfield had 17 points apiece; while Sylvia Folwes had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. It should be noted that Minnesota’s best player Napheesa Collier did not play in this game as she’s still playing overseas in France.
Next up the Dallas Wings (1-0) absolutely dismantled the LA Sparks (0-1) with the largest victory of opening weekend 94-71. Allisha Gray led the Wings with 23 points, while Arike Ogunbowale added 17 for Dallas. The 2021 number one overall pick, 6’5” Charli Collier had a double-double in her debut with 11 points and 10 rebounds. It should also be noted that the Wings bench came up huge in this one scoring 31 points. Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike combined for 30 points and 14 rebounds for the Sparks in the loss. To pour salt into the wounds, the Wings own the Sparks 2022 first-round draft pick that they acquired the night before this year’s draft.
The Chicago Sky (1-0) looked good in their season-opener beating up on the short-handed Washington Mystics (0-1) by a final score of 70-56. Kahleah Copper led the Sky with 19 points and eight rebounds. While the newcomer Candace Parker added 16 points and eight rebounds for her new team. Parker’s addition to the Sky will give them title aspirations this season. The Mystics only had one player score in double figures with Tina Charles providing 14 points for her new team. The Mystics were projected early on to be one of the favorites for the WNBA title this season, but with Alysha Clark out for the season, Emma Meesseman overseas, and Elena Delle Donne still out with an injury that might be a difficult task for them.
Up Next
These same two teams face off against one another on Tuesday in Everett, WA at 7:00 PM. The game will air on ESPN2. If Seattle can win on Tuesday they will win the season series against the Aces which could end up being critical when it comes to playoff seedings much further down the road.
Editor’s Notes: Thanks to all my subscribers as we officially kick off the 2021 WNBA season. If you enjoy the coverage make sure to tell your friends and other Storm fans. I greatly appreciate everyone’s support! Photos credit to Neil Enns/Seattle Storm Photography.
Great review! So glad I subscribed. Go Storm!
This captured just what I wanted to know. I’m so glad I subscribed and I’m looking forward to following along with you.