The Storm Have Arrived, Beat Lynx 94-84

Seattle defeated Minnesota in the most entertaining WNBA game this season.

(Seattle, WA) - The Minnesota Lynx entered Wednesday’s game with a perfect 9-0 record. The Lynx are no longer undefeated after an incredible back-and-forth game between two of the league’s most talented teams. In a league full of great competition, this was the most entertaining game played this season. Throughout the game, whenever one team made a big run, the other team immediately responded with a punch of their own. Seattle led 32-27 after the first period. The Lynx led 49-48 at the midway point. The Storm were up nine points in the first quarter, and the Lynx battled back. Minnesota went up 11 points in the third period. Seattle erased that deficit and took the lead by the time the 4th quarter started. There were 18 lead changes and six ties. It was a thrilling contest between some of the league’s greatest players. By the final horn, the Storm outscored the Lynx 26-19 over the final 10 minutes to win 94-84.

Seattle’s starting five were incredible. Beyond incredible, really. All five starters scored in double figures. Nneka Ogwumike led the way with a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds. Seattle’s backcourt combined for 38 points and 15 assists as Erica Wheeler added 20 points and nine assists, while Skylar Diggins contributed with 18 points and six assists. Ezi Magbegor had her best game of the season. She finished with 13 points, eight rebounds, and three emphatic blocks. All Gabby Williams did was flirt with a triple-double. Williams finished with 12 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and four steals.

The starters carried the heavy load, and in this game, they had to. With first place in the Commissioner’s Cup standings on the line, Coach Quinn handled her rotations like a playoff game. Quinn did a good job of playing her bench early in the game when the starters built a lead. While nine Storm players got into the game, only two reserves played more than 10 minutes each (Dominique Malonga and Alysha Clark). Malonga was critical in her minutes in the third quarter as the Storm fell behind by double-digits. She impacted the game on both ends, forcing Napheesa Collier into some badly missed shots, and scoring six points in the period.

The Storm outshot the Lynx 57% (39-69 FG) to 48% (31-64 FG). Seattle had a massive advantage in points in the paint (50-32). They also out-rebounded Minnesota 34-26. They had an edge in assists (30-25), fast break points (12-7), and steals (9-5). They committed three fewer turnovers than Minnesota (10 to 13). But the real difference was Seattle’s ability to capitalize on those mistakes. They outscored the Lynx 22-10 with points off turnovers.

It was Seattle’s best win of the season, considering the quality of the opponent and how well that opponent played. This wasn’t a contest where the Lynx struggled or played out of character. Minnesota shot nearly 50% after all and were excellent from three-point range.

Minnesota Lynx

As well as Seattle’s starters played, Minnesota’s played nearly as well. The Lynx had four players score in double figures. Current MVP favorite, Napheesa Collier, led the way with 25 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and three blocks. Kayla McBride scored 19 points, had six assists, and grabbed four rebounds. McBride knocked down 5-11 FG from beyond the three-point arc. Alanna Smith added 14 points and six rebounds. Bridget Carleton rounded out the group with 11 points, including 3-4 FG from the three-point line.

While the Storm outshot the Lynx overall, Minnesota was deadly from three-point range. They knocked down 46% (12-26 FG) of their triples. That nearly won them the game despite Seattle also shooting well from deep (39% with 7-18 FG).

Neither bench got a lot of run in this game. Coach Cheryl Reeve played the game with an 8-player rotation. Of their three bench players, only Natisha Hideman played more than seven minutes. She scored seven points and had five assists in about 22 minutes. Minnesota’s reserves outscored Seattle’s 12-10.

Game Breakdown

Erica Wheeler knocked down a three-ball for the game’s first basket. Then Skylar got a steal that led to a fast break with Gabby Williams and saw Nneka Ogwumike finish at the rim. Minnesota then used back-to-back three-pointers from Bridget Carleton and Napheesa Collier. Skylar Diggins got to the rim for two in between those triples. Then came back and knocked down a corner three to put the Storm up 10-6. Courtney Williams executed the pick-and-roll with Alanna Smith to perfection, resulting in a wide-open layup for Smith. The Lynx then took the lead with an AND1 by Collier and another two free throws. Seattle responded with an Ezi Magbegor layup and a triple from Wheeler.

Out of the timeout, the Lynx found Bridget Carleton in the paint against the smaller defender. Ezi scored down low, and Ogwumike hit a corner three to put the Storm up seven at 24-17. The Lynx got big shots from Collier and Kayla McBride. They hit back-to-back triples, and Collier had another basket too. While Seattle led by nine late in the quarter, the Lynx cut the deficit to five. The Storm led 32-27 at the end of the first.

Kayla McBride drilled a three-pointer to begin the 2nd quarter. Then, after a few empty possessions, Alissa Pili knocked down a three-ball to give the Lynx a one-point lead. Skylar Diggins knocked down a deep two. Alanna Smith and Ezi Magbegor swapped baskets.

Both teams struggled a bit more on offense in the second quarter. Seattle had scored just eight points through the first seven minutes after scoring 32 in the first quarter. Minnesota outscored Seattle 22-16 in the second period. Minnesota led 49-48 at the end of the first half.

Bridget Carleton hit a corner three to start the 2nd half. Courtney Williams was fouled on a jump shot and made both free throws. Seattle turned it over again, and Collier hit another turnaround jumper to put the Lynx up eight points at 56-48. Carleton hit another three-ball after Ogwuike split two free throws to put the Lynx up 10.

Coach Quinn and Skylar were both upset with a lack of calls, and Diggins picked up a Technical Foul. Collier made the Technical Free throw. Wheeler and Ogwumike made back-to-back baskets. A couple of plays later, Ogwumike hit a three to cut the Storm’s deficit down to six points at 62-56. Dominique Malonga drew two defenders and found Diggins cutting to the rim. Malonga then scored on the next possession. Seattle tied the game with an Ogwumike basket.

Both teams went back and forth in the final minutes of the third. Malonga had a large impact, forcing Napheesa Collier into a couple of airballs and scoring six points in the period. Seattle led 68-65 at the end of the third.

Skylar split a pair of free throws to begin the fourth. Gabby Williams then got a steal and raced down the court for two to put the Storm up six at 71-65. After Courtney Williams split a pair of free throws, Alysha Clark made a trick shot through two defenders. Then Skylar got into the lane for two more, forcing Minnesota Coach Reeve into a timeout.

Out of the timeout, they got the ball to Collier, who scored a fadeaway against Malonga. Seattle turned it over, and then Kayla McBride scored back-to-back baskets in the paint. Minnesota’s 6-0 run cut the Storm’s lead down to three at 75-72. Coach Noelle Quinn was forced to call a timeout.

Skylar missed on one end, and the Storm left Collier open under the rim for her easiest basket of the game. Ezi Magbegor got one back down low. Erica Wheeler split a pair of free throws, but Collier scored again in the paint.

Gabby Williams stole the ball and fed the ball up to Wheeler. Wheeler sent the ball back to Williams, who finished at the rim for two. Alanna Smith cut the Storm’s lead down to one with an AND1 as Nneka had fallen to the ground, and Seattle’s defensive rotation was late. McBride hit a scoop floater that was initially called good, but was later reversed as the ball did not leave her hands before the 24-second shot clock violation. The Storm went up six with a three-pointer from Diggins and a layup by Magbegor with the feed from Skylar. Natisha Hiedeman got an uncontested layup.

Kayla McBride hit a huge three to cut the Storm’s lead down to one with just over a minute to go. Seattle called a timeout. On the next possession, Erica Wheeler knocked down a three-pointer that sent the home crowd into delirium. Wheeler said after the game that Coach Quinn kept telling her to shoot anytime Minnesota left her open.

With the Lynx down four, the Lynx ran a play that got Alanna Smith an open look under the rim, but she missed it. With under 30 seconds to play, Minnesota fouled immediately. Erica Wheeler made both free throws to put the Storm up six. Minnesota called a timeout. In the inbounds play, Bridget Carleton made an errant pass and turned the ball over. Ezi Magbegor was fouled and split a pair of free throws. Napheesa Collier missed a jumper with under 15 seconds to play. Seattle got out in transition, and Wheeler raced down the lane for another layup.

The Lynx’s Kayla McBride took exception to that as Seattle had the game won, and there was less than 24 seconds left in the game when the Storm got possession of the ball. McBride fouled Wheeler on the layup and then got in her face after the play. McBride received a technical foul. Diggins made the free throw. Wheeler missed her AND1 free throw, but Nneka Ogwumike grabbed the offensive rebound. At this point, Seattle dribbled the remainder of the clock out as the Storm defeated the Minnesota Lynx 94-84.

Final Box Score

Up Next

The Storm head to the Bay Area to face the Golden State Valkyries (4-5) for the first time ever. The game is Saturday, June 14th at 5:30 PM. It is Seattle’s 5th Commissioner’s Cup game (out of six). The Storm are currently 3-1 in Cup standings.

Part 2

Part 2 will include additional thoughts, quotes, and discussion from Wednesday’s game against the Minnesota Lynx. It’ll be sent exclusively to paid subscribers tomorrow morning.

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