Winless in Seattle No More!

The Seattle Storm stun the Los Angeles Sparks 66-63 after overcoming a 21-point deficit.

(Seattle, WA) - On Tuesday night, things looked bleak immediately from the tip-off. Before people had a chance to sit down the LA Sparks led 10-2. The first period got worse from there. With a little over three minutes left to play in the opening frame, the Sparks led 19-2. A minute into the second quarter, Los Angeles led by 21 points. And from that point forward, the Storm outscored the Sparks 60-36 to stun LA. Seattle picked up their first win of the season 66-63.

“I thought it was a great effort from our group! I’m super excited for this group to see the fruits of their labor. Being rewarded by a win. It’s not just the win but how (we did it). It’s a good step for us. We’ll continue to learn and grow and get better. I’m super happy. How we fought, how we stayed together, and how we never wavered in our effort tonight.” Coach Noelle Quinn said in her opening statement.

Jewell Loyd led the way with 25 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. But the story was really about Seattle’s rookies. Namely, Jordan Horston who finished with a career-high 14 points, seven rebounds, and four steals! All four rookies played in this game for the first time since the opening season blowout loss to the Las Vegas Aces. They all contributed in their own ways. Mostly with just youthful energy and hustle. In total, the four rookies combined for 22 of the team’s 66 points. They pulled down 13 rebounds and grabbed six steals as well. On a night, where multiple veterans struggled, they made the difference!

Ezi Mabegor was the only other Storm player to reach double-digit scoring. She finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds, a team-high three assists, three blocked shots, and two steals. It was her third double-double this season in five games.

When asked how the team was able to turn things around after such a rough start, Coach Quinn had this to say.

“More energy on the defense. We talked about our pick-up points, starting with Jordin and Layshia and being engaged. We talked about our physicality to not allow Nneka to get her sweet spots. Just playing with more energy. There were some defensive breakdowns due to communication in coverages so that was another thing. Just being ultra aware of what’s happening on the floor. Trying to play out of our defense with some transition. It wasn’t going to be a home run play. It was possession by possession, continue to chip away. Some good things happened before the half ended and it gave us some momentum going into the second half.” Quinn stated.

With such a low score, it’s not surprising to say the Storm did not shoot the ball well. They finished making just 32% (22-68 FG) and 20% (4-20 FG) from the three-point line. They did convert 18-22 FT and all 18 of them were critical in the victory.

On a more positive note, they out-rebounded Los Angeles 37-33. They forced LA into 23 total turnovers while committing just 13 of their own. They had an impressive 15-2 advantage in fast break points and an 11-0 edge in second-chance points. That really emphasizes the team’s hard work and hustle in this game. Honestly? They just wanted this win more than the Sparks.

They also outdid the Sparks inside the paint with 34 points in the paint to the Sparks’ 32. That is more significant because LA killed them in that category (44-20) when these two teams played on Saturday. I spoke with Coach Quinn after the game about the adjustments to make such a large difference between the two games.

“Even though we were going under on screens we still need to be physical at the point with Jordin and Layshia. We talked about Nneka and being physical with her early. We needed more congestion on her early no matter who was on her. We talked about our coverages, being clean, being simple, so that we can be aggressive. I thought we did a better job of that. I thought we lost Lexie Brown in LA, some lapses happened. Conversely, when were able to play out of our defense I thought we were able to get downhill and play with some pace and find some things early on the offense. That created some good looks for us.” Quinn told me.

The Los Angeles Sparks

Nneka Ogwumike led LA with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Lexie Brown continued her strong start with 15 points including 3-5 FG from beyond the arc. Jordin Canada added 11 points, a game-high five assists, and a few crazy acrobatic plays!

The Sparks shot the ball slightly better than Seattle but was still sub-optimal. They made 39% (22-56 FG) and 33% (5-15) from the three-point line. They did dish out 19 assists nearly doubling Seattle’s 10.

Overall, LA really did not play very well. Seattle’s defense gave them major fits after the first period as they totaled just 39 points through the final 30 minutes of the game. Having Chiney Ogwumike out certainly hurt them. Dearica Hamby isn’t herself just yet after recently having her second child. And Azura Stevens was limited to just 15 minutes after missing the team’s first five games with a back injury.

Game Breakdown

Lexie Brown immediately knocked down a three-pointer to begin the game and then quickly got a steal after that. Yvonne Turner was able to drive to the rim to score Seattle’s first basket on the next possession. Baskets by Nneka Ogwumike and Layshia Clarendon pushed the Sparks’ lead to five. Brown then hit another three to make it 10-2 less than two minutes into the game.

Another three-ball, this time by Clarendon put LA up by double-digits (13-2). Baskets by Dearica Hamby, Jordin Canada, and Azura Stevens made it 19-2 forcing Coach Noelle Quinn to call a timeout.

The bright spot for Seattle was the performance of rookie Jordan Horston. She was able to get two layups against the defense and scored four points in the opening quarter. She also had two rebounds.

At the end of the first period, the Sparks led the Storm 24-6. It didn’t look good.

Jordin Canada hit a three-ball to begin the second quarter. A couple of plays later she had a nice drive against Loyd where she was able to contort her body and finish at the rim while getting fouled. I call that the Jordin Canada special.

After being held scoreless in the first, the WNBA’s leading scorer scored eight points quickly to begin the second period. Loyd knocked down a three and had a nifty put-back layup. She was then fouled by Canada on a three-point attempt and made all three from the foul line.

The Storm continued to make a push. Yvonne Turner flew in and intercepted the Sparks transition pass. She was able then to get Seattle going in transition. She found Jordan Horston who had an open look but Jordan made one extra pass to Ezi Magbegor for the easy layup. It was a beautiful display of team basketball. That forced Curt Miller into a timeout.

With under five minutes in the half, the Storm trailed by 17 points. They would finish on an 18-4 run against Los Angeles. Horston and Ezi each got a couple of layups. Loyd made a pair of free throws.

Ivana Dojkic came into the game and also gave the team a boost. She made a layup and knocked down a quick three-pointer. Seattle was able to force Jordin Canada into a turnover and Jewell raced down the court heaving up a three-pointer at the buzzer. It missed but she was fouled by Azura Stevens. Loyd calmly sank all three free throws.

Seattle outscored LA 29-14 in the second quarter and only trailed by three at the midway point (38-35). The Storm had a 12-0 edge in fast break points and played the Sparks even inside the paint at 20-20.

Los Angeles did shoot the ball much better in the first half. They connected on 48% (15-31 FG) and 44% (4-9 FG).

When asked after the game what was the message after the disappoint first period, Jewell had this to say.

“Just chip away! It’s the first quarter. We still had a long game left. We were able to get some stops. We weren’t discouraged. We understand that it’s basketball; it’s a game of runs. We came a little lax. But at the end of the day, we found some motivation, we got energized by the crowd. We had people like Jordan step up that got us going.” Loyd said about the team’s adjustments and how they were able to rally after the lackluster first period.

Seattle’s defense continued to be strong in the third period limiting the Sparks to just two free throws by Nneka through the first six minutes of the quarter. The Storm’s offense slowed down but they were able to briefly take the lead on a pair of free throws by Jewell Loyd.

The home team limited Los Angeles to just 10 points total in the third period; outscoring the Sparks 17-10. Entering the final frame, Seattle led 52-48.

Jordan Horston opened the 4th quarter getting matched up against Karlie Samuelson where she was able to elevate over Karlie for a short-range jumper. When I’ve written about wanting to see Jordan get matched up with smaller players where she can really take advantage of her height and athleticism, this is what I’m referring to.

Canada got inside the lane and drew a foul against Melbourne. She finished at the rim and made the free throw to complete the AND1 opportunity.

Loyd and Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu executed the pick and roll to perfection with Mendjiadeu finishing at the rim for the easy two. It gave the Storm their largest lead of the game up six at 59-53. Curt Miller was forced to call another timeout.

Unsurprisingly, the Sparks went straight to Nneka Ogwumike who was able to draw a foul and sank both free throws. Dulcy was able to find Ezi under the rim for two. Seattle had an opportunity to go up eight but turned the ball over and then Brown was able to score in transition for the Sparks.

Horston checked in and immediately scored on a strong move in the paint. Lexie Brown then hit a critical three to keep Los Angeles within three points at 63-60. Free throws by Loyd and Magbegor put the Storm up five with just over 90 seconds left in the game. Nneka was able to score on another layup but Seattle was able to hold the Sparks scoreless on their final two possessions to end the game.

Seattle was able to get the rebound and send the ball up to Loyd who dribbled the clock out to a loud eruption of cheers from the home crowd as the Storm had won their first game of the season by a final score of 66-63.

“We’ve been working hard. We knew this was going to come. I’m just glad we got the win in front of the home crowd. We’ve been putting in the work non-stop. If you stay patient, stay hungry, you’re going to get one. If we play this way, the sky’s the limit!” Jordan Horston said in the post-game press conference.

Additional Analysis

Rookie Report

The cool thing about growing pains is that eventually, things click. Over time, all that hard work and dedication manifests itself. The flowers bloom. They bear the fruits of their labor. Whatever phrase you want to use. It was a beautiful sight to see as the Storm rookies made a huge impact in this game that led to Seattle’s first victory of the season.

Top prospect, Jordan Horston really showed off what makes her such an exciting piece to the Storm’s future. She looked more assertive, more confident, and more comfortable out on the court and the results were evident. She scored in double figures for the first time in her WNBA career. Horston played excellent strong defense through most of the game and finished with a game-high four steals. Jordan is so athletic that she is going to be a matchup nightmare for opponents once she finally hits her stride.

“My mindset was just to go in and play hard. Just know that if I made a mistake, which is going to happen, then I just need to move to the next play. But if I played hard, if I do the wrong thing, but if I’m communicating then I’m going to be OK. As the game carried on, I felt like I got into a good rhythm.” Horston said after the game.

Ivana Dojkic also got into the game and played nearly 18 minutes. She finished with five points on 2-3 FG shooting and brought great energy.

Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu played for the first time since the Las Vegas game. She played a little over 10 minutes and helped keep the paint protected. She also was able to take some of Mercedes Russell’s minutes. Russell ended up playing just 11 minutes and finished with zero points. Dulcy added three points and three rebounds. But just having her as another post presence was really helpful.

“Dulcy is very smart. She’s picked up our system. I’ve been wanting to play her and just find those moments. I had a conversation with her and said that today was going to be the day. She’s been physical. She’s rebounding. She found Ezi under the paint. She finished. It’s just another layer of physicality that we’ve missed. Especially, with our post players. Offensively, she can run the floor and she sets amazing screens. There are things that don’t show up on the stat sheet that she does.” Quinn spoke of Fankam Mendjiadeu.

Jade Melbourne wasn’t spectacular. She didn’t score but she finished with three rebounds and two steals in 14 minutes. Similar to Ivana, there was just something about her youth and energy that seemed to give a big boost to the Storm and frustrate the Sparks.

“With another day of preparation, our rookies were more on point with our coverages. We want to play our group (of rookies) because of how hard they work but we have to be on point and locked in with our scout. I thought with an extra layer and day where they could be attentive to detail I thought they were more aggressive because they were confident in our coverages. On the offense end, just playing - playing freely. Playing in space, playing with pace. Utilizing their individual skillsets to make some good plays.” Coach Quinn reiterated.

Loyd praised her younger teammates after the game.

“Should I tell them? (to Jordan)… There was a play where I LITERALLY talked her through it and we scored! There is definitely more talking but at the same time, they’ve been picking up so much stuff. They know the schemes and know what we’re doing. They’re so active. I have to keep it simple. If I see something, I would tell anyone not just them. I didn’t think tonight they played like rookies at all. They were locked in and focused. That’s a credit to how they’ve been practicing all week, watching film, and doing the extra stuff. It’s a testament to their credibility and their hard work. More than me being a vocal leader. At the same time, Sue was still talking to me last year. I don’t think that ever stops - being good at communication. That’s something that we’ve been working on a lot.” Loyd added.

Jewell Reaches 4,000 Career Points

Jewell Loyd hit a significant milestone in her career in this game by scoring her 4,000th career point. It came on a pair of free throws in the third period. It’s a major accomplishment for the 9-year pro. She becomes just the third player in franchise history to score 4,000 points all with the Storm. The other two obviously were Sue Bird (6,803) and Lauren Jackson (6,007).

I asked Coach Quinn to talk about Loyd’s accomplishments and what it meant for the franchise.

“She’s been amazing. She’s been steadfast in a lot of ways. Obviously, she can score the ball and she’s played with a variety of players. It’s great to see her continue to have success no matter what team she’s on. Mentally, she’s locked in and she’s in great shape. She’s with a team where she’s having to do a little bit more and carry the load but she’s doing it positively. For the organization, she’s been a great example. A professional in how she carries herself, how she works, how she wants to be the best, but also wants her teammates to be the best. I’m super proud of her and happy that she’s done this.” Coach Quinn answered.

If Loyd continues on even a similar pace the rest of the year (let’s say 20 PPG) she has a chance to break into the Top 30 in WNBA Scoring history by the end of this season!

Congratulations Jewell, it’s an honor to be very proud of and it is well deserved!

Defense, Defense, Defense!

In my Around the W article I posted on Tuesday morning, I talked about how the Storm have been the worst defensive team in the WNBA. They’ve talked a lot about how they have to hang their hat on their defense. How their defense will be critical for them to be successful this season. However, through the first four games they had been awful. They ranked dead last in Defensive Rating at 113.2. Meaning they give up 113 points for every 100 possessions. Through four games, they had given up 90+ points three times.

And through 10 minutes of action on Tuesday night, they were on pace to give up 96 points. But a switch flipped with the team. They clamped down defensively, hustled their asses off, and found a way to pull out the victory. They limited Los Angeles to 14 points in the second quarter, 10 points in the third, and 15 in the fourth.

“Defense! We were getting stops. Defensively, we were flying around. Even if someone missed a coverage someone else was there. Today, everyone was super locked in. I really do think it was the crowd. We felt that. We felt the energy shift and we were able to do what we needed to do.” Loyd told us.

I asked Jordan the keys to their defensive adjustments after the first quarter.

“We had to meet their physicality. I feel like we were on our heels when we started the game. That’s not who we wanted to be and that’s not who we are. We have athletes on this team. We can pressure people. We can switch one through five. We have that in us and we just have to execute and be more consistent. Once we do that, the sky’s the limit for us. We have to let our defense be our anchor.” Horston answered.

“It makes it easy when we have Eziyoda back there.” Jewell quipped.

Up Next

The Storm will host the Washington Mystics (3-3) on Friday evening at 7:00 PM in Seattle at Climate Pledge Arena.

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