Young Fever Look Great in 80-68 win over the Storm

Seattle lost their 9th game of the season after going ice cold in the 2nd half.

(Seattle, WA) - This isn’t the same old Indiana Fever team that’s been in the basement of the WNBA standings for the past six years. With five wins already this season, they have actually moved into the 8th and final playoff spot as of this writing. While most teams still have nearly 30 games left to play this season it is obvious that this Indiana team is going to be very competitive. Several of their losses have been by six points or less.

On Thursday night, the Fever came into Seattle and handled the Storm. They turned a competitive first half into a double-digit victory at the final buzzer. Indiana won the game 80-68. It was the Storm’s first loss by 10+ points outside of their two lopsided defeats to the Las Vegas Aces.

Jewell Loyd led the Storm with 19 points but she had a horrible shooting performance. She finished the game shooting 24% (5-21 FG). Her off-night was a trend throughout the entire Storm team. Seattle shot under 30% (22-74 FG). They were solid from beyond the three-point line connecting on 38% (11-29 FG). But that just goes to show how awful they were from inside the arc.

Ezi Magbegor finished with 18 points and six rebounds. Magbegor was the only starter to shoot 50% (7-14 FG). Ivana Dojkić and Kia Nurse were both solid. Dojkić scored 11 points and Nurse added nine more. However, neither shot the ball well as they combined for 6-21 FG.

The bench wasn’t any better. Jordan Horston, Sami Whitcomb, and Joyner Holmes combined for 2-11 FG. To be somewhat fair to them, the starters played the vast majority of this game. Jewell, Ezi, and Ivana all played 37 minutes or more.

Seattle scored just 24 points in the 2nd half including nine in the final period.

Coach Quinn talked about the team’s struggles during the post-game press conference.

“We couldn’t hit a shot. 21 missed shots. We can’t win games when we’re shooting 30% from the floor. I thought our defensive activity was fine. We were creating and generating turnovers. But we were taking contested shots and we couldn’t hit a shot.” Quinn stated.

“There was a point in the game where we got over the hump, got up 59-58. From there, not a lot of good things happened. The rebounding was an issue. The things that brought us success we stopped doing. That’s a sign of what this season is for us. We don’t have the luxury of making the same mistakes.” She added.

Indiana Fever

Kelsey Mitchell scored a game-high 25 points and she was very efficient from the floor connecting on 50% (8-16 FG) and a very impressive 7-11 FG from beyond the arc. She wasn’t the only Fever player to play well. Three of her teammates also reached double-digit points. NaLyssa Smith had an impressive double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Erica Wheeler and Emma Cannon each added ten points.

Aliyah Boston nearly had a double-double as she finished with nine points, 11 rebounds, and five assists. Smith and Boston combined for 25 rebounds by themselves. The Storm as a team had just 29. Indiana out-rebounded Seattle 47-29.

The Fever had more assists (19-15) and blocked shots (6-2). They outscored the Storm 32-22 inside the paint.

I spoke with Ezi after the game about facing Aliyah Boston for the first time.

“She’s a great player! She has fit in seamlessly into the league which is exciting for her in her first year. I’m excited for her. She did a great job tonight.” Ezi told me.

I also spoke with Coach Quinn about Boston and Smith.

“Up to a point, I thought we were pretty decent against Boston. Obviously, she was a playmaker with her passing. We didn’t want her to get going underneath. NaLyssa hit a three today. She hadn’t been efficient there. But it was really just their rebounding and their activity. Their second-chance points. Their level of physicality from those young athletes. Their desire to go rebound. I don’t know if it’s technique or talent. It was just a strong desire to be intentional to get to the rim, stay in the paint, posting up, and find other players.” Quinn answered.

Game Breakdown

After a couple of missed opportunities by both teams, Lexie Hull was able to score on a short-range pull-up jumper. Kia Nurse knocked down a three-ball for Seattle’s first points. Kelsey Mitchell immediately responded on the other end with her own triple.

Ezi Magbegor then scored inside the paint past Aliyah Boston. Magbegor then knocked down a three-pointer. Kelsey Mitchell and Erica Wheeler scored consecutive baskets to help Indiana briefly take the lead at 9-8. Loyd and Wheeler swapped triples as well as the scoring was fast and furious through the game’s opening five minutes.

The Fever grabbed multiple offensive rebounds on one possession that eventually resulted in an Aliyah Boston layup. That put the Fever up four. Emma Cannon came in and scored four points quickly.

Seattle trailed by six points with under two minutes in the opening frame but Magbegor was able to score a transition layup and was fouled to complete the AND1 opportunity. Then Sami Whitcomb knocked down an open three when Loyd made the extra pass to find her teammate. At the end of the first quarter, the Storm and Fever were tied 23-23.

Sami Whitcomb stole the ball away from NaLyssa Smith and then Loyd found Ivana Dojkić in the corner for a three. Maya Caldwell knocked down a pair of free throws for Indiana. Then Loyd and Mitchell exchanged three-point buckets. Ezi knocked down her second triple of the game. Shockingly, Whitcomb was able to emphatically reject Aliyah Boston’s shot inside the paint.

Boston was able to draw a foul and sank both free throws. Smith then followed that up with her own AND1 opportunity to put the Fever up six at 38-32. Mercedes Russell did a good job of rolling to the rim and was able to score inside the paint.

NaLyssa Smith did a lot of damage against the Storm in the second period. She tallied all 10 of her first-half points in the quarter. The Fever led 48-44 at the midway point. They out-rebounded the Storm 23-16 through the first twenty minutes.

Kelsey Mitchell knocked down a three to put the Fever up seven to begin the second half. Seattle then got two triples from Dojkić and Kia Nurse. Magbegor split a pair of free throws to cut the Fever’s lead down to two at 55-53. Another three-pointer from Nurse put the Storm up one.

Free throws from Kristy Wallace and baskets by Lexie Hull and Maya Caldwell put Indiana back on top. Mitchell hit a tough shot from beyond the arc just seconds before the end of the buzzer. At the end of the third quarter, the Fever led by eight points (67-59).

Indiana ended the third period and started the fourth quarter on a 17-0 run.

Aliyah Boston put the defensive clamps down rejecting Ezi and Jewell in back-to-back possessions. Loyd really struggled with her shot in the second half making just 2-12 FG. She also had just two free throw attempts over the final twenty minutes.

As a team, the Storm didn’t score for an entire 10 minutes of game action. From the 4:11 mark of the third period to the 3:48 mark of the fourth quarter, they went completely scoreless. Not a single layup, three-pointer, or even free throw during that time.

Jordan Horston scored on a cut to the rim to give Seattle their first basket in over a full quarter. Horston then found Loyd on the next possession for an AND1 layup.

Ezi briefly cut the deficit down to single digits but Kelsey Mitchell immediately knocked down another three to put Indiana back up 12 points at 78-66. Horston was able to knock down two free throws. Kristy Wallace then scored the game’s final basket. At the end of the game, the Fever walked away with an 80-68 victory.

Additional Analysis

Scoring Droughts

For a second game in a row, the Storm went ice cold and couldn’t buy a basket. They went more than 10 minutes between the third and fourth quarters without scoring a single point. That drought single-handedly lost them the game. Just as it did on Tuesday when they got dominated in the third period against the Connecticut Sun.

“It was nothing Indiana did. It’s just us. Offensively, we can’t go through lapses where we don’t score for six or seven minutes. We just need to be better. It’s happened in previous games. We can’t let it keep happening. We have to get stops and be more aggressive, get to the free throw line, etc.” Magbegor said after the game.

Ivana Dojkić chimed in with her thoughts on the team’s struggles.

“We are talking about it because we don’t want it to happen. To repeat the same mistakes. Sometimes it feels like when we get into this zone we struggle to get back. We need to start from the defense. We didn’t have the energy with our offense today. I need to be more focused, (bring) more energy, and make good decisions. We aren’t taking good shots and then we get down mentally.” Dojkić added.

I talked with Ezi after the game about whether or not the team was being aggressive enough on offense. I pointed out that during the 10+ minute drought they didn’t even have a single free throw attempt.

“You said it, we need to be more aggressive. Getting those foul calls. I think that’s going to create extra possessions for us. When we’re not scoring you want to get to the free throw line and start making our free throws.” Magbegor added.

Coach Quinn also talked to the media about the scoring drought.

“We’re not moving the ball. We’re not screening, we’re not diving, we’re not doing anything that brought us a success. We’re not doing anything a good offense should look like.”

I was blunt with Noelle after the game asking her what she can do as a coach when the team is going through a major slump and not scoring for 10 minutes.

“Question of the night. That’s the question of the night! There is no magical play that I can draw up. At the end of the day, we had open looks. We have to make our layups. We have to knock down our shots. We had 74 shots. We didn’t turn the ball over today. I’m not sure. I’m not sure how else I can emphasize when they are small let’s get the ball into the paint. I’m not sure how I can continue to emphasize to get into the ball screens and move the ball. It’s a matter of them doing it and executing it.” Quinn told me.

While I know there is a world of difference between the middle schoolers I coach and Coach Quinn coaching in the WNBA. But I honestly can relate to her frustrations. There are times I have told my players what they need to do, what plays to run, how to attack, how to be effective, and then they simply don’t execute. For middle schoolers, it’s understandable. For professional athletes, the players need to be better.

Busy Schedule

Ivana Dojkić talked about the challenges of playing every other day. Something she isn’t really used to coming over from Europe.

“I’m just trying to always do the things I’m here to do. To not think too much. We are playing every two days. There is a lot to adapt to. You finish one game and you’re already in another game. I’ve never been in that kind of rhythm. I’m also learning something new about myself - on how to get better during this short period. I need to be more focused and give 100% every game. No matter how long I’m going to be on the court I’m going to always try to lead, give the energy, passion, be the best I can on defense, and run the offense.” Dojkić stated after the game.

I spoke with Coach Quinn about the challenges and struggles with a new team where they aren’t getting extra practice time because they’re playing every other day.

“We need to practice! Because in practices we remove the game slippage. I think we’re better when we do practice. It is difficult because there is this notion of having players playing high minutes. We can’t overtax them. Our young group isn’t getting their minutes. They have their stay-ready games (during practices). They can do a little bit more but it’s difficult. The way in which we learn is through film. And a lot of talk and communication but that’s hard for this group because we just need the reps.” Quinn answered.

The Importance of Drafting Well

I am such a big believer in building your team through the draft. The Storm built their championship teams primarily through the draft. First with Lauren Jackson and Sue Bird and then several years later with Jewell Loyd and Breanna Stewart.

But it’s not just in Seattle. Look all around the WNBA. Yes the defending champions, the Las Vegas Aces, are a stacked team. But the majority of their key pieces were drafted by the organization. It helped that the organization landed the #1 overall pick three years in a row between 2017-2019. That landed them Kelsey Plum, A’ja Wilson, and Jackie Young. Sure, it took Plum and Young a few years to really establish themselves but alongside A’ja Wilson they have built one of the strongest cores in the WNBA. It’s also allowed them to attract key free agents in recent years including Chelsea Gray, Candace Parker, and Alysha Clark. Those free agents may not have joined the Aces without the team already drafting multiple stars.

Some teams haven’t been as fortunate. The Indiana Fever’s rebuild has lasted longer than any General Manager would have hoped for because they haven’t had as much luck in the draft. Despite having the best odds to win the lottery on a few separate occasions they never did until this year. Part of their extended rebuild was due to bad lottery luck and another part was the fact that some of their top selections didn’t pan out. The team cut both Lauren Cox and Kysre Gondrezick after roughly one season each with the Fever. Both of those players were lottery selections.

They also traded away Tearica McCowan, the 3rd overall pick in 2019, to the Dallas Wings for multiple first-round draft picks in the 2022 and 2023 WNBA Draft. Those picks turned into Emily Engstler, Lexie Hull, and Grace Berger. Like Cox and Gondrezick before her, the Fever waived Engstler after just one season.

It hasn’t been all mistakes and blunders for Indiana. Despite never making an All-Star team, Kelsey Mitchell (selected 2nd overall in 2018) has been a very good player for them. NaLyssa Smith, also selected #2 overall (2022), has shown a lot of promise in her first two seasons in the WNBA. Smith is averaging 14.1 PPG and 9.5 RPG this season. That’s up from already impressive numbers during her rookie season where she averaged 13.5 PPG and 7.9 RPG. Lastly, Aliyah Boston has been everything the Fever could have hoped for up to this point. Boston is the front-runner for the Rookie of the Year award and is averaging 16.0 PPG and 7.7 RPG.

Up to this point, the Fever have been more competitive this season than they have in several years. And I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of them sneaking into one of the final playoff spots. If they don’t, they will have another lottery selection in the 2024 WNBA Draft; because of the two-year rule, it would likely be the #1 or #2 overall pick. Adding another top talent will likely turn the Fever into legit playoff contenders moving forward and it’s all thanks to the draft. Even if it took them a little longer to get there than they wanted.

Up Next

The Seattle Storm (3-8) will host the Phoenix Mercury (2-9) on Saturday at 6:00 PM at Climate Pledge Arena.

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