Miles, McBride Lead Lynx to 105-102 Win Over Storm

Seattle fell just short to Minnesota for their fifth straight loss.

Written By: Danny Williams
Twitter: danny_w22

(Seattle, Washington) – To beat the number one team in the league, the Storm (6-22) needed to be perfect, and for 38 minutes they were awfully close. However, two missed free throws and a turnover with 21.5 seconds remaining sunk the hopes of a promising performance as the Storm fell to the Lynx (21-6) by a score of 105-102 to notch their fifth straight loss. The Storm lost their second straight game, where they scored over 100 points, and their 11th overall loss within 10 points.

Despite a woeful last couple of minutes, Seattle played a tremendous offensive game. Seattle shot 50% (35-70 FG) and 46.4% (13-28 FG) from three-point range. The Storm also made 19 of its 22 free throw attempts.

Flau’Jae Johnson was the offensive engine for the Storm on Monday night. Johnson scored 26 points (7-11 FG) and hit five three-pointers, a career high. But down by three on the final possession, Johnson missed a wide-open triple, a shot she would certainly want to have back.

Johnson had this to say when asked about the final possession: “Coach drew up a great play, we executed very well. I have to hit that shot. I shoot too much. I’m going to get another shot like that and I’m going to make it. There’s going to be a lot of those [shots] in my career. So I wanted to take the shot, [I] wanted to make it.”

Dominique Malonga got off to a slow start, but scored eight of her 14 points (5-12 FG) in the fourth quarter. Malonga also added nine rebounds and two blocks. Awa Fam scored just eight points (4-9 FG) but led the team in rebounds with 11 and also dished out four assists.

Natisha Hiedeman had a double-double with 12 points (4-12 FG) and a team-high 10 assists. Zia Cooke poured in 18 points (6-12 FG) off the bench and hit three three-pointers. The Storm outscored the Lynx 37-10 on bench points.

Minnesota Lynx

The Lynx trio of Kayla McBride, Olivia Miles, and Courtney Williams scored 86 of their 105 points. The Lynx also shot well, 48.7% (37-76 FG) from the field and 41.7% (10-24 FG) from three.

Rookie of the Year favorite Olivia Miles delivered a monster performance – 32 points (13-24 FG) with eight rebounds and eight assists. Miles scored from all three levels and scored nine points in the final quarter.

McBride scored a team-high 33 points (9-16 FG) and drilled six three-pointers, tying a season high. Williams scored 21 points (8-13 FG) with three assists. Natasha Howard led all players in rebounds with 12.

Minnesota committed just nine turnovers to the Storm’s 15 and outscored the Storm in points-off-turnovers, 21-13. Minnesota also led in fast-break points (20-7).

Game Breakdown

Olivia Miles scored the game’s first bucket for the Lynx, and Jade Melbourne started the scoring for the Storm in response. Flau’jae Johnson nailed a triple, and Miles added two more points. Natisha Hiedeman dropped in a floater, then Courtney Williams buried a three for Minnesota. Johnson and Williams traded free throws. Natasha Howard scored in the paint, and Williams scored her seventh point of the opening quarter, giving the Lynx a four-point lead and prompting a Seattle timeout.

Jordan Horston scored out of the timeout, but Kayla McBride hit two three-pointers, and Miles scored on a fast break, pushing the Lynx's lead to eight. Miles drove inside again, but the Storm responded with eight straight points to cut the lead to two. Maya Caldwell drove for two, and the Lynx held a four-point lead after the first quarter, 27-23.

Caldwell scored a shot-clock beating three to start the second quarter. Stefanie Dolson found the bottom of the net from distance for her first points of the night. Zia Cooke hit two threes to tie the game at 32, but McBride scored five straight in response. Nia Coffey hit another three-pointer for the Lynx. Williams snuck inside for two more, forcing Sonia Raman to call time.

Out of the timeout, Dominique Malonga scored her first points of the night at the free throw line. The Lynx scored five straight, including another McBride triple. Johnson became the first Storm player in double figures after nailing a straight-away three. Miles scored again inside, but Hiedeman put in a three and found Awa Fam on a nice dish, forcing Minnesota to call time.

Cooke extended the Storm's scoring run to 7-0 on a layup. Johnson extended the run to 13-2 after drawing a foul on a three-point attempt and drilling one on the next offensive possession. Miles scored a tough scoop layup, and Hiedeman nailed two free throws, giving the Storm a one-point lead at the break, 53-52.

Johnson led the Storm with 16 points (4-4 FG, 3-3 3PT) at the half, while McBride and Miles both scored 14 to lead the Lynx. Both teams shot exceptionally well in the first half – 51.2% for Seattle and 58.1% for Minnesota. Seattle committed 10 turnovers, leading to 15 Minnesota points, and Minnesota made 10 free throws to Seattle’s four.

Fam buried a three to start the second half. Howard and Malonga traded putback buckets. Miles scored four straight, and Hiedeman nailed a mid-range jumper. McBride scored on a back-cut, and Miles added two more, giving the Lynx a three-point advantage. Johnson immediately cut the lead with an AND-1 layup. Cooke and McBride traded free throws. McBride hit two more foul shots, and Horston responded with a three-pointer. Howard scored on an offensive rebound, and the Lynx led 69-68 at the media timeout.

McBride and Malonga both scored out of the break. Miles and McBride splashed in a pair of threes to put the Lynx up by seven. Cooke ended the run with an AND-1 layup. Anastasiia Olairi Kosu got to the line for two, but Katie Lou Samuelson was fouled shooting a three and completed the four-point play. The quarter ended with the Lynx up by two, 79-77.

Williams started the scoring in the final period. Dorka Juhász split a pair at the free throw line. Johnson got the Storm on the board with a three. Malonga was fouled on an offensive rebound and proceeded to take over, scoring six straight points, giving the Storm a four-point lead. Miles stopped the Malonga run with a pair of free throws. Johnson found Fam inside for two, and Williams answered with a short push-shot.

Malonga scored inside again. McBride was fouled while shooting a shot from the arc and made all three free throws. McBride hit a three on the next possession, and Cooke responded with a baseline drive. Miles drove for two, and Courtney Williams hit a tough two to increase the Lynx lead to four. Johnson immediately nailed a triple on the other end, but Miles slithered in the lane for an AND-1.

Cooke countered with a three, but Miles once again responded with a tough step-back jumper. Johnson and Hiedeman drew fouls on back-to-back possessions, but combined to hit just two of the foul shots. Miles missed a jumper to potentially push the lead to three, and the Storm had a chance to take the lead with 21.5 seconds remaining. The Storm's inbounds pass was turned over, and McBride hit two free throws on the other end, all but icing the game. Fam put in a Hiedeman miss from three, bringing the lead back to one. Williams made two more free throws, and Johnson missed an open look for three at the buzzer. The Lynx escaped Seattle with the 105-102 victory.

Final Box Score

Up Next

The Seattle Storm (6-22) will rematch against the Minnesota Lynx (21-6) on July 22nd at noon. Minnesota has won the first two games in the season series. Let’s see if the third time is the charm for Seattle.

Notes:
Photography Credits: Seattle Storm/WNBA Photography
Thanks to Her Hoop Stats and Across the Timeline for being great resources!

Social Media:
Facebook (NEW): https://www.facebook.com/StormChasersBasketball
TikTok (NEW): https://www.tiktok.com/@wnbastormchasers
Bluesky (@wnbastormchasers.bsky.social)
Threads/Instagram (@WNBAStormChasers)
X/Twitter (@WNBAStormChaser)