Storm Save Season, Win 86-83 over Aces

Seattle outscored Las Vegas by 11 points in the 4th quarter to force Game 3.

(Seattle, WA) - The Seattle Storm’s season hasn’t ended yet. Trailing by 12 points with seven minutes left in the 4th quarter, Seattle outscored Las Vegas 23-8 to end the game. Rookie Dominique Malonga scored the go-ahead basket with 31 seconds left in the game. Seattle got a defensive stop against A’ja Wilson, and Skylar Diggins found Dom leaking up the court. Malonga scored in transition and was fouled by Chelsea Gray. The 19-year-old calmly sank her AND1 free throw to put Seattle ahead by one. The Aces turned the ball over on the following possession, and Skylar Diggins hit a contested shot in the lane with under five seconds to play. Jewell Loyd got a great look at a three-pointer to send the game to overtime, but it rimmed out. Seattle survived with an 86-83 playoff victory.

Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins did everything they could to keep the team’s season alive. Ogwumike led with a double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds. Diggins added 26 points and a team-high seven assists. The two veterans weren’t ready to stop playing playoff basketball. With the win, Seattle forces a decisive Game 3 back in Las Vegas on Thursday night.

Erica Wheeler and Dominique Malonga stepped up big off the bench. They were Seattle’s only reserves and each scored 11 points. Wheeler hit a couple of big three-pointers. Malonga had another stellar performance, finishing with a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds. Seattle’s bench outscored Las Vegas’ 22-16.

The Storm out-rebounded Las Vegas 32-29. Seattle had more points in the paint (34-30), second-chance points (5-4), and fast break points (16-4). They also forced Vegas into 15 turnovers and outscored the Aces 18-11 in points off turnovers.

While the Storm weren’t quite as efficient overall on their field goals. They did outshoot Las Vegas 50% (10-20 FG) to 37% (7-19 FG) from beyond the arc. In Game 1, the Aces had a 21-point advantage from the three-point line. They also took 16 more shots in the game.

The raucous sellout crowd of 12,500 willed Seattle to a victory. The home team closed the end of the first half on a 7-0 run to stay within striking distance. They finished the game on a 16-4 over the game’s final four minutes.

Las Vegas Aces

A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young did it all for the Aces. Wilson was dominant throughout without a double-double of 21 points and 13 rebounds. She made 7-12 FG and 6-11 FT. Wilson also added five assists and two blocks.

Jackie Young took over in the 2nd half, including scoring 14 points in the third quarter as Las Vegas pushed its lead to double-digits. Young finished with a team-high 25 points. She was a perfect 8-8 FT from the foul line.

Jewell Loyd had some clutch moments as well. She hit some impressive shots, including three three-pointers. Loyd finished with 13 points and was the only real contributor off the bench for the Aces.

Seattle did a good job of taking everyone else out of the game with their defense. Dana Evans scored two points after tallying 13 in Game 1. NaLyssa Smith had seven points. Chelsea Gray was also limited to seven points on 3-9 FG. Gray did have a game-high nine assists.

Las Vegas will have the homecourt advantage in the decisive Game 3, but they will also have all the pressure on them. They were the heavy favorites going into this series and beat Seattle by 25 points in Las Vegas just a few nights ago.

Game Breakdown

Jackie Young knocked down the game’s first basket. After a Seattle miss, A’ja Wilson scored on a midrange jumper. Nneka Ogwumike answered with a corner three. Sykes got a steal and was fouled in transition. Ogwumike took and made the transition take free throw. After a couple of empty possessions by both teams, Ogwuike scored on the mismatch down low. Kierstan Bell drilled a three-pointer. Ogwumike scored again, giving her all eight of Seattle’s points through the first three minutes.

The Aces had another miss, and Ezi Magbegor found Gabby Williams going to the rim for two. That gave the Storm a three-point lead and forced Coach Becky Hammon into a timeout. Jewell Loyd checked into the game and immediately knocked down a deep two. Nneka answered with a three-pointer. A’ja Wilson made back-to-back baskets to tie the game at 13-13.

Jewell Loyd knocked down a three-pointer. Then Chelsea Gray sank another jumper as the Aces extended their lead to five. Las Vegas used a 9-0 run to retake the lead. Dominique Malonga was fouled and made both free throws. A’ja Wilson was fouled on the other end and hit both free throws.

Ezi scored from the pick-and-pop. Dominique Malonga scored on a nice feed from Brittney Sykes to cut their deficit to one at 20-19. Seattle then retook the lead on a Gabby Williams drive. Chelsea Gray hit another one of her patented shots to end the first. Las Vegas led 22-21 over Seattle. The Aces outshot the Storm 56% to 44% in the first half.

A’ja Wilson scored on an easy basket to the rim. Dominique Malonga hit a deep two on a kickout by Magbegor. Loyd hit another three-pointer. Dana Evans was fouled and made both free throws to push the Aces’ lead to six. Nneka subbed in and immediately scored. Loyd was fouled and split the two free throws. Skylar got going with a couple of made baskets.

Dana Evans made a three-pointer at the shot-clock buzzer, but it was later waived off. Brittney Sykes got to the rim for two. NaLyssa Smith drove right past Nneka for an easy layup. Smith then found the mismatch down low against Sykes to score again. Diggins answered with a three-pointer to keep Seattle within two. Another triple by Skylar briefly put the Storm ahead by one, but A’ja countered with one of her own on the next possession.

Wilson was back at the foul line again and made one of two. Skylar turned the ball over. Jackie Young made a difficult shot that rolled around and in. Gabby badly missed a three and Chelsea Gray made one to put the Aces lead to eight. Ezi drove past Smith and scored over A’ja. Skylar stole the inbounds pass and sank a three-pointer. Seattle got another stop; Diggins was fouled and made two free throws.

Las Vegas had an eight-point lead with 1:20 left in the half. The Storm finished on a 7-0 run. The Aces led 45-44 at the midway point. Vegas was red-hot, knocking down 59% (17-29 FG) of their shots and 42% (5-12 FG) from beyond the arc. Seattle wasn’t far behind at 50% (17-34 FG) and 50% (5-10 FG) from deep.

Kierstan Bell scored the first basket of the 2nd half. Slim Sykes got it back. Bell scored again, getting position down low. Wilson and Smith combined to make two free throws to push the Aces’ lead to five at 51-46. More free throws, this time from Jackie Young, extended Vegas’ lead even further. Young scored two more times, including a three in transition. The 11-2 run by Las Vegas put the Aces ahead 58-48.

Ogwumike knocked down a much-needed three-pointer. Jackie Young was fouled on a three-point attempt, and scored again in the paint, giving her 12 points for the period and the Aces a 12-point lead. This forced Coach Quinn to call a timeout.

Out of the timeout, Seattle fed the ball inside to Malonga who scored. Dominique did a good job of stopping A’ja down low, but Wilson found Jewell Loyd who buried the three and a dagger into Seattle’s heart. A free throw by Cheyenne Parker-Tyus pushed the Aces’ lead to 14 points. Ogwumike responded with an AND1 and then a three-pointer. Gabby Williams was fouled and made both free throws. Jackie Young got to the rim and scored at the third-period buzzer. The Aces led 69-61 at the end of three.

NaLyssa Smith scored at the rim. Skylar answered back with an AND1, but missed the free throw. Wilson made two more free throws to put Las Vegas up by double-digits.

A’ja scored from 10 feet out, extending the Aces’ lead. Skylar nailed a running jumper. Erica Wheeler hit from downtown to cut the lead to seven. Jackie Young dropped in a layup after a NaLyssa Smith offensive rebound. Wheeler sank another jumper. Another pair of free throws from Jackie Young extended the Aces’ lead back to nine.

Skylar pulled up from beyond the arc to cut it to six. The Storm’s defense forced a timeout from Aces head Coach Becky Hammon after a long defensive stand. Out of the timeout, the Storm defense shut down the Aces, resulting in a 24-second violation. Erica Wheeler knocked down a huge three to cut the deficit to three. A free throw from Nneka after a take foul by Chelsea Gray shaved the lead to two. Jackie Young answered the bell for the Aces with a massive AND1. Erica Wheeler hit another big shot over Jewell Loyd, making it a one-possession game again. Loyd was able to get to the line and made one of two.

Diggins hit a jumper and Malonga converted a massive AND1 to take an 84-83 lead with 31 seconds left, forcing a timeout from Coach Hammon. The Storm’s defense forced a huge turnover out of the timeout. Diggins nailed the shot of the season for the Storm, extending the lead to three with just 4.2 seconds left. Jewell Loyd missed a wide-open three at the buzzer, and the Storm survived 86-83. 

Final Box Score

Up Next

Winner-Take-All Game 3 will happen on Thursday, September 18th at 6:30 PM in Las Vegas.

Part 2

Part 2 will include additional thoughts and discussion from Tuesday’s playoff game against the Las Vegas Aces. It’ll be sent exclusively to paid subscribers.

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