Storm Top Lynx 94-84 Part 2

Additional thoughts and interview quotes from Seattle's win against Minnesota

The Seattle Storm (6-4) outscored the Minnesota Lynx 46 to 35 in the 2nd half to hand Minnesota (9-1) their first loss this WNBA season. The 94-84 win was an incredibly fun basketball game to witness. If you missed any of it, you can read my full game recap at this link.

In Part 2, I wrote about the most important key to Seattle’s victory, more thoughts on a possible Li Yueru trade, and more reflection on Dominique Malonga’s impact. Plus, I’ve included the audio from the post-game press conferences and some of the best quotes from those interviews.

#1 Key to Victory

The Seattle Storm outshot the Minnesota Lynx 57% to 48%. They out-rebounded the Lynx 34-26. They dominated inside the paint, outscoring Minnesota 50-32. Despite all of that, I’m not sure any of those things were the actual reason they won the game. I think it might have been something else.

When these two teams met up in late May, the Minnesota Lynx beat the Storm 82-77. Seattle’s slow start cost them that game as they trailed Minnesota 14-2 in the first period before getting back on track. But there is something else about that game versus this one that stands out to me.

While watching this game, I noticed that the Lynx hurt the Storm in the pick-and-roll a lot. Alanna Smith scored the majority of her 14 points off the pick-and-roll with Courtney Williams. Want some proof? Pictured below is Alanna Smith’s shot chart from the game. She made five of her six shots inside the little circle next to the rim.

I kept wondering, why are they giving that up so easily? A lot of Smith’s rolls to the rim were uncontested or easy shots, just a couple of feet from the hoop. Surely, that can’t be Seattle’s strategy to give that up. And then it hit me. That’s exactly what their strategy was.

When the Lynx beat the Storm in Minnesota, Courtney Williams led her team in scoring with 23 points on 10-18 FG. She absolutely killed the Storm with her midrange jumper, which is arguably the very best in the entire WNBA.

How did Courtney Williams do in this game, you might be asking? You can view her shot chart below.

The Storm’s defense took Courtney Williams completely out of this game. She finished the game with three points, all from the foul line. The instructions from the coaches must have been for the defense to stay as tight onto Williams as possible. For the post defender (often Magbegor) to come up high on the screen until the defending guard could get over the screen and back in front of Williams. This left Seattle vulnerable to a rolling or slipping post player, as two defenders were more focused on stopping Courtney Williams from getting her midrange shot off than they were about giving up a layup. It sounds crazy. But it took Williams completely out of the game. And the Storm walked away with a 10-point victory. It was an excellent game plan by the Storm Coaches.

Li Yueru Trade Update?

I wrote a really long piece on the Li Yueru trade request. If for some reason you missed it, you can read it here.

I don’t have much of an update yet, but I did see a Chinese basketball account post that four teams have expressed interest in trading for Yueru. The account also mentioned the Storm are open to a deal, but that things are complicated due to the WNBA’s salary cap.

I tried to poke around to find out which other WNBA teams might be interested, but didn’t get any additional clarity at this time. In the article I linked above, I suggested possible trades with some of the other teams, including the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty.

Then, in Wednesday’s game against Minnesota, Li Yueru did not play at all. One of the first things I pondered was if she’s being held out because a trade proposal is in the works, and they don’t want to risk injury before the trade can be finalized.

Of course, it’s also possible that they didn’t play Yueru because the Minnesota Lynx play with a smaller lineup, especially now with Jessica Shepard out for Eurobasket competition. In this game, the Lynx only used two post players in Collier and Smith.

And as I wrote about in Part 1, Coach Quinn used less of her bench in this game with a lot on the line and the importance of this win for the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup.

It is interesting, though, that I suggested the Storm and Lynx swap Li Yueru for Diamond Miller, and neither player played in Wednesday’s game. Minnesota needs more post depth. Seattle could take a flyer on the once dynamic scorer who has fallen out of favor with Coach Reeve’s rotations. It could be a perfect trade that benefits both teams.

But there are a lot of other factors to consider. It’s possible that despite not using Miller as part of her regular rotations, Minnesota may not want to give up on the 2023 #2 overall pick just yet. It’s also possible that Miller’s previous injury has just derailed her career, and she is damaged goods at this point. As I wrote about in my Li article, the Lynx might try to get Seattle to toss in one of their three first-round picks (LA’s pick should 100% be off limits), and maybe Seattle balks at that asking price. Lastly, two other factors come into play. While Miller could be a solid scoring option off the bench for Seattle, likely taking minutes away from Cooke and Lexie Brown, she wouldn’t help the Storm with more three-point shooting. She is a sub-30% shooter from deep in her career. Seattle might also want to avoid potentially making the Lynx better, as Minnesota would be one of the Storm’s biggest threats to their title chances.

It’s interesting to think about the possibilities and what may happen before the trade deadline.

Dom Malonga = Gamechanger

Ezi Magbegor picked up her 4th foul with 4:19 left in the third period. That forced Coach Quinn to go to her bench, and she subbed in Dominique Malonga. At the time, the Storm trailed 62-56. The game’s momentum changed once Dom came into the game.

Malonga grabbed a defensive rebound. Then she found Skylar cutting from the opposite end of the baseline for an assist to Diggins. Alanna Smith gets called for an offensive foul. Erica Wheeler finds Dom down low for a made layup. Minnesota turns the ball over again. Nneka Ogwumike scores to tie the game. Malonga’s one mistake in the period happens when she’s hesitant to take a shot or not and gets called for a three-second violation.

Dominique forced Napheesa Collier into an airball on a three-point attempt. Malonga collects an offensive rebound off a Skylar Diggins missed jumper. Dom doesn’t hesitate this time and scores immediately off the O-Board. After Kayla McBride and Ogwumike swap baskets, Seattle leads by one point. With less than 30 seconds to go in the third, Malonga forces Collier into another airball on a shot that was only five feet from the rim. Seattle gets out in transition, but Collier is able to knock the ball out of bounds from behind. The Storm retained possession, got the ball into Dom who smartly cut to the rim when no one else was open. She glided to the rim for her third score of the quarter. Seattle doesn’t allow Minnesota to get a shot off to end the period as Malonga and Gabby Williams trap McBride in the corner.

When Dominique Malonga came into the game, the Storm trailed by six. In that four-minute span, she helped spur Seattle on to outscore the Lynx 12-3. And as I detailed above, she had a hand in almost every single possession on both ends of the basketball court. That also got the crowd riled up, which handed the momentum over to Seattle.

I’ve just been amazed by Malonga this season. Yes, she is only 19 years old and still makes some mistakes like that three-second violation. Yes, she has had moments where she’s been rejected by Napheesa Collier, A’ja Wilson, and Brittney Griner. All three felt like “Welcome to the W!” moments for her. And yet, she has been fearless. She’s not afraid to challenge those stars at the rim. She wasn’t afraid to take the shot against Las Vegas with the game on the line in the final minute.

Her numbers don’t jump off the page. She plays less than 10 minutes per game and averages just under 5.0 PPG. But she is shooting 60% from the field. And more importantly, she is just scratching the surface of her potential, but her potential is already so evident.

She is just getting started. Just imagine what she might be able to do in the playoffs this season after getting to experience a 44-game WNBA season. Now think about what she might be like 5 years from now when she’s entering the prime of her career and has five years of experience in the WNBA.

Player Interviews

On Erica Wheeler being emotional after the game and her thoughts on the win.

Wheeler responded, “It was about us. Like I keep saying, it's never about anybody else. It's about us, just putting games together for ourselves. And that's a really great team. And it was for us, it was just more so executing the things that we've been working on for the past two days, because we don't get to practice. We finally got two practices to practice and we were locked in. And today, that showed. So the emotions for me at the end was more so just me getting back to who I am, being on a team that appreciates everything that I do, a coach actually believing in me and allowing me to just be me unapologetically. So that's why I was emotional. The love from Seattle has been crazy, man. I just feel good here. I'm happy. Everything is just clear.”

On the team’s defensive effort against Napheesa Collier (shot 9-23 FG).

Nneka answered, “Yeah. I mean, she's a problem. She's a problem. I think that in the beginning, we were trying our best to get her off of her spots. I didn't really guard her much today, but I thought Ezi and Dom did an amazing job on her. She's just one of those players that’s going to score. And so dictating how it happens is kind of the name of the game. So trying to basically crowd her, make sure that she's not too comfortable when she catches the ball was what we were trying to do. And I think that they did a really good job at perhaps maybe reducing her efficiency in that way.”

On why Wheeler is finding so much success this season.

Erica replied, “I mean, it's my teammates. I think I said in an arena, we like each other. We accept each other as we are. I'm crazy some days. I can never really take a day off of my craziness, so. They just accept me for who I am. And like, as you know, I played with Pokey in 2019 who helped me become an All-Star. So she's always in my ear saying things that I can't say out loud. That kind of gets me going. And I think the biggest thing is Skylar. Like just being able to embrace me and like share it with me. She's so unselfish. She allowed me to be me. I allow her, you know, to be her and we receive each other in that way but she's been huge for me she's always talking to me just giving me that confidence just to be who I am and that's gonna be it like Sky and the coaching staff and my teammates just allow me to be me.”

What message does this send to the team and Storm locker room when they can beat the Lynx when Minnesota played so well?

Ogwumike told me, “This is the championship-contending team. And not just this team. It's an organization. I've been playing against Minnesota for 14 years. I've been playing against Cheryl for 14 years. She knows what the hell she's doing. Her players know what they're doing, and they run what they do very well. Noey said before the game that we cannot make mistakes because Minny is the type of team that is going to capitalize on those mistakes. So for us to be able to, I think, maybe match the aggression by putting points on the board. It was a very high-scoring first quarter and half, really. We needed to tighten up our defense in that way. But for us to be able to manage the tempo, manage the runs, and stay present. Stay present within each possession. I think that's a huge step in the right direction for our team.

On players being allowed to express themselves and be who they are, and how that can benefit the team on the court.

Nneka said, “I think they're vital. I think it's very vital. I mean, you see how E is describing her experience here. It's something that I've always wanted when I'm on a team. I've been on teams where that wasn't always the case. But being able to be you allows you to also play you. And embracing that in a way where there's a balance. I think that our front office and our coaching staff also were very intentional about balancing everyone who can be themselves on a team together. And in moments where perhaps, personalities mix and match, like we have a group of people that know how to be mature about it, that know how to be light about things, we know how to address just the common things that you experience in relationships, and being teammates is a very, very, that's a… you know, we're with each other every single day. So I'm very happy that E's able to come up here and say that she's comfortable, she's able to be herself. I've played with her before, and I didn't think I could get to know you even more. But I guess that's what happens when you foster an environment where people can be themselves and then let go and just play as hard as they can for each other.”

With everything that’s gone on with the Storm over the past few months and last season. That last quote was very interesting to me.

Coach’s Quotes

Did the team grow up in the 4th quarter by outplaying Minnesota in the clutch moments? And on Malonga’s development.

Coach Noelle Quinn said, “Probably going to the third quarter, just down 11 and rallying, and just stringing together possessions of good defense and pretty good offense. Specifically with Dom, it is good to see that the moment isn't too big for her. And if you think about who she's been having to defend already, like A’ja, you know, she got switched on to Chelsea, Satou, and now Phee. The professional career that she's had early on, I think, has set her up for these particular moments and obviously, getting veteran games, and she's going to continue to grow, but to have veterans around her that help with the trajectory of her growth is important. And, as a whole, like the resiliency of the team to rally, never say die. It happened on the defensive end, and then we were able to take care of the basketball and really execute on the other end, make really good plays. But down the stretch, a deflection from Gabby, rotations, contests, and the rebounding fueled by Ezi today. It was really good to see a lot of great performances all around.”

On Erica Wheeler’s impact and getting others involved.

Quinn replied, “Connector in chief, yeah. First of all, E (Wheeler) is an amazing human being. And the things that are happening to her on the basketball court, I feel, are a direct reflection of who she is as a person. An excellent teammate, shows up every day with the correct mindset, and yeah, the connector in chief, not only on the court off the court and to play big minutes and in that particular stretch I thought she was able to push the pace a little bit and Gabby and Sky are off the ball. I've been getting on her a little bit for not shooting open shots, but I thought that she was really, really impactful in her minutes and not only on the offense but the defensive end. She's small in stature, but not small in heart and desire and want and will, but at the end of the day, an amazing teammate. And the things that are happening to her right now are a direct reflection of who she is.”

On if this was a measuring stick type of win.

“Another big one. Minnesota is a great team. They're a well-oiled machine. They play with so much continuity. They move the ball. You make a mistake and they make you pay. And I think the measuring stick was whose discipline is going to prevail today, because you look at Cheryl Reeve’s teams, like their defense, they're so disciplined, and they're so disciplined in what they do in their system. And today we had to match that or exceed that, and to be able to score 90, and relatively like hold players to their averages. I think that's super important. And then, like the details of the things that we need to get better in our turnovers, our rebounding, the things that we've been emphasizing to be able to do that against the number one or top team in this league, shows where we are and where we can be. And we have a lot to build from in this particular game,” Quinn stated.

What does this win tell the players in the Storm locker room about their potential, and how badly did Coach want this win?

Quinn told me, “Yeah. You know, there are a few layers for today's Commissioner Cup, you know, we're at home and we want to get on a streak in a row. And I talk to you guys a lot about the wins and the losses, but there's a way that we want to be playing. And today, that feels really good. It means like our standard has to remain this, no matter who we're playing. So against the Minnesota and against the Vegas, our same energy and effort has to come against any team because in this league, everybody is a pro and on any given night can win games. So the amount of focus and fortitude and resilience, plus the execution of that, not just playing hard, but being very efficient in what we're doing. Except for the free throw line. These are the things that we're continuing to emphasize and harp on and just the growth, and it just showed in a game like this. So super proud of our group.”

On putting this team together and building chemistry.

“It's very intentional. We were very intentional in the offseason with wanting to build our culture. And everyone who is on this roster is committed to that. And I've talked about it on day one. When you put on a Seattle Storm jersey, there is a standard of excellence that is expected. And to have a lot of buy-in matters. It's them as individuals, like they want it the way that they are intentional about their off-court touch points, to the way that they communicate with each other in practice during games. And there's a respect and a continuity and a chemistry that is happening because everybody wants the same thing. And for me, it makes my job easier when that is happening. They're coaching themselves. They're talking through things, and the culture was a huge emphasis in the offseason, and I feel like right now we are really, really, I don't want to say executing that, but we're feeling it, and it's showing in our play.” Coach said.

Notes:
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