Storm fall 91-89 in final regular season game; Los Angeles’ late Spark* results in a close win
By Bel Garcia, edited by Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA - In the final game of the 2023 season, THE Seattle Storm welcomed the Los Angeles Sparks to town in hopes of ending the season on a high note. Both teams had already been eliminated from the playoffs, but both the Sparks and Storm were looking to finish the season with a win. Unfortunately for the Storm, they watched another lead disappear in the close 91-89 loss.
Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd came out to a huge ovation in pre-game introductions, a day after her two-year contract extension had been announced (Photo by Mathew Bermudez)
After news yesterday broke about a Jewell Loyd extension, the Storm have a lot to look forward to in the off-season. Loyd, the leading scorer in the WNBA this season, secured the contract extension yesterday. She’s averaged 24.6 PPG this season, and came into today’s final match up only needing to hurdle over former teammate Breanna Stewart’s total of 910.
Loyd clinched the WNBA single-season scoring record with 922 points early in the first quarter of the game, tallying eleven points nearly immediately into the game before she would add more. Turning up the heat early, Loyd understood the assignment on offense and opened herself up on the court to get her shots in. The Storm did a great job of reading plays when on defense and covering the Sparks when open. Communicating on the court whenever a possibility of an open Los Angeles player became available, Seattle put themselves in a position to get blocked shots, deflect the ball, and create turnovers.
Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd led the game with 28 points (Photos by Mathew Bermudez)
Seattle took the early lead over Los Angeles, powered by Loyd’s offense, but the Storm also kept the lead when the “Gold Mamba” took a rest on the bench. Keeping a double-digit lead for most of the first half, the Storm ended the first quarter shooting over 50% from the field while the points in the paint were an even match up. Seattle capitalized on their outside shooting, going 62.5% from beyond the arc, and from fast break points created from their defensive efforts. Seattle had the 8-0 lead in points over the Sparks when it came to fast break points, helping them in an area they’ve excelled all season long. Led by Ezi Magbegor on the boards, the Storm did well in an area they have previously struggled in – rebounding. In the second quarter, Magbegor set the single season franchise record for rebounds with 318 and counting on the season.
The second quarter looked a little different, as the Sparks found some more of their offense behind Jordin Canada and Nneka Ogwumike. Canada helped spread the floor, creating open shots for her teammates while also finding more of her own shots. Meanwhile Nneka, who was having a quiet night to that point, tripled her points from the first quarter, ending the half with 12 points. The Sparks swung the offensive rebounding in their favor, creating more second chance opportunities and converting on the shots. Los Angeles found themselves in a better position going into the half only down by single digits, at nine points.
Seattle Storm head coach Noelle Quinn said we’d see every player get time, and that was true except for Jade Melbourne. (Photos by Mathew Bermudez)
Sparks’ Canada got into the passing lane midway through the third quarter for the easy lay up on the other end of the court, cutting the lead once again to single digits, proving that Los Angeles wasn’t going away easily. For Seattle, Kia Nurse and Ezi Magbegor made a presence on offense, aside from Jewell Loyd, as they were the only other Storm players to score in double digits. Nurse found her rhythm in the second quarter and trickled points in through the second half. Magbegor was all over the stat sheet, with her defensive effort reflecting in rebound and blocks, but also finding her teammates and her offense in assists and points.
Ogwumike cut the Storm lead to only four points to end the third quarter with a floater from the right side of the basket, as she had really come to life for her team in the quarter. Nneka had been obstructing the passing lane and catching up to Jewell Loyd on points, as she was only two away from Loyd’s 24. Ogwumike was however in foul trouble going into the fourth quarter, collecting her fifth foul at the end of third. This influenced her minutes late in the game, having to start the final quarter on the bench. Ezi Magbegor was also in foul trouble in the fourth quarter, but was able to play for half of the quarter before receiving her fifth foul, subbing teammate Sami Whitcomb in to avoid an early exit. Whitcomb hit what appeared to be a dagger three from the corner. putting Seattle back up by double digits, at eleven.
Nearing the end of the game, Sparks guard Zia Cooke was fouled on a layup, making the basket for the and-one, cutting the Seattle lead to to just one point. The Storm have struggled with keeping the lead going into the second half, but the lead was withering away too close to the end. A Los Angeles steal from a Loyd pass late in the game, followed by an offensive rebound, gave the Sparks the lead for the first time since the first quarter. A gut wrenching miss by Loyd on the other end gave the ball back to Los Angeles, after yet another offensive rebound, Jasmine Thomas was fouled, extending the Sparks lead to to two even with a missed free throw. Seattle had the final shot of the game with 3.9 seconds remaining, but an Ezi Magbegor open pull up jump shot hit the front of the rim to hand the Storm a loss to end their 2023 season.
The halftime show of the Los Angeles Sparks at Seattle Storm game was the Seattle “Fly Dogs” (Photos by Mathew Bermudez)