Jewell Loyd scored a game high 23points and Sue Bird was right behind her with 21 points as the pair led the Seattle Storm to a dramatic 90-78 comeback win over the the Minnesota Lynx. Forward Breanna Stewart was held to just 13 points as the Lynx chose to double team the 2020 Finals MVP and dared the Storm to beat them from the outside.
The Lynx strategy was effective early as another slow start by the Storm saw them trailing by ten after the first quarter at 26-16. Thursdays night’s game marked the second time the Storm were lethargic out of the gate. The culprit for the Storm has been early turnovers and an inability to find lanes to the basket. The Storm are struggling against bigger opponents who are clogging up the key and forcing them to shoot from the outside.
In the season opener the Storm were hot from beyond the arc and made 15 three pointers and beat the Las Vegas Aces 90-83. In the second game the Storm made just seven three’s and lost 86 to 90. What is not lacking from the Storm is hustle and defense. A rumble and tumble second quarter saw the Storm claw back and cut the Lynx lead to just six points to 28-44 with 1:04 left but went into the break down 33-48
A SECOND HALF STORM RISING
A determined Storm team continued to stay focused and determined that the shots would soon drop. The comeback began slowly in the third quarter, the Storm outscoring Minnesota 20-15 and closing the deficit to 10. Then, in the fourth quarter, Seattle blew the game open.
The Storm outscored the Lynx 37-15 in the fourth including a 22-3 run to end the, with Jordin Canada coming off the bench for all 10 minutes of the quarter to score 11. Loyd and Bird combined for another 13, the Seattle backcourt trio together totaling 60 points in the game.
Nine of Canada’s 11 points came on free throws, tying up the game with a little over three minutes remaining. Loyd hit a three with an assist from Bird for the lead, and the Storm distanced itself for the 90-78 win, it’s 10th straight vs. the Lynx.
POST GAME NOTES
The Storm recorded its third-largest comeback in franchise history, overcoming a 19-point, second-quarter deficit to win 90-78.
It was also the team’s second-largest road comeback behind a 21-point rally at Phoenix on May 22, 2008. Finally, the 15-point halftime deficit overcome by the Storm was its largest overcome on the road in franchise history.
The Storm outscored Minnesota 23-3 over the final 4:33 of the game and 37-15 in the fourth quarter overall.
KEY STATS OF THE GAME
- Seattle had five players in double figures including a game-high 23 points from Jewell Loyd, who added five rebounds and four assists.
- Sue Bird, who came off just her eighth-career scoreless outing on Tuesday, responded in a big way with 21 points—13 in the second half—and added eight assists.
STORM HIGHLIGHTS
- Jordin Canada recorded a season-high 16 points including 11 in the fourth quarter, connecting on 12-of-14 from the free throw line.
- Bird’s 21 points were her most since pouring in 21 against Washington in 2018 (7/8/18).
- After going to the line just six times through the first three quarters, Seattle took 14 trips in the fourth including 10 from Canada, who went 9-of-10 from the charity stripe over the final 10 minutes.
- The Storm doubled up the Lynx in steals with a season-high 12.
- The win was the 10th-straight victory over the Lynx dating back to the 2019 season. Despite that run, the Storm still trail Minnesota 39-37 in the all-time series.
