Game three of the WNBA Semifinal playoff came down to missed opportunity. More so the Seattle Storm than the visiting Las Vegas who now have a 2-1 series edge in the best of five series.
Riding the momentum of the tough gritty game two wins in Vegas, the visitors were determined to win another game using the recipe that won game two. Attack the basketball with Kelsey Plum feed A’Jay Wilson in the low post and kick it out to Chelsea Gray for a three-pointer. The trio and Riquna Williams who was four of eight from the arc were the only Vegas players to record double figures.
BALANCED SCORING ATTACK
Wilson had a game-high 34 points to breach the plus 30 points for the second game in a row. Wilson also pulled down 11 rebounds eight of which were on the defensive end. Gray scored 29 points and dished out a game-high 12 assists. Plum was just simply solid scoring 16 points, dished out 7 assists, and pulling down seven boards. The multi-pronged attack saw the Aces take a 48-40 halftime lead with the Storm never having led in the first half.
BACK AND FORTH
The Storm found its rhythm in the third quarter with sharp ball movement and sending runners along the baseline forcing the Aces to shift their defense. The Storm outscored the Aces 24-20 in the quarter and crawled to a three-point lead halfway through the quarter. The lead was short-lived. A Jackie Young three-pointer as time ran out saw the Aces cling to a 68-65 lead after three.
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INABILITY TO CLOSE OUT GAME
Both teams found their offensive rhythm in the fourth quarter and the capacity crowd was hoarse and sore from shouting and giving each other high fives and a hug here and there.
What the crowd witnessed in the last fifteen seconds of regulation was magical and heartbreak.
Two Jewell Loyd free throws gave the Storm an 85-89 lead with 11.3 seconds left in the game. A Williams three-pointer seconds later brought the Aces with one point at 88-89 with 10.2 seconds left in regulation. The crowd became pensive and then took a big breath when Tina Charles was fouled with 6.9 seconds left. The breath became shot and heavy when Charles missed both free throws. Wilson’s driving lay-up with 2.9 seconds left gave the Aces a 90-89 lead and left the crowd gasping for oxygen.
A magical and unforgettable shot by Sue Bird with 1.9 seconds gave the Storm a 92-90 lead and sent the crowd into sheer bedlam. A miscommunication on the defensive end saw the Aces make an improbable lay-up to tie the game as time expired and send the contest into overtime.
The crowd was jolted into disbelief.
ALL ACES IN THE EXTRA PERIOD
The final sequences of regulation seem to have a dramatic effect on the Storm who were never able to find their footing during the extra period. The Storm was outscored 18-6. The Aces successfully pulled off the 110- 98 upset and take command of the series.
POSTGAME NOTES
STORY OF THE GAME
- After a second half which saw eight ties and five lead changes, Sue Bird’s corner three with :1.8 left in the game looked like it would be the game-winner, putting Seattle up 92-90. But Las Vegas’ Jackie Young got a lay-in at the buzzer to force overtime where the Aces pulled away to get the win.
KEY STATS OF THE GAME
- The two teams combined for 22 three-pointers in the game (Las Vegas 12, Seattle 10) after combining for just 23 through the first two games of the series.
- Breanna Stewart scored 20 points in the game, marking the ninth-straight time she has recorded 20+ points in a playoff game, breaking Cappie Pondexter’s WNBA record of eight-straight.
STORM HIGHLIGHTS
- Breanna Stewart tallied her sixth playoff double-double with 20 points and 15 rebounds. The 15 boards tied a playoff career-high. It was Stewart’s second career playoff game with 20+ points and 15+ rebounds as she joins Lauren Jackson as the only two players in franchise history to reach those marks.
- Sue Bird scored 17 points on 6-of-13 from the field, including matching a career playoff-high with five three-pointers. The last time Bird hit five three-pointers during the WNBA playoffs was exactly six years ago, making five three-pointers to beat the Phoenix Mercury in Game 5 of the 2018 WNBA Semifinals.
- Stephanie Talbot came off the bench to contribute a playoff career-high 12 points—all in the fourth quarter. She was 4-of-4 from the field in the fourth and 3-for-3 from three-point range.
- Seattle had six players score in double-figures for the first time in playoff game in a playoff game: Stewart (20), Bird (17), Jewell Loyd (17), Tina Charles (16), Talbot (12) and Ezi Magbegor (10).
- The Storm outshot the Aces 50.7%-50% during regulation, but Seattle shot just 30% (3-of-10) in OT to Vegas’ 70% (7-of-10).
ACES HIGHLIGHTS
- A’ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray combined for 63 of the Aces’ 110 points, with 34 and 29 respectively. Both also finished the game with double-doubles.
- Two other Aces players scored in double-digits: Kelsey Plum (16) and Riquina Williams (14).
NEXT GAME
The Storm hosts Game 4 of the best-of-five WNBA Semifinals on Tuesday, September 6, at 7 p.m. PT at Climate Pledge Arena. Fans can watch the game nationally on ESPN2.
