▶ The Seattle Storm are one win away from second championship in past three seasons./
Storm on verge of second WNBA title in three years
Breanna Stewart and a recordsetting unselfish offense have the Seattle Storm on the verge of another WNBA championship,
Stewart scored 22 points to lead five Storm players in double figures in a 104-91 victory over the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday in Game 2 of the best-of-five series. The Storm will try to win their second title in three years Tuesday night.
“This is our moment to really finish the series and take home the championship,” Stewart said.
The Storm, champions in 2004, 2010 and 2018, know it won’t be easy to close out the series.
“Stay in the moment. They are good. The score doesn’t indicate it,” said Sue Bird, who ran the show on all three of the Storm’s titles.
Two days after she set the WNBA Finals and playoffs record with 16 assists, the 39-year-old guard had 10 to go along with 16 points. The team had 33 assists to set a WNBA championship round record.
“Having high assists isn’t abnormal for us. Thirty-three is amazing, goes to show the unselfishness of everyone on the floor and the confidence we have in one and another,“said Alysha Clark, who added 21 points.
Natasha Howard also had 21 and Jordin Canada added 10 off the bench to go along with Stewart, Bird and Clark’s double-digit effort.
A’ja Wilson had 20 points to lead Las Vegas while Angel Mccoughtry and Emma Cannon added 17 each. The Aces had 15 turnovers, to the dismay of coach Bill Laimbeer.
“We’re our own worst enemies some times,” he said. “Our turnovers hurt us badly. They are a fine basketball team and you can’t make those type of blunders against them.”