Stewart, Bird put Storm on verge of title

BRADENTON, Fla. — Breanna Stewart scored 22 points as Seattle moved within a victory of a WNBA championship, beating the Las Vegas Aces104-91Sunday.

The Storm will try to win the franchise’s fourth title with a victory in Game 3 Tuesday night. Seattle won championships in 2004, 2010 and 2018, and Sue Bird was running the show in all three of them.

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 as the Storm had a more balanced offense. Stewart had 37 points in the series opener and Jewell Loyd added 28 in that game.

Sunday, the Storm had five players in double figures. Natasha Howard and Alysha Clark added 21 each to go along with Stewart’s and Bird’s efforts. Jordin Canada added10 points of the bench.

The Storm took over after Las Vegas had rallied from a 13-point deficit in the first half to take a 65-64 lead with 3:22 left in the third quarter.

Seattle scored 22 of the next 30 points over the next six minutes to go up double digits again, with Jewell Loyd ending the burst with a 3-pointer that made it 86-73. Las Vegas couldn’t respond.

A’ja Wilson had 20 points to lead Las Vegas, while Angel McCoughtry and Emma Cannon added 17 each. Cannon provided a spark off the bench for the Aces, who were missing Sixth Woman of the Year Dearica Hamby with a knee injury.

League honors

Wilson earned All-WNBA recognition for the first time in her young career. She was joined as a unanimous choice by Candace Parker of Los Angeles. Stewart was one vote short of being unanimous. Courtney Vandersloot of Chicago and Arike Ogunbowale of Dallas rounded out the first team.

Diana Taurasi and Skylar DigginsSmith of Phoenix headlined the second team. They were joined by Dewanna Bonner of Connecticut, Myisha HinesAllen of Washington and Napheesa Collier of Minnesota.