Seattle’s best
WNBA’s Storm close in on a title thanks to a recordsetting offense.
BRADENTON, Fla. — Breanna Stewart and a record- setting 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 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 39year- 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. Thirtythree 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.
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. 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.”
Laimbeer’s team faced two elimination games against Connecticut in the semifinals before winning both to reach the championship round.