Natisha Hiedeman's Missed Three Stung, and Seattle's 0-5 Cup Record Is Getting Hard to Swallow
Okay, 12s, we gotta talk about last night. Our Seattle Storm, playing right here at Climate Pledge Arena, fought like absolute warriors, but ultimately fell short against the Los Angeles Sparks, losing a tight one 88-83. It was a Commissioner's Cup game, and honestly, the gut punch felt even deeper knowing what was on the line. Nneka Ogwumike was a monster for L.A., dropping a game-high 24 points, seven of those in the fourth quarter, plus nine boards. But the real kicker? We're now sitting at a brutal 0-5 in the Commissioner's Cup. Yeah, you read that right. O-for-FIVE. That’s a tough pill to swallow this early in the season.
Back-and-Forth Battle: A First Half for the Ages
If you walked away from the first half, you missed a total rollercoaster! The Storm came out firing, with Dominique Malonga hitting a turnaround jumper and a three-pointer, and Jordan Horston adding a jumper for an early 7-0 lead. We were feeling it! But L.A. quickly responded with a 10-0 run, thanks to Kelsey Plum hitting back-to-back threes. We tied it up at 14, then Cameron Brink went on her own eight-point tear, including a three-point play and a three-pointer, giving the Sparks their biggest lead of the period. Horston closed the first with a three, pulling us within 22-17. The second quarter was just as wild. Plum got two driving layups to put L.A. up 34-25, but then our squad went on an incredible 11-0 streak! Malonga had two jumpers, and rookie Flau'jae Johnson added a three-pointer and a jumper, putting us back on top 36-34 with just over a minute left. Seriously, that rookie is special, finishing with 14 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists! It felt like we had all the momentum, but Rae Burrell hit a three at the buzzer to tie it at halftime. You just knew this one was going down to the wire.
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The third quarter started with a quick L.A. layup, but then the Storm showed their fight again, dropping 11 straight points! Natisha Hiedeman was huge, capping that run with a long jumper and a three-pointer to give us a 51-42 lead. Hiedeman ended up leading us with 16 points, bouncing back after a slow start. Malonga finished with 15, Awa Fam had 12, and Horston added 11. We were shooting 46.9% from the field, way better than the Sparks' 38.7%! But L.A. clawed their way back, with Brink hitting free throws and a layup to shrink our lead to just one point, 67-66, heading into the fourth. That fourth quarter was just brutal. Nneka Ogwumike kept making plays, and then, with 6.3 seconds left, Hiedeman had a look for a potential tying three-pointer. It just didn't fall. Erica Wheeler then hit two free throws with 1.6 seconds left, sealing the 88-83 win for L.A. Man, that stung.
It’s tough to watch us fight so hard and come up short, especially when we’re 0-5 in the Commissioner’s Cup now. We’ve got to find a way to close these games. The effort is there, the talent is there, but finishing strong is where we need to lock in. Let's get it right next time, Emerald City!
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.