The Storm Shot Better Than the Sparks But Still Lost, and Our 3-11 Record Is Getting Hard to Ignore

Alright, Emerald City, can we talk? Because last night felt like a punch to the gut, even for us die-hard Seattle fans. Our Storm, playing right here at Climate Pledge Arena, went toe-to-toe with the Los Angeles Sparks in a Commissioner's Cup game, and despite shooting *better* than them from the field, we still dropped an 88-83 decision. Yeah, you read that right. We shot 46.9% to their 38.7%, and still couldn't close it out. This loss pushes our record to a brutal 3-11, and our Commissioner's Cup standing to 0-5. Seriously, something has got to give.

A Wild Ride That Went Sideways

Man, this game was a rollercoaster, and not the fun kind. We started hot, with Dominique Malonga hitting a turnaround jumper and a three-pointer, then Jordan Horston dropping a jumper to give us a sweet 7-0 lead just over two minutes in. We were feeling it! But then, Kelsey Plum went on a tear for the Sparks, hitting back-to-back threes to power a 10-0 run that quickly flipped the script. We clawed back to tie it at 14-14, only for Cameron Brink to drop eight straight points, including a three-point play and a triple, giving L.A. their biggest lead of that first quarter. Horston pulled us within 22-17 with a three to end the quarter. The second quarter was just as wild. Plum again pushed their lead to 34-25 with a pair of driving layups. But then our squad dug deep! Malonga hit two jumpers, and rookie Flau'jae Johnson added a three-pointer and a jumper during an 11-0 streak that put us back on top, 36-34, with a little over a minute left. And then, a gut punch: Rae Burrell hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to tie it up heading into halftime.

Heartbreak in the Fourth and a Rookie Shines

The second half started with Dearica Hamby breaking the tie for L.A., but our Storm responded with an incredible 11-0 run. Natisha Hiedeman, who had a slow start but finished with 16 points, capped that run with a long jumper and a three-pointer, putting us up 51-42! We were in control! The Sparks kept fighting though, with Brink pulling them within 67-66 by the end of the third. Then, in the fourth, Nneka Ogwumike took over, scoring seven of her game-high 24 points in that final frame. We were still right there, battling. With just 6.3 seconds left, Hiedeman had a look, a potential tying three-pointer, but it just wouldn't fall. Erica Wheeler then sealed it with two free throws at 1.6 seconds remaining. Amidst the tough loss, it's worth shouting out Flau'jae Johnson, who had an awesome night with 14 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists. Malonga added 15 points, Awa Fam had 12, and Horston contributed 11. It's tough to take when you shoot 46.9% from the field and still lose. Our D needs to get stops, plain and simple. What's next for our Storm? We gotta find a way to turn this around. We are 3-11 and sitting at the bottom of the Commissioner's Cup standings. Every game from here on out is crucial. We need to lock in, finish strong, and show everyone what the Seattle Storm are really made of. Let's go, Storm!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.