The Storm's Losing Streak Hit Seven, and One Call Tells You Why This Season Hurts

You gotta be kidding me, Seattle. Another one. The Storm battled hard at Climate Pledge Arena on Wednesday night, but when the dust settled, it was the Los Angeles Sparks walking out with an 88-83 victory. This loss isn't just another notch in the "L" column, it's our seventh straight, dropping us to a gut-wrenching 3-11 record. And honestly, this one stung a little extra because of who delivered the dagger.

Ogwumike's Revenge Game and the Storm's Struggle

Nneka Ogwumike, who played for our Storm for the past two seasons, came back to Climate Pledge and absolutely torched us for a season-high 24 points. Yeah, you read that right. Twenty-four points from a former Storm player. She also grabbed nine boards, pushing her into fourth on the WNBA career list, passing Rebekkah Brunson. Talk about a punch to the gut. The Sparks weren't a one-woman show, either. Kelsey Plum dropped 19 points and dished out 11 assists, while Cameron Brink added 15 points off the bench, and Dearica Hamby snatched 10 rebounds. This Sparks team, now 6-6, played with purpose in this Commissioner's Cup game.

Our Storm starters, bless their hearts, all hit double figures. Natisha Hiedeman led the charge with 16 points, Dominique Malonga chipped in 15, Flau'jae Johnson added 14, Awa Fam had 12, and Jordan Horston put up 11. It's frustrating to see that kind of balanced scoring and still come up short, especially in front of the 9,309 faithful who showed up to cheer their lungs out.

The Fourth Quarter Heartbreak in the Emerald City

This game felt like it was ours for the taking, but the fourth quarter was just brutal. The Sparks snatched the lead, 72-70, with 8:27 left after Chance Gray hit three free throws, and they never looked back. The real kicker came with just 28.9 seconds on the clock. Our Storm were down 86-83 when a defensive foul was called on the Sparks for a drive by Horston. We all thought, "Okay, here we go, a chance to get back in this!" But no, after a coach's review, that call was overturned, and the Sparks got possession. Are you kidding me? That's a backbreaker right there.

Los Angeles missed a long jumper, giving us a glimmer of hope with 12.1 seconds left and a timeout. But the Storm just couldn't get off a quick shot, settling for a long 3-pointer from Hiedeman that clanked off the rim. Plum then sealed our fate by sinking two free throws with 1.6 seconds remaining. It was a tough, tough way to lose, especially with the game on the line.

So, here we are, sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference with a 3-11 record, eight games behind Minnesota. This team is clearly struggling to find its rhythm. We host Golden State on Friday night. It's time to dig deep, folks. We need a win, and we need it bad. Let's show up loud and proud at Climate Pledge and help these women snap this painful streak!

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