77 — 98
A hot Seattle start lasted only a few minutes
The Storm were sharp enough early to suggest a difficult night for Las Vegas. Dominique Malonga scored the game’s first basket at 9:29 of the opening quarter, Flau'jae Johnson added two early finishes, and Awa Fam’s layup at 5:27 put Seattle ahead 12-10. For that stretch, Malonga’s interior scoring and Johnson’s downhill work gave the Storm a direct, simple attack.
Then the game tilted hard. Jackie Young tied it at 10 with a running layup at 5:43 of the first, and when Cheyenne Parker-Tyus buried a 24-foot three at 4:32, Las Vegas had the lead for good. The rest of the quarter became a Young showcase: a 25-foot jumper at 4:09, another basket at 3:40, a 25-foot pull-up at 3:00 and a driving layup at 1:40. Chelsea Gray added a three, Mai Yamamoto hit from deep, and the Aces turned a two-point deficit into a 29-18 first-quarter edge.
Seattle did answer at the start of the second. Johnson drilled a three at 9:38, and Malonga scored on three straight possessions to trim the margin to 29-25. But that was as close as the Storm came. Las Vegas settled back into the game through Wilson and Young, and the numbers behind the half told the story of control rather than chaos: the Aces went to the break up 52-43 and would end the night having led for 86 percent of it.
Wilson at the line, Young everywhere else
Las Vegas had the two most stabilizing performances on the floor. Wilson finished with 30 points on just 13 field-goal attempts because she lived at the line, going 16 of 18 on free throws while adding eight rebounds, four assists and three steals. Young was just as damaging in a different way: 23 points, eight assists, no turnovers, and 10-for-15 shooting. Gray’s 15 points and four assists gave the Aces a third creator, and Las Vegas ended with 20 assists on 32 made baskets, the mark of an offense that was producing clean looks instead of forcing its way through the night.
The decisive stretch came after Seattle threatened in the third. Johnson’s layup at 5:35 cut the score to 60-54, close enough to make the game feel unsettled again. Las Vegas responded with a sequence that kept changing the question before Seattle could answer it: Wilson hit a turnaround jumper at 5:22, Stephanie Talbot scored at 4:49, Wilson added a floater at 3:59, Gray converted a technical free throw at 3:53, Young knocked down a 28-footer at 2:01, and Parker-Tyus closed the quarter with a three at 12.3 seconds. What might have become a one-possession game instead became a 76-64 Aces lead entering the fourth.
The fourth quarter removed the last suspense. Yamamoto opened it with a three at 9:38, Gray followed with a pull-up jumper at 8:26, and suddenly the lead was 17. Malonga briefly stemmed the flow with back-to-back baskets, but Gray hit a three at 6:34 and added a layup at 4:52 to push the margin to 88-68. Las Vegas did not need one overwhelming individual burst; it had a chain of accurate ones. That is how a good offensive night becomes a 21-point finish.
Two Seattle standouts, and too little around them
Seattle can point to two excellent individual efforts. Malonga was terrific, scoring 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting with eight rebounds, and Johnson supplied 29 points, six assists and four steals while making five of her eight three-point attempts. Those two were responsible for 54 of the Storm’s 77 points, and for long stretches they were the only reason the score remained within reach.
The problem was the rest of the offensive picture. Outside of Malonga and Johnson, the Storm got 23 points and shot 8 for 37 from the field. The supporting cast made just 1 of 15 from three. Seattle actually did some things well enough to stay competitive in another kind of game: it won the rebounding battle 35-28, collected 11 offensive boards to Las Vegas’ three, and scored 36 points in the paint. But those extra possessions were swallowed by the efficiency gap. The Aces shot 51 percent from the field; the Storm shot 39.4 percent.
Our take: Seattle’s clearest area to clean up is the one Las Vegas punished all night. The Storm committed 20 total turnovers, the Aces turned those into 25 points, and Las Vegas also posted 27 fast-break points with 13 steals. That does not erase the good work from Malonga and Johnson, but it explains why their production was not enough. On the Aces’ side, the only real statistical caution light was on the glass. Las Vegas won comfortably while being outrebounded 35-28 and allowing 11 offensive rebounds. If the shooting cools on another night, that extra-possession gap matters more. On this night, though, the cleaner arithmetic belonged entirely to Las Vegas: better shooting, better three-point shooting, more free throws made, and control of the game almost from the moment Young and Wilson took it over.
Scoring moments
- 1st Quarter · 9:29
Dominique Malonga makes 4-foot layup (Flau'jae Johnson assists)
- 1st Quarter · 8:58
A'ja Wilson makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 8:47
Flau'jae Johnson makes driving layup (Natisha Hiedeman assists)
- 1st Quarter · 8:22
Dominique Malonga makes layup (Awa Fam assists)
- 1st Quarter · 7:27
A'ja Wilson makes 17-foot turnaround jump shot
- 1st Quarter · 7:09
Flau'jae Johnson makes 4-foot two point shot
- 1st Quarter · 6:49
Chelsea Gray makes 23-foot three point jumper (Stephanie Talbot assists)
- 1st Quarter · 6:31
Flau'jae Johnson makes two point shot (Dominique Malonga assists)
- 1st Quarter · 5:59
A'ja Wilson makes 13-foot jumper (Jackie Young assists)
- 1st Quarter · 5:43
Jackie Young makes running layup
- 1st Quarter · 5:27
Awa Fam makes layup (Flau'jae Johnson assists)
- 1st Quarter · 4:32
Cheyenne Parker-Tyus makes 24-foot three point jumper (A'ja Wilson assists)
- 1st Quarter · 4:09
Jackie Young makes 25-foot running jump shot (Chelsea Gray assists)
- 1st Quarter · 3:40
Jackie Young makes two point shot
- 1st Quarter · 3:25
Mai Yamamoto makes 23-foot running jump shot (Jackie Young assists)
- 1st Quarter · 3:00
Jackie Young makes 25-foot running pullup jump shot
- 1st Quarter · 2:08
A'ja Wilson makes free throw 2 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 1:40
Jackie Young makes driving layup (A'ja Wilson assists)
- 1st Quarter · 1:28
Flau'jae Johnson makes 23-foot three point jumper (Dominique Malonga assists)
- 1st Quarter · 58.0
Cheyenne Parker-Tyus makes running layup (Jackie Young assists)
- 1st Quarter · 3.6
Dominique Malonga makes 26-foot three point jumper (Flau'jae Johnson assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 9:38
Flau'jae Johnson makes 25-foot three point step back jumpshot
- 2nd Quarter · 9:08
Dominique Malonga makes 20-foot jumper (Natisha Hiedeman assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 8:41
Dominique Malonga makes 8-foot two point shot
- 2nd Quarter · 6:53
Jackie Young makes 9-foot pullup jump shot
- 2nd Quarter · 6:31
Taylor Thierry makes two point shot
- 2nd Quarter · 6:23
A'ja Wilson makes two point shot
- 2nd Quarter · 5:47
Dominique Malonga makes 3-foot layup (Flau'jae Johnson assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 5:14
Awa Fam makes 21-foot jumper (Flau'jae Johnson assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 4:56
Jackie Young makes 6-foot driving floating jump shot
- 2nd Quarter · 4:24
Mackenzie Holmes makes running layup (Jade Melbourne assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 4:06
A'ja Wilson makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 4:06
A'ja Wilson makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 3:39
A'ja Wilson makes 10-foot two point shot (Jackie Young assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 3:24
Mackenzie Holmes makes two point shot
- 2nd Quarter · 3:17
A'ja Wilson makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 3:17
A'ja Wilson makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 2:59
A'ja Wilson makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 2:59
A'ja Wilson makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 2:41
Dominique Malonga makes two point shot
- 2nd Quarter · 2:28
Chelsea Gray makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 2:28
Chelsea Gray makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 2:12
Flau'jae Johnson makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 2:12
Flau'jae Johnson makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 1:41
Dominique Malonga makes 12-foot pullup jump shot (Jordan Horston assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 1:10
Dominique Malonga makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 1:10
Dominique Malonga makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 1:02
A'ja Wilson makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 1:02
A'ja Wilson makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 41.7
Jackie Young makes running layup
- 2nd Quarter · 30.2
Jewell Loyd makes 24-foot running jump shot (A'ja Wilson assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 9:18
Jackie Young makes 18-foot step back jumpshot (Chelsea Gray assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 8:52
Flau'jae Johnson makes 26-foot three pointer
- 3rd Quarter · 7:55
A'ja Wilson makes running layup (Jackie Young assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 7:31
Flau'jae Johnson makes 25-foot running pullup jump shot (Awa Fam assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 7:12
A'ja Wilson makes free throw 1 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 7:12
A'ja Wilson makes free throw 2 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 6:58
Dominique Malonga makes free throw 1 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 6:58
Dominique Malonga makes free throw 2 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 6:43
Chelsea Gray makes free throw 2 of 3
- 3rd Quarter · 6:43
Chelsea Gray makes free throw 3 of 3
- 3rd Quarter · 6:02
Flau'jae Johnson makes free throw 2 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 5:35
Flau'jae Johnson makes 5-foot layup (Natisha Hiedeman assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 5:22
A'ja Wilson makes 14-foot turnaround jump shot
- 3rd Quarter · 4:49
Stephanie Talbot makes 16-foot pullup jump shot (A'ja Wilson assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 4:25
Stefanie Dolson makes free throw 1 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 4:25
Stefanie Dolson makes free throw 2 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 3:59
A'ja Wilson makes 7-foot driving floating jump shot (Chelsea Gray assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 3:53
Chelsea Gray makes technical free throw
- 3rd Quarter · 3:46
Natisha Hiedeman makes free throw 1 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 3:46
Natisha Hiedeman makes free throw 2 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 3:16
Taylor Thierry makes 24-foot three point jumper (Stefanie Dolson assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 2:59
A'ja Wilson makes free throw 1 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 2:59
A'ja Wilson makes free throw 2 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 2:44
Natisha Hiedeman makes 2-foot two point shot
- 3rd Quarter · 2:01
Jackie Young makes 28-foot three pointer
- 3rd Quarter · 1:07
Jewell Loyd makes free throw 2 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 1:00
Jade Melbourne makes free throw 2 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 12.3
Cheyenne Parker-Tyus makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jackie Young assists)
- 4th Quarter · 9:38
Mai Yamamoto makes 24-foot three point jumper (Chelsea Gray assists)
- 4th Quarter · 8:26
Chelsea Gray makes 15-foot pullup jump shot
- 4th Quarter · 8:03
Dominique Malonga makes 5-foot two point shot (Flau'jae Johnson assists)
- 4th Quarter · 7:26
Dominique Malonga makes 9-foot pullup jump shot
- 4th Quarter · 7:09
Mai Yamamoto makes 7-foot two point shot
- 4th Quarter · 6:34
Chelsea Gray makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jackie Young assists)
- 4th Quarter · 4:52
Chelsea Gray makes 3-foot layup (Jackie Young assists)
- 4th Quarter · 4:20
Flau'jae Johnson makes running layup (Jade Melbourne assists)
- 4th Quarter · 4:20
Flau'jae Johnson makes free throw 1 of 1
- 4th Quarter · 4:00
A'ja Wilson makes free throw 1 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 4:00
A'ja Wilson makes free throw 2 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 2:58
Flau'jae Johnson makes 25-foot three point jumper (Awa Fam assists)
- 4th Quarter · 2:18
Taylor Thierry makes free throw 2 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 2:01
Ta'Niya Latson makes 7-foot pullup jump shot (Cheyenne Parker-Tyus assists)
- 4th Quarter · 2:01
Ta'Niya Latson makes free throw 1 of 1
- 4th Quarter · 1:39
Ta'Niya Latson makes 26-foot three point jumper (Cheyenne Parker-Tyus assists)
- 4th Quarter · 1:15
Awa Fam makes 8-foot jump bank shot (Jade Melbourne assists)
- 4th Quarter · 13.0
Ta'Niya Latson makes running layup (Cheyenne Parker-Tyus assists)
Seattle Storm — Players
| Player | MIN | PTS | FG | 3PT | FT | REB | AST | TO | STL | BLK | OREB | DREB | PF | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Horston | 19 | 0 | 0-2 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -20 |
| Dominique Malonga | 24 | 25 | 10-13 | 1-3 | 4-4 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Awa Fam | 23 | 6 | 3-14 | 0-5 | 0-0 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | -26 |
| Natisha Hiedeman | 31 | 4 | 1-8 | 0-6 | 2-2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -13 |
| Flau'jae Johnson | 32 | 29 | 10-21 | 5-8 | 4-7 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | -3 |
| Mackenzie Holmes | 16 | 4 | 2-3 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | +7 |
| Taylor Thierry | 18 | 6 | 2-4 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | -4 |
| Stefanie Dolson | 14 | 2 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -20 |
| Jaylyn Sherrod | 3 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -5 |
| Jade Melbourne | 19 | 1 | 0-3 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | -21 |
Las Vegas Aces — Players
| Player | MIN | PTS | FG | 3PT | FT | REB | AST | TO | STL | BLK | OREB | DREB | PF | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephanie Talbot | 16 | 2 | 1-2 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Brianna Turner | 18 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | -2 |
| A'ja Wilson | 30 | 30 | 7-13 | 0-1 | 16-18 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 | +24 |
| Chelsea Gray | 29 | 15 | 4-8 | 2-5 | 5-6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | +9 |
| Jackie Young | 31 | 23 | 10-15 | 3-6 | 0-1 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +23 |
| Cheyenne Parker-Tyus | 19 | 8 | 3-8 | 2-2 | 0-0 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | +21 |
| Kierstan Bell | 2 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +3 |
| Kalani Brown | 3 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -5 |
| Jewell Loyd | 24 | 4 | 1-5 | 1-4 | 1-2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | +25 |
| Dana Evans | 4 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -7 |
| Ta'Niya Latson | 3 | 8 | 3-3 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +2 |
| Mai Yamamoto | 21 | 8 | 3-6 | 2-4 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | +12 |
Seattle Storm — Team statistics
| FG | 28-71 |
|---|---|
| Field Goal % | 39 |
| 3PT | 7-26 |
| Three Point % | 27 |
| FT | 14-19 |
| Free Throw % | 74 |
| Rebounds | 35 |
| Offensive Rebounds | 11 |
| Defensive Rebounds | 24 |
| Assists | 19 |
| Steals | 9 |
| Blocks | 3 |
| Turnovers | 18 |
| Team Turnovers | 2 |
| Total Turnovers | 20 |
| Technical Fouls | 1 |
| Total Technical Fouls | 1 |
| Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| Points Conceded Off Turnovers | 25 |
| Fast Break Points | 8 |
| Points in Paint | 36 |
| Fouls | 23 |
| Largest Lead | 5 |
| Lead Change | 1 |
| Percent Led | 12 |
Las Vegas Aces — Team statistics
| FG | 32-63 |
|---|---|
| Field Goal % | 51 |
| 3PT | 11-26 |
| Three Point % | 42 |
| FT | 23-28 |
| Free Throw % | 82 |
| Rebounds | 28 |
| Offensive Rebounds | 3 |
| Defensive Rebounds | 25 |
| Assists | 20 |
| Steals | 13 |
| Blocks | 5 |
| Turnovers | 13 |
| Team Turnovers | 0 |
| Total Turnovers | 13 |
| Technical Fouls | 0 |
| Total Technical Fouls | 0 |
| Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| Points Conceded Off Turnovers | 15 |
| Fast Break Points | 27 |
| Points in Paint | 30 |
| Fouls | 17 |
| Largest Lead | 21 |
| Lead Change | 1 |
| Percent Led | 86 |