Seattle's Storm fall short in securing a playoff position following their defeat to New York Liberty.
Seattle Storm Fall Short in Playoff Push Against New York Liberty
In a tightly contested match at a packed Climate Pledge Arena, the Seattle Storm fell short in their quest to clinch a spot in the WNBA playoffs, losing to the New York Liberty 84-76.
The Storm, who were aiming to secure their playoff berth with a victory, found themselves trailing early in the fourth quarter. A three-pointer by Kennedy Burke and a driving basket by Rebekah Gardner gave New York a 72-64 lead.
However, the Storm refused to give up. Natasha Cloud and Breanna Stewart made back-to-back three-pointers, forcing a New York timeout with 7:15 left on the clock, trailing 67-62.
But it was Stewart who sealed the deal for the Liberty in the closing minutes. She scored the final 10 points of the game, 8 at the free-throw line, over the final 3 minutes.
Stewart finished the game with a impressive stat line of 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Despite her efforts, the Storm were outscored 45-29 in the second half of the game.
Nneka Ogwumike led the Storm with 20 points, and Skylar Diggins added 14 points. Brittney Sykes had a strong third quarter, completing a three-point play to give Seattle a 54-45 lead.
Unfortunately for the Storm, Los Angeles' loss to Atlanta earlier in the evening meant that a Storm victory would have secured a playoff berth. With one more loss by Los Angeles or a win next Tuesday against Golden State, Seattle can still secure their spot in the playoffs.
Sabrina Ionescu did not play for the Liberty due to a toe injury, resting in the hope of being ready for the playoffs.
The Storm have struggled at home this season, with a record of 9-12 and losses in eight of the past nine home games. This loss marks their second straight home loss, a disappointing end to what was a promising game for the Storm.
Despite the setback, the Storm remain in control of their playoff destiny and will look to bounce back next week against the Golden State Warriors.
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