Seattle, the WNBA is operating on a whole different level this season, and the Storm just got a front-row seat to the explosion in a crushing 114-77 loss to the Las Vegas Aces. It’s not just one game, though. The entire league is putting up offensive numbers we’ve never seen before, and defenses are struggling big-time to keep up.
Offensive Records Are Falling Left and Right
We’re talking historic levels of scoring. With just a couple of games left before the regular season wraps up, it’s clear: WNBA teams are hitting record highs in almost every major metric. We’re seeing an average of 87.1 points per game, a 51.6 percent effective field goal percentage, a ridiculous 104.9 offensive rating, and a pace of 83.1. Seriously, the ball is going in more than ever before.
You gotta ask, are these offenses just that good, or are defenses hitting the snooze button? Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve, whose team actually has the WNBA’s second-best defense, sounded off about it before facing the Sparks on June 17. She said straight up, “I don’t think players are playing as much defense as they have in the past. We’ve become very very offensive centric in the mindsets of, I would say, the majority of the teams.” That’s a damning take from a coach with one of the league’s top units. Get this: the Golden State Valkyries are the only team in the entire league with a defensive rating under 100. It’s the first time in WNBA history that only one squad can say that. That’s wild.
The Young Guns Are Firing On All Cylinders
Part of this offensive surge is absolutely coming from the league’s new talent. These young guns are stepping onto the court like they’ve been here for years, ready-made to light it up. Caitlin Clark, Olivia Miles, and Paige Bueckers? They’re playing like hurricanes, just terrorizing defenses and giving teams no time to adapt. Clark, for example, dropped the WNBA’s first-ever 45-point and 10-assist game, and yep, that was in a win over our Seattle Storm. She also became the first WNBA player ever to post back-to-back 30-point and 10-assist games. The woman has 13 double-doubles in points and assists this year alone, and she only needs three more to snag the single-season record, with Indy still having four games left. That’s totally within reach.
Then you’ve got Paige Bueckers, averaging 20.4 points per game while shooting an insane 50.8 percent from the field. She’s one of just three guards scoring 20 points and making half their shots. And don’t sleep on Olivia Miles, who’s setting a new standard for rookies. She’s putting up 19.7 points and six assists per game, hitting 39.6 percent from deep, all while leading the Lynx to the best record in the WNBA. These new players aren’t just good, they’re changing the game.
With just a couple of games left in the regular season, the Storm and the rest of the league are facing a brand new landscape. The offense is undeniably electric, but what does it mean for the Storm to figure out their own defensive identity against this onslaught? It’s not an easy task, but it’s definitely something for the coaching staff to look at as we head into the final stretch. Keep an eye on Clark’s record chase, too; it’s gonna be fun to watch history unfold. This league is wild right now, and our Storm are right in the thick of it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Swish Appeal.
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