The Seattle Storm got absolutely shelled on their home court at Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday, falling 90-74 to the Los Angeles Sparks. It was a brutal loss, giving the Sparks their second straight win and third victory in four games, building serious momentum before the FIBA World Cup break.
A Crushing 13-0 Blitz That Gutted Our Home Court
Los Angeles jumped out with the first 13 points of the game, and the Storm never truly recovered from that initial punch. Rae Burrell started the whole mess with a layup, kicking off their stunning 13-0 run. The Storm couldn’t buy a bucket, missing their first six shots. Burrell and Nneka Ogwumike combined for eight points during that opening assault, and Erica Wheeler just twisted the knife with a quick triple. Dominique Malonga finally put the Storm on the board with a jumper, but Nneka kept pouring it on with five more points, maintaining their dominant start. Zia Cooke gave us a small spark off the bench with five points, but it wasn’t nearly enough. Monique Akoa Makani even drained just her second triple as a Spark. By the end of the first quarter, LA was already up by a staggering 14 points. It was a gut punch for the home crowd.
No Answers as LA Kept Piling It On
The Storm tried to fight back, scoring six in a row to kick off the second period, but LA shut it down fast. Chance Gray hit a three, and while Cooke responded with a triple of her own to get her to 10 points, Gray just knocked down another one right after. Nneka was already the first Spark to hit double figures, making every shot look effortless, and by the 5:44 mark, LA was up by 19. They were shooting a ridiculous 75% in that quarter and 59% overall from the field, while the Storm managed to hit just 3 of 9 shots. Malonga tried to stop the bleeding with another layup, and Cameron Brink had a stellar showing off the bench with six points and three assists. Burrell took over again, scoring six straight to get herself to 10 points. Flau’jae Johnson logged eight points for our squad, but by halftime, LA was still up by 19, having led by as much as 22. That dominance kept rolling into the third quarter too. Malonga hit another jump shot, and Burrell got on the board for the Sparks with two free throws. Wheeler drained another triple. Nneka was up to 17 points and Burrell to 14, and by then, Cooke was still the only Storm player in double figures.
Man, this loss stings, especially right before the FIBA World Cup break. The Sparks are riding high with serious momentum, clocking three wins in four games. For our Storm, it feels like we’re heading into the break with more questions than answers. Cooke showing some fire was a positive, but it just wasn’t enough to overcome that early onslaught and LA’s consistent shooting. It’s time for some serious regrouping and soul-searching during this break. We need to come back with that Emerald City fight. Go Storm!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Silver Screen and Roll.
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