In a heart-wrenching turn of events, the Seattle Storm saw their promising lead evaporate in a fourth-quarter meltdown, losing Game 1 of the WNBA playoffs 78-67 to the Las Vegas Aces. After leading 65-64 at the end of the third quarter, the Storm were outscored 14-2 in the final period, marking an unprecedented moment in WNBA playoff history with a quarter devoid of field goals.
The Storm started strong, showcasing an almost flawless first quarter with balanced scoring from Skylar Diggins-Smith, Nneka Ogwumike, and Mercedes Russell, who stepped in for the injured Ezi Magbegor. Seattle’s defense held A’ja Wilson, the Aces’ star and newly crowned MVP, to just one field goal in the first half, leading to an 18-7 advantage late in the opening quarter.
However, the momentum shifted dramatically in the second quarter as Las Vegas responded with a 14-4 run, allowing them to take a brief lead. The teams exchanged leads multiple times before halftime, with the Storm maintaining a slight edge at 42-38.
Seattle entered the fourth quarter with a narrow lead, but the offensive drought began, leaving them shooting 0 for 12 from the field. Las Vegas seized the opportunity, with Tiffany Hayes and Chelsea Gray leading the charge. Wilson found her rhythm, contributing significantly to the Aces’ comeback.They had fire and we gassed out,” said Ogwumike. “In a game like this, you can’t afford to have a two-point quarter.”
As the team processes the defeat, forward Gabby Williams expressed disbelief at the fourth-quarter collapse. “I’m still kind of in shock after that,” she said, emphasizing the need to analyze film for improvement.
Storm coach Noelle Quinn remained optimistic yet realistic, acknowledging the urgency of the situation. “We have to wash this off our backs and focus on Tuesday. This is do or die for us.”
Game 2 of the best-of-three series is set for Tuesday in Las Vegas. With their playoff lives on the line, the Storm must regroup quickly to overcome their fourth-quarter woes and extend the series. The spotlight will be on Seattle as they aim to bounce back and keep the championship hopes alive.