Seattle loses opener of WNBA Finals despite frenzied comeback
UNCASVILLE, CONN. — What started as a close game and evolved into a rout ended up turning back into a close contest.
But the Seattle Storm could not overcome the 16-point, second-half hole it had dug for itself in Game 1 of the best-of-3 WNBA Finals on Friday night. The Storm managed to cut its deficit to two points with 17.4 seconds left, but still lost a 68-64 decision to the Connecticut Sun before a sellout crowd of 9,341 at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
Game 2 will be played in Seattle at 4 p.m. Sunday. Game 3, if necessary, will be Tuesday. Both games would be at KeyArena and shown on ESPN2.
“If only we could have played the whole game like we did the last five minutes,” said Sue Bird, one of three Seattle players to score in double figures, with 12 points. “It’s very disappointing. Why didn’t we take advantage of our opportunity?”
The Storm hadn’t had a double-digit deficit through the first five games – and two rounds – of the playoffs. Seattle had never trailed in its final two games against Sacramento in the Western Conference Finals.
“They did to us what we did to Sacramento,” said Seattle’s Lauren Jackson, who tied with Connecticut’s Wendy Palmer-Daniel for game-high scoring honors with 16 points
“They played good defense and were making their shots.”
During the Sun’s run, the Storm did neither.
After a first half that included three ties and eight lead changes – with no lead greater than Connecticut’s six-point advantage – the Sun was up 33-29 at halftime, thanks in large part to an effective inside game.
Then Seattle came out and turned over the ball twice and missed a 3-point shot, while the Sun made two uncontested baskets for five points before 90 seconds had expired in the second half.
“We had unforced turnovers and they got off to a quick start,” said Seattle’s Sheri Sam. “And that hurt us.”
The quick start to the second half rapidly turned into a 63-47 Connnecticut lead with 7 minutes, 21 seconds remaining. While the Sun had hurt Seattle inside during the first half, it started hitting its outside shots after the break, while Seattle’s shooting went cold.
“I didn’t hit a lot of shots that I normally make,” said Jackson, who averaged 27 points against Sacramento, but only converted 6 of 19 field-goal attempts in the opener. “But we’ve been here before – I’m not worried.”
How the Storm ended the game at least gave it momentum for Sunday’s Game 2, as it staged a 12-1 run to cut the Sun’s lead to 64-59 with about two minutes left. But Seattle missed eight of its last 10 shots and was reduced to fouling Connecticut, which made 7 of its last 10 free throws to seal the win.
“I’m really happy that we put up a fight at the end of the game,” Seattle coach Anne Donovan said. “But it was Connecticut all the way – they took us out of our game.”
Connecticut shot 46 percent from the floor while Seattle hit 35 percent. The Storm had 42 rebounds, including a WNBA Finals-record 20 on the offensive end.
The Storm, which shot 56.8 percent from long range against the Monarchs, was 6 for 16 against Connecticut.
But shooting wasn’t what really hurt the Storm.
“We have to pick up our defense,” said Betty Lennox, who led Seattle with 17 points and eight rebounds. “Defense got us to where we are now, and we just didn’t do a good job defensively. That has to change for Game 2.”
But despite holding a 1-0 lead, and being on a five-game postseason winning streak after dropping its first playoff game against Washington in the first round, Connecticut wasn’t completely thrilled with its performance, either.
“Our lapses were such that we let them back in the game,” Sun coach Mike Thibault said. “(Seattle) has to be discouraged by the 16-point deficit but encouraged by how they came back.
“Our team knows we’re going to have to play better (at KeyArena) to win.”
For the second consecutive playoff series, the Storm finds itself in a must-win situation.
“It’s the same but different (as the Sacramento series),” Sam said. “This matters more – this is for a world championship.”