Storm get contributions up and down lineup to make easy work of Mercury

SEATTLE – Too bad the Storm can’t play the Mercury in every game.

Against Phoenix, which is last in the WNBA standings, Saturday night the defense hardly looked better and those pesky third-quarter lulls that tormented the Storm this week weren’t an issue.

Jewell Loyd led the way with a game-high 24 points, seven rebounds and four steals, but the Storm relied on a collective effort from several unlikely sources to throttle the Mercury 97-74 in front of 9,122 at Climate Pledge Arena.

Not surprisingly, Ezi Magbegor finished with 15 points — the 11th time this season she’s scored in double figures.

Joyner Holmes added 12 points off the bench, which is the most she’s tallied since 2020 and one shy of her career high.

Sami Whitcomb, who had 14 points, and Kia Nurse each drained three three-pointers and were instrumental in the win that improved the Storm’s record to 4-9.

Phoenix stars Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi returned from a three-game layoff because of injuries, and Quinn knew the Mercury’s two leading scorers would be a problem.

“That’s two Hall of Fame players on the floor,” Quinn said. “They create mismatch problems. Historically, the best at their positions in this league. BG is very dominant. She’s able to score, alter shots and block shots. It’s a tough mismatch. She’s a load in the post.

“Then DT her ability to hit threes and timely threes. Her physicality and her competitiveness that drives a lot of what they do. That ignites Sophie, that ignites Michaela. Without them that doesn’t say they don’t have as much pride or whatever it is, but logistically on the court they present mismatch problems.”

The Storm held Griner to just 11 points — nine below her average — while Taurasi, who was scoreless in her previous matchup with Seattle, finished with 13.

The Storm seized control of the game during the second quarter while outscoring the Mercury 30-19.

On consecutive offensive trips, Whitcomb drilled a pair of three-pointers from the wing that gave the Storm a 47-32 lead with 1:48 left before halftime.

Seconds later, Mercedes Russell knocked down a couple of free throws that gave the Storm their largest lead of the half at 49-32 and they went into the break ahead 49-34.

The third-quarter woes that plagued the Storm during their two-game skid didn’t materialize Saturday night.

Loyd made sure of that.

Phoenix cut its deficit to 12 points (55-43) when Seattle put the game away with a 13-5 run.

Perhaps taking cues from Whitcomb, Loyd canned three-pointers from the wing on back-to-back offensive possessions for a 68-48 lead with 2:41 left in the period.

The short-handed Mercury, which lost Sophie Cunningham (back) midway in the second quarter, didn’t put up much of a fight the rest of the way.

Moriah Jefferson scored a game-high 15 points for Phoenix (2-10), which is on a five-game losing streak.