Skylar Diggins leads Seattle Storm to blowout win over Chicago Sky
By the look of it, Skylar Diggins thoroughly enjoyed her return after a one-game layoff.
Despite surrendering nearly a foot, the 5-foot-9-inch guard reached up and blocked a short jumper from 6-7 Sky center Kamilla Cardoso before turning to the Storm bench and flexing both biceps.
Minutes later, Diggins used an Ezi Magbegor screen at the top of the key to elude Chicago’s Hailey Van Lith and drained a three-pointer before jogging down court and breaking out the rock-the-baby celebration.
Diggins tallied a game-high 21 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks, and did a little bit of everything to lead the Storm to a 95-57 win and one of their best performances of the year.
It was Seattle’s largest margin of victory and the fewest points for a Storm opponent this season.
Aside from Diggins, who missed Tuesday’s 87-63 loss to Dallas due to personal reasons, the points off turnovers told the story Thursday night at Wintrust Arena.
The Storm forced Chicago, which leads the league in turnovers per game (17.3), into 18 turnovers, which led to 26 points.
Gabby Williams (10 points, four rebounds and seven assists) led Seattle’s smothering defense with three steals while Nneka Ogwumike (10 points) also had two thefts.
The Storm, who shot 53.8% on field goals, had six players score in double figures for the first time this season, including a career-high from rookie Dominique Malonga (14 points), Erica Wheeler (13 points) and Lexie Brown (12).
The short-handed Sky had just eight players available — the league minimum — while missing All-Star Angel Reese (back), guard Ariel Atkins (leg) and forward Michaela Onyenwere (knee) to injuries.
Chicago, which lost its three previous games and tallied just 68 and 49 points in its previous two outings, respectively, began the game with a never-used-before lineup featuring former Storm Kia Nurse and Rachel Banham in the backcourt with forwards Rebecca Allen and Elizabeth Williams on the front line with center Cardoso.
The Storm jumped on the Sky early and led 24-9 late in the first quarter after Malonga banked in a short jumper.
Both teams struggled to score in the second period, but Chicago had three times as many turnovers (nine) than field goals, which allowed Seattle to maintain control and go into halftime ahead 39-26.
Seattle, which ended the second quarter with six straight points, began the third period with eight unanswered points during a decisive 17-1 run capped by Williams’ three-point play for a 52-27 lead midway in the quarter.
The Storm outscored the Sky 31-17 in the third and 25-14 in the fourth when the starters watched from the bench.
Cardoso and Banham each had 13 points for the Sky, who fell to 7-17.
Seattle improved to 15-10 at the start of its three-game road trip that continues Saturday against the Washington Mystics.