WNBA: After gradual begin, Loyd, Diggins-Smith get going for Seattle

Issues appear to be coming collectively for the Seattle Storm—maybe extra slowly than followers would love, however absolutely nonetheless.

Seattle exits the Memorial Day weekend with a 3-3 document, which can appear lukewarm for a crew that had arguably the strongest free company interval of any crew within the WNBA final winter. However after a 1-3 begin to the 2024 WNBA season that included two underwhelming losses to the Minnesota Lynx, the Storm have righted the ship, profitable their final two video games towards the Indiana Fever and Washington Mystics, and looking out like a way more cohesive unit than they did weeks in the past.

The Storm’s efficiency towards Washington was notably spectacular, with Seattle profitable 101-69 and taking pictures 61.7 p.c from the sector as a crew. That’s the second-highest such determine within the Storm’s 25-year historical past, and it’s indicative of a bunch of gamers that’s significantly extra comfy enjoying collectively than it was when the season started.

Photograph by Steph Chambers/Getty Photographs

Most encouraging of all was the play of guard Skylar Diggins-Smith, who recorded 16 factors and 9 assists. Diggins-Smith had struggled along with her shot in her first 5 video games, connecting on simply 30.3 p.c of her area purpose makes an attempt and 6.7 p.c of her 3-pointers, however she shot 6-for-9 towards Washington and turned the ball over simply as soon as in 26 environment friendly minutes. It’s the type of All-Star-caliber manufacturing the Storm anticipated once they signed Diggins-Smith within the offseason, and Seattle head coach Noelle Quinn thinks it’s just the start.

“She had two youngsters and hasn’t performed in 20 months. She’s not the place she shall be in Recreation 4 of the season,” Quinn stated of Diggins-Smith, asking for respect and persistence for her level guard. “She’s not going to return in a single day and be who she was 20 months in the past and we’ve to respect that and honor that.”

Diggins-Smith isn’t the one participant who the Storm must get rolling. Jewell Loyd, who led the WNBA in scoring final season at 24.7 factors per sport, has had comparable struggles; throughout Seattle’s 1-3 begin, Loyd shot 23.7 p.c from the sector, and although her free throw taking pictures (90.3 p.c on 7.8 makes an attempt per sport) buoyed her personal scoring effectivity a bit, Seattle wasn’t going to win many video games with their main offensive possibility lacking so many photographs.

The excellent news for the Storm is that no such acclimation interval has been wanted for Nneka Ogwumike. Save for an ankle harm that stored her out of two video games, Ogwumike has been her typical dependable self, main the crew in factors (21.3), rebounds (8.3) and steals per sport (2.3) whereas taking pictures 63.2 p.c from the ground. If Seattle’s backcourt continues to have rising pains—and likelihood is it should—Ogwumike shall be there to make sure the Storm stay aggressive.

What’s subsequent for the Storm

The Storm will make a journey throughout the Midwest this week, enjoying the Chicago Sky on Tuesday, Might 28 and visiting the Fever on Thursday, Might 30. In line with Throughout the Timeline, right here’s how the Storm’s foremost trio of gamers has performed towards the 2 groups throughout their respective careers:

• Jewell Loyd: 16.9 factors and 4 assists per sport (vs. Chicago); 18.4 factors and three.1 assists per sport (vs. Indiana)
• Skylar Diggins-Smith: 18.7 factors and 4.5 assists per sport (vs. Chicago); 14 factors and 4.7 assists per sport (vs. Indiana)
• Nneka Ogwumike: 17.6 factors and eight rebounds per sport (vs. Chicago); 18.8 factors and seven.4 rebounds per sport (vs. Indiana)