Storm Roll Past Mystics Behind the Star and Support Player

SEATTLE – Jewell Loyd had 9 out of 12 on the field and scored 23 points, Breanna Stewart added 20 and the Seattle Storm beat the Washington Mystics by 89-76 in the opening match of the W.N.B.A. final Friday night.

The first game of the finals in Seattle in eight years was marked by a dominant performance of the team, led by Loyd, who watched most of the fourth quarter of Seattle's victory over Phoenix in the semifinals.

Instead of sulking, Loyd became the leader of an effective offensive performance of the best team in the league during the regular season. Loyd scored 10 consecutive points in the second quarter when Seattle took control with a 16-4 run, and she combined with Stewart to score 20 of Seattle's first 22 points in the third quarter. Seattle led 27 in the third quarter and 26 in the early fourth quarter.

Seattle shot 53%, dominated Washington 46-28 inside and had 21 assists on 33 goals. This was done largely without the help of Sue Bird, the hero of the Game 5 against the Mercury, who scored only 4 points. Natasha Howard added 17 points, making seven of eight shots.

The second game of the best five series is Sunday.

The first game of the Mystics Finals has been mostly forgotten. Elena Delle Donne and Kristi Toliver struggled to shoot. Ariel Atkins had a team with 23 points, but no other Washington player scored more than Natasha Cloud, who scored 11 points.

Still struggling with left knee bruises that forced her to miss a game in the semifinal, Delle Donne finished 4th out of 11, finishing with 10 points, and she did not play the fourth quarter. Toliver continued their offensive playoff performance, reaching 2 points out of 11 on the field and scoring only 5 points.

Washington had averaged 86 points in the playoffs.

Seattle led by 16 at halftime, building the lead with minimal contributions from Stewart and Bird to the attack. Stewart, the most valuable player in the league, did not score a goal in the field for the first 15 minutes. Bird had a field goal and three assists in the first period. The storm was not three points before Sami Whitcomb's shot in the middle of the second quarter.

While Loyd was growing in the first period, both Washington teams were in trouble. Toliver and Delle Donne were a total of 3 out of 12 with 8 points and 4 turnovers. Delle Donne was tracked in the post and Toliver was often careless with the ball on the perimeter.