[ad_1]
-
Mechelle VoepelespnW.com
SEATTLE – After so many dramas during their recent outings, maybe it was inevitable that the opening match of the WNBA finals between Seattle and Washington did not have the same feeling. The storm did not allow it.
The match was a dream for Seattle and a failure for Washington, a 89-76 Storm victory that KeyArena fans really appreciated because it did not give them heart palpitations, like the two games 5 semifinals of the WNBA. In fact, if you were a fan of Storm, this game was really relaxing.
Seattle led 48-32 at half-time and in the third quarter, the Mystics seemed already in the mental space to try to prepare for Sunday's second game.
"When you're there, you never feel safe," Seattle's Sue Bird said. "We were constantly on the alert, but … we managed to provoke turnarounds, make a transition – which we like to do – and that set the tone.
"Once we go there, like any team, you start to feel comfortable, the basket expands, you become a bit more aggressive. what happened. "
The rim seemed huge for the guard Jewell Loyd, who had a bit of trouble during the semifinals and center Natasha Howard. And they took advantage of it, combining 17 out of 21 on the field. Loyd led Seattle scoring 23 points. As well as the Mystics' defense could be – even if we did not see him on Friday – it's still a relief for Loyd not to have to face a defender as boring as Briann in January.
"I have to be able to shoot and just have some short-term memory," Loyd said. "But it helps when you play with selfless people, who prepare you and give you the ball, and that is what makes this team special, everyone is ready to make the extra pass."
Howard had 19 points and the player par excellence Breanna Stewart 22.
"It was good to control the game all the time," Howard said.
Seattle definitely looked at Seed # 1. But Washington No. 3 looked tired – the Mystics were also on the road in the fifth game of their semifinal series with Atlanta – and lacked answers.
The good thing is that it's only a game in what could still be a compelling series. Or maybe it set the tone for Seattle, who took the lead not to let go.
The Mystics have not seen such a mediocre match since the July 28 All-Star Game. Coach Mike Thibault unloaded his bench on Friday trying to find some kind of spark. But no one has been found. Rookie Ariel Atkins had 23 points and was really the only bright spot for the Mystics.
"I do not know if it was caught in the present moment, the nerves of Match 1, or whatever," said LaToya Sanders' Mystics Center. "As bad as we have played, and as good as Seattle has played, it's still a defeat, when one or two people are hot and playing well, people benefit, they've got some momentum and their audience was from the beginning, and then everyone who came for them contributed. "
The storm led up to 27 in the third quarter. If it was not their best offensive game on the screen, it was, at the very least, revealing the power of a Seattle team when things work. This has been the case most of this season.
"When you speak from an identity point of view, we played our identity tonight," said Bird, who had seven assists but did not need Tuesday's big effort against Phoenix. "That's how we like to play, it's where we thrive.
"We just have a very mobile and athletic team that can be defensive and then how we go from defense to attack, we try to play at a pace that, hopefully, brings teams down."
As it seemed that the Mystics were already a little worn, it seemed that the Storm seemed to be a steamroller. It was essentially the kind of game Storm wanted.
The Mystics, on the other hand, must convince themselves that what we saw on Friday was their worst.
"We have to get back to what we are," said Mystics guard Kristi Toliver. "We are better defensive, we never found ourselves together [Friday]. Watching a movie will help; you have to study it and commit to being better.
"We're going to find a way, because we have the right pieces, it's about putting ourselves in a better position and finding what we can counter."
Source link
