Skylar Diggins delivered a standout performance, scoring 26 points, including a crucial jumper with 4.2 seconds remaining, as the Seattle Storm secured an 86-83 victory over the Las Vegas Aces.
This win on Tuesday night forced a decisive Game 3 in their playoff series. Nneka Ogwumike also contributed significantly with 24 points and 10 rebounds.
The Storm’s triumph marked their first playoff win since 2022. They will face Las Vegas again on Thursday for a chance to advance to the WNBA semifinals. The Aces had ended the regular season with an impressive 16-game winning streak and won Game 1 on Sunday. However, Seattle managed to rally from a 79-70 deficit with a strong 16-4 run.
Dominique Malonga played a pivotal role by making a layup while being fouled with just 31 seconds left. She converted the free throw, giving Seattle its first lead at 84-83 since it was 37-36 earlier in the game. Chelsea Gray’s turnover while attempting to pass to Jackie Young added to Las Vegas’ woes.
Ogwumike received an inbounds pass with 27.7 seconds remaining and held onto the ball until passing it to Diggins with about 14 seconds left. Diggins then drove into the lane and scored near the free-throw line, extending Seattle’s lead to three points. Jewell Loyd had a chance to tie the game at the buzzer for Las Vegas, but her three-pointer missed.
Jackie Young led Las Vegas with an impressive 25 points, while Aja Wilson added another strong performance with 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for her 22nd playoff double-double. Despite their efforts, they couldn’t secure a win against Seattle’s determined play.
In another playoff matchup, Kelsey Mitchell scored 19 points, including four three-pointers, leading Indiana Fever past Atlanta Dream with a score of 77-60. Aliyah Boston supported with 15 points as Indiana extended their series against Atlanta to Game 3.
Indiana Fever’s Victory
The Fever will face Atlanta again on Thursday in Game 3. Atlanta hasn’t won a playoff series since 2016, while Indiana’s last series victory was in 2015. Natasha Howard added valuable support for Indiana with her contribution of 12 points and five rebounds.
Mitchell also provided four assists alongside Boston’s five rebounds and three assists. Te-Hina Paopao led Atlanta off the bench with her contribution of 11 points, while Rhyne Howard added another ten points.
The Dream struggled offensively, falling short by an average of their regular-season per game by about twenty-five points. Allisha Gray managed nine points and seven rebounds despite facing foul trouble and briefly clashing with fans during the fourth quarter.
This marked Indiana’s first home playoff game since they faced Minnesota Lynx in October of that year when they emerged victorious by six points. The Fever capitalised on their home crowd’s energy to secure this important postseason win.