Friday night's Seattle Storm vs. Minnesota Lynx game promised an exciting showdown between two historically well-matched teams. The Storm aimed for their first win of the 2024 WNBA season, while the Lynx sought their second consecutive victory.
Both teams entered the game having faced each other 81 times before. The Storm held a slight edge with 41 wins.
Alanna Smith started strong in the first quarter, scoring nine points, including a three-pointer, while Napheesa Collier added eight points and two steals, leading the Lynx to a 22-16 lead.
The Storm, meanwhile, failed to make a three-pointer in the first quarter.
By halftime, Collier led all scorers with 12 points, helping the Lynx to a 44-37 advantage.
Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith each scored eight points to pace the Storm, despite the team shooting a poor 39.4% in the first half.
Both teams struggled with turnovers in the first half, with the Lynx committing 12 and the Storm 11. However, the Lynx capitalized better, outscoring the Storm 15-11 in points off turnovers.
The Storm surged in the second half, with Ogwumike and Jewell Loyd combining for 23 points and nine rebounds. Despite a closely contested third quarter, where both teams scored 19 points, the Storm dominated the Lynx in the fourth quarter, outscoring them 22-15.
Loyd played a pivotal role in the Storm's fourth-quarter resurgence, contributing eight points. On the other hand, the Lynx struggled offensively, with only Collier making a significant impact, scoring seven points on five shots. The rest of the Lynx team managed just eight points on 2-of-11 shooting.
Despite the Storm's poor shooting performance in the fourth quarter (4-of-13), they were able to capitalize on free throws, making 12-of-14. The first overtime ended with both teams tied at 10 points each. However, the Storm faltered in the second overtime, being outscored 14-5 by the Lynx.
With this win, the Lynx improved to a 2-0 record for the season, while the Fever dropped to 0-2.
Seattle Storm vs Minnesota Lynx player stats and box score
Seattle Storm player stats and box score
Minnesota Lynx player stats and box score
Minnesota Lynx tops Western Conference after win
Minnesota Lynx claimed the top spot in the Western Conference after securing a victory, boasting the sole 2-0 record in their division.
Joining them with perfect records are the New York Liberty and the Connecticut Sun, who both stand at 2-0 in the Eastern Conference.