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The Seattle Storm’s disappointing 74-72 loss to the Washington Mystics on Monday night left the team reeling, with veteran point guard Skylar Diggins-Smith not mincing words about her frustration over the squad’s lackluster performance. The Storm, who had started the season with high hopes, now find themselves struggling to regain momentum following the Olympic break.
Speaking in a postgame interview, Diggins-Smith did not hold back in her assessment of the team’s play, particularly focusing on the lack of readiness and effort on both ends of the court.
“In this league, if you aren’t ready to play, you’ll get beat every (expletive) night,” she said, as reported by Percy Allen of The Seattle Times. “They were ready to play and we weren’t on both sides of the basketball. They deserved to win the game if we’re going to play like that. We need to be hitting our stride right now. We’re not there, and it’s unacceptable how we’re playing on both sides of the basketball.”
The loss was particularly bitter, as the Mystics were without key players due to injuries and entered the game near the bottom of the WNBA standings. Despite this, Washington managed to outlast Seattle, with the Storm’s lack of execution proving costly in the final moments.
One pivotal play occurred with just 1.1 seconds remaining in the game, when Diggins-Smith fouled Mystics guard Brittney Sykes, sending her to the free-throw line with the score tied. Sykes converted both free throws, sealing the victory for Washington. Seattle, unable to get off a final shot after the timeout, saw their hopes of a comeback dashed as the clock expired.
“I (expletive) up at the end,” Diggins-Smith said. “That’s a terrible foul. As a vet, you can’t make that play, but it shouldn’t (expletive) come down to that. We all got to step our game up.”
Storm faltering as season progresses
The Storm showed promise earlier in the season, winning eight of ten games before the Olympic break, but have since struggled with consistency. Monday’s loss dropped Seattle to an 18-11 record, placing them in a tie for fourth place with the Las Vegas Aces. The top four teams in the league earn the right to host the first round of the playoffs, making each game critical as the regular season winds down.
Despite leading 43-42 at halftime, the Storm were outscored 14-12 in the third quarter and were unable to build any momentum in the final period. Jewell Loyd, who led the team with 16 points, missed a crucial shot in the final seconds, setting the stage for Sykes’ game-winning free throws.
With just 11 games remaining in the regular season, the Storm face a critical juncture. They will look to regroup as they prepare for their next matchup against the Atlanta Dream on Wednesday, with hopes of reigniting their playoff push.
“I’m overreacting,” Storm coach Noelle Quinn said. “My urgency is high. It’s about how we’re playing and we’re at the end of the year. We’re at the end of the season. In which we need to be playing how we were playing before the break. … That’s why my urgency is very high because every game matters. Every moment matters and we’re not playing like that.”
