Phoenix Mercury End Seven-Game Slide with 72-68 Win Over Seattle Storm

Both teams entered the Wednesday night matchup with identical 3-8 records but vastly different recent trajectories. The Seattle Storm had dropped four straight games, extending a season-long four-game losing streak and sitting 14th in the league at 76.4 points per game. The Phoenix Mercury were seeking to halt a prolonged slump, having lost either six or seven consecutive games according to differing reports, and had not won since a May 15 victory over Chicago. The game took place at Climate Pledge Arena before 9,109 spectators and set the stage for Seattle’s upcoming road trip to face the league-leading Minnesota Lynx (7-2) and defending champion Las Vegas Aces (6-3).

ESPN

Rookie center Awa Fam, the No. 3 overall pick in last month’s draft, made her first start and posted a game-high 18 points on 9-of-17 shooting, adding two assists and a defensive effort that limited Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas to nine points, nine rebounds and five assists. Kahleah Copper led Phoenix with 16 points and sealed the final minutes with two free throws. Natasha Mack contributed a double-double (16 points, 10 rebounds), while DeWanna Bonner added 10 points off the bench. Seattle’s Natisha Hiedeman scored 15 points, including a pivotal third-quarter run, and Jordan Horston hit a key three-pointer early in the fourth.

ESPN

Phoenix outscored Seattle 36-33 at halftime despite a low 35 % field-goal rate and a 2-of-13 three-point performance. The Mercury’s advantage stemmed from an efficient free-throw line, converting 21 of 27 attempts, whereas the Storm attempted none. Seattle shot 38.4 % from the field and 27.3 % from three, and recorded only five free-throw attempts. A decisive stretch came when Copper went 4-for-4 from the stripe with 5:37 left, extending the lead to 61-59. Bonner’s jumper, fast-break layup and subsequent free throw pushed the margin to 68-61 with 2:39 remaining. Seattle narrowed the gap to two points in the final seconds, but Copper’s free throws sealed the win.

ESPN

Head coach Sonia Raman praised the experience gained by her young players, noting that the late-game situations provided “great reps” and emphasized that the team will “learn from every game that we play.” She also highlighted the need for the Storm to increase offensive tempo, stating that the squad must “run a little bit more” and “put our foot on the gas” to improve scoring output.

Seattle Times

Raman’s post-game assessment underscored persistent offensive deficiencies: Seattle’s 38.4 % field-goal shooting, 27.3 % three-point accuracy, and a total of five free-throw attempts reflected a stagnant offense. The team’s ranking at 14th in scoring and its inability to sustain leads despite strong defensive stops were identified as primary concerns.

ESPN

Sources differ on the length of Phoenix’s losing streak prior to the victory. ESPN’s recap cites a seven-game slide, while the Seattle Times reports a six-game skid. No additional clarification is provided in the available excerpts.

ESPN

The Storm will commence a challenging road stretch, opening against the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday before traveling to Las Vegas to face the Aces on Tuesday. Phoenix’s next opponent was not detailed in the source material.

Seattle Times

• “I’m 19 years old. I’m ready to play right now in the W,” — Awa Fam, rookie center, Seattle Storm

Seattle Times

• “I’m really, really pleased with Awa tonight,” — Sonia Raman, head coach, Seattle Storm

Seattle Times

• “We’re getting these stops and we’re slowing down a little bit just to try to get it right. We need to sort of open things up, put our foot on the gas a little bit more and look to push.” — Sonia Raman, head coach, Seattle Storm

Seattle Times

• “These are great reps,” — Sonia Raman, head coach, Seattle Storm

Seattle Times