‘It’s not time to panic’: How the Seattle Storm can still be title contenders

Earlier than the 2022 WNBA season tipped off, few would have believed that the four-time champion Seattle Storm can be sitting in seventh place within the standings and only one recreation over .500 about one-third of the best way via the common season. In ESPN’s preseason predictions, two of our three WNBA writers picked the Storm to succeed in the Finals, with yours actually deciding on them as her championship favorites.

But right here we’re, the Storm’s season to this point producing extra of a whimper than a bang after a 1-3 begin and up to date two-game shedding streak. On Sunday, Seattle — absolutely wholesome for the primary time this season — relinquished a 13-point first-half lead in a 93-86 loss to the Connecticut Solar.

However on Tuesday, Seattle surpassed the .500 mark with a 72-60 win over the Atlanta Dream, concluding an eight-game residence stand.

As franchise linchpin Sue Fowl, the epitome of calm, stated after Sunday’s loss: “It isn’t time to panic. We’re going to have the ability to work issues out, we’ll get higher. It is a given.”

There’s purpose to imagine she’s proper.

Greater than most different groups in title competition, Seattle has handled vital lineup disruptions to start out 2022. Beginning heart Mercedes Russell made her season debut simply final week after coping with a non-basketball-related damage and continues to be on a minutes restriction. The Storm have additionally misplaced 5 key gamers — Breanna Stewart, Epiphanny Prince, Steph Talbot, Fowl and Ezi Magbegor — to COVID-19 protocols over the primary month of the season, with a number of concurrently sidelined for a number of video games. Seattle’s 51-point scoring output in final week’s loss to the Dallas Wings was their worst since Stewart was drafted, but it surely additionally got here with out Fowl and Magbegor, who has been a revelation on each ends of the ground this season.

Seattle had much less roster turnover than many groups this offseason, although it nonetheless introduced in Gabby Williams, Briann January and Jantel Lavender, the primary two of which have been extra vital contributors. Storm gamers and members of the teaching workers have harassed that with the total roster now at their disposal, each in observe and in video games, they will higher set up chemistry and stated that issues have been and can proceed to development in the best course.

“I’ve had my fair proportion of experiences on this league with shedding gamers, accidents and this and that,” Fowl stated. “[COVID-19 issues] are actual causes. They are not excuses. … The phrase I proceed to return again to is ‘inspired.’ I am not harassed. I am not panicked about these issues as a result of I do really feel like we will proceed to construct. We have simply obtained a little bit of a late begin.”

That stated, whereas the Storm protection has been principally strong — it ranks second within the league in defensive score at 93.7) — there are professional points on the offensive finish that can decrease the workforce’s ceiling if they are not addressed. Seattle is tenth in offensive score (95.8) regardless of ending within the prime 4 within the league all however one season (2019, when Fowl and Stewart had been out) since profitable the 2018 championship. The Storm are capturing 40.5% from the sector (eleventh within the league) and simply 32.9% from 3 (eighth), the place they take extra pictures than another workforce, and are available in final in free throw makes an attempt per recreation.

The Storm have but to get their bench — tied for the third-least factors per recreation within the league — going offensively, and that might want to change to succeed in their objectives. However it additionally does not assist that Fowl is having what can be a career-worst season shooting-wise — 31.8% from the sector, although her 3-point clip of 37.5% is way more respectable — and Jewell Loyd’s effectivity has taken a slight hit.

Nonetheless, they turned over the ball 19 occasions Tuesday towards the Dream regardless of sometimes not being turnover-prone, solely later pulling away with the win, and have given up double-digit leads in a number of video games (a few of which occurred with their bench in). In response, there was an inside focus for the gamers to take care of their aggressiveness.

It isn’t merely a matter of pictures not entering into, although. Second-year head coach Noelle Quinn spoke Tuesday concerning the workforce needing to place gamers in areas to be extra profitable and assist them rating simpler.

“Groups know our stuff. They’re loading up, and we’re not a workforce that’s going to go downhill and blow by individuals and get into the paint and pound you,” Quinn stated regarding the starters particularly. “It is a matter of constant to develop and get higher in our stuff, whether or not it’s our spacing, not being stagnant on the bottom, reducing, screening, motion, that helps loosen up defenses, ball motion helps that as nicely.”

The Storm know this upcoming five-game highway swing — which incorporates matchups towards the Dallas Wings and Connecticut Solar, each of whom not too long ago beat Seattle — is a vital stretch. A win towards the Solar, who’re second within the standings, would notably assist the Storm re-establish themselves because the championship contender so many thought they’d be.

No matter what occurs these subsequent two weeks, although, final 12 months confirmed that playoff success may be all about timing.

“The factor I at all times take into consideration when going via adversity is Chicago was the blueprint,” Quinn stated. “They received a championship and so they had been [16-16].”

It helps, too, when you’ve got the WNBA’s all-time assists chief, a two-time Finals MVP, a three-time All-Star and a possible Most Improved Participant candidate as your basis.

Liberty again on observe?

Issues are trying up in Brooklyn. The Liberty have received three of their final 4 video games and introduced Wednesday they’ve signed Marine Johannes to a rest-of-season contract for her first look with the franchise since 2019.

Admittedly, New York’s scorching streak principally got here towards groups at the moment slated to overlook the playoffs, however they obtained a giant dub over the Alysha Clark-less Mystics, too. Sabrina Ionescu has been on fireplace as of late, averaging 26 factors per recreation on 57% capturing (47% from 3) and 5 assists. Han Xu, additionally in her first WNBA season since 2019, additionally has been a difference-maker.

New York has an more and more promising likelihood of turning round its season if Ionescu, who has been enjoying extra off the ball as of late, can change into the star she’s proven herself able to being extra persistently — and with the expertise the Liberty will encompass her with as gamers return from damage (DiDi Richards might be again imminently) or as late arrivals (Rebecca Allen and now Johannes).

After taking up the Fever on Friday, the Liberty have a brutal stretch of video games towards the Chicago Sky, Washington Mystics, Storm, Solar and Dream (twice). How they shut out June will point out rather a lot about what this workforce is able to doing, notably towards higher-caliber groups, as they search not simply to return to the postseason, however to construct upon final 12 months’s run.

Sport of the week: Chicago Sky-Connecticut Solar

Friday’s 2021 WNBA semifinals rematch (7 p.m. ET, Twitter) includes a conflict of two groups which might be additionally within the title race this season and two of three groups remaining which have three or fewer losses to start out 2022. Connecticut will look to avenge final 12 months’s end result, because the top-seeded Solar fell in 4 video games to the eventual champion Sky.

Julie Allemand might make her season debut (and debut with the Sky after being traded from the Indiana Fever within the offseason) this week and is predicted to additional bolster Chicago’s backcourt depth. In the meantime, the Solar are coming off a profitable highway journey with 4 video games in six days, beating the Aces, Phoenix Mercury and Storm in that span.

Jonquel Jones had a stellar week after an up-and-down begin to the summer time; how the Solar proceed to contain her, whereas more and more placing the ball in Alyssa Thomas’ arms following Jasmine Thomas’ season-ending ACL damage, will probably be one thing to watch.

Fantasy ladies’s basketball picks

Who to start out: The emergence of Magbegor on each ends has been a shiny spot for Seattle to start out 2022, and he or she’ll be key to a profitable highway swing developing.

Whereas she had some ups and downs early on within the season, Ionescu has been red-hot for the Liberty as of late, and is a must-start participant heading into the weekend when New York will face Indiana.

Now is an efficient week as any to start out any Vegas gamers, because the Aces face the struggling Sparks (who’re notably weak defensively), though Jackie Younger’s standing for Saturday stays unclear.

Of notice: Allemand will return to the Sky imminently and might be a pleasant pickup to your fantasy league.

Who to sit down: Sophie Cunningham is out for a number of weeks with an elbow damage.

Whereas it is unclear the severity of the difficulty, Elena Delle Donne left the Mystics’ recreation Wednesday with again tightness. Given her damage points, it could be smart to bench her in the meanwhile.