The Seattle Storm went 1-1 in a nail-biting two-game sequence with the Washington Mystics this weekend. Each video games went all the way down to the wire, providing a preview of each a possible WNBA playoff matchup and a present of power between two doubtless title contenders.

“The remainder of our video games are necessary, however we knew that these two have been particularly necessary to have the sequence if issues come all the way down to it within the playoffs,” the Storm’s Breanna Stewart mentioned following Saturday’s sport, an 82-77 win. Washington took Sunday’s contest, 78-75.

Going into the primary sport on Saturday, Seattle and Washington had the very same document of 18-11 and a playoff spot was on the road. On June 23, the Storm beat the Mystics of their first assembly of the season, so that they wanted to win one of many two video games this weekend to win the tiebreaker and clinch a playoff spot.

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The groups have been tied 11 instances all through Saturday’s sport and there have been 5 lead modifications, however the Storm appeared to manage the motion after a 16-0 second-half run that gave them a snug 15-point lead over the Mystics with 6:30 to go within the fourth quarter. However very similar to we’ve seen from the Storm all the the season, they couldn’t maintain the lead. Washington went on a 17-5 run that introduced them inside one level of Seattle (78-77) with 26 seconds left. Seattle was in a position to maintain off the Mystics with a key defensive cease by Ezi Magbegor that saved Elena Delle Donne from driving to the basket, which may have received the sport for Washington.

With that win, the Storm clinched the playoffs for the seventh-straight season, whereas the Mystics punched their ticket to the playoffs shortly after the sport when the Atlanta Dream misplaced to the Dallas Wings. With playoffs now secured for each groups and each groups conscious that they might most likely meet one another within the first spherical, these two back-to-back video games this late within the season have been perfect for gaging areas of enchancment earlier than they meet once more in higher-stakes playoff video games.

How a lot Tina Charles is sufficient for Storm?

This sport served as additional proof that Seattle hasn’t but discovered the answer to their achilles heel: sustaining a big lead whereas persevering with to rotate lineups. Because the addition of Tina Charles to the Storm roster midway via the season, rotations have appeared totally different than they did initially of the season. Essentially the most notable change has been within the beginning lineup. The primary sport towards Washington was the fifth-straight sport during which Tina Charles was the beginning heart for the Storm as a substitute of Ezi Magbegor, who began each sport for Seattle within the first half of the season. Over these previous 5 video games, Charles is averaging 29.9 minutes per sport, Magbegor simply 17.3. Magbegor’s MPG was north of 30 previous to Charles’ arrival in Seattle.

With Charles within the beginning lineup and Magbegor adjusting to enjoying with the second string, it has been troublesome for the Storm to rotate lineups to present gamers a relaxation whereas maintaining the momentum and sustaining a lead. Determining these rotations will probably be key for Seattle going into the playoffs.

The second sport of the sequence on Sunday was even nearer than the primary. Washington maintained a small lead for a lot of the match, which the Storm was in a position to minimize to 1 level with 5 minutes left within the fourth quarter. Breanna Stewart and Gabby Williams each tried a 3-pointer with seconds left within the sport to aim to ship the sport into time beyond regulation, however neither shot fell and Washington was in a position to pull out the 78-75 win.

The Storm’s protection stood out, each positively and negatively, on this second sport, particularly in the previous couple of minutes. Let’s break it down.

Within the second quarter, Seattle tried out just a few totally different defensive strategies with the previous beginning 5 of Sue Chook, Stewart, Jewell Loyd, Williams, and Magbegor. You see them switching backwards and forwards between a basic man-to-man protection and extra of a zone protection the place they attempt to entice and drive turnovers, which was very efficient. Magbegor’s assist protection (particularly on Elena Delle Donne) was particularly key in forcing Washington to show over the ball, which Seattle was in a position to capitalize off of.

“Once we bought to [double team], we have been disruptive,” head coach Noelle Quinn mentioned, “We have been significantly better in the present day with our traps.”

Quick-forwarding to the ultimate minutes of the sport, that assist protection would have turn out to be useful. With below a minute left within the sport, Delle Donne took Charles one-on-one with a robust drive to the basket. Chook tried to get a hand in to cease Delle Donne, however the important thing right here was Stewart not sliding over to double-team Delle Donne.

Equally, within the Mystics’ final offensive play, Seattle’s assist protection was missing. Natasha Cloud was in a position to blow previous Sue Chook and Seattle’s protection left a transparent lane via the paint, with Loyd trying to contest Cloud’s layup, but it surely was a bit too late. Fortunately for the Storm, Cloud missed the layup, however this play uncovered among the gaps within the Storm’s protection that must be cleaned up earlier than the post-season.

Whereas the protection may need had some gaps on the finish, Quinn was proud of the defensive changes from sport one to sport two, however nonetheless sees room to enhance earlier than doubtlessly assembly Washington once more this season: “[Saturday], we weren’t as sharp with sending our bodies to Delle Donne and I believe in the present day, we have been extra in tune,” Quinn mentioned. “However we’ve to get into our bodies higher, dash below screens or over screens higher and keep of their area.”

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This zone and assist protection appears to be efficient, but it surely comes all the way down to when the Storm chooses to put it to use. This sequence with Washington was good for the Seattle teaching employees to mess around with totally different defensive lineups to see which may are available most helpful within the playoffs.

“You’re seeing quite a lot of zone from us and I believe it’s nearly making an attempt to alter up the tempo and steal some possessions,” Quinn mentioned. “We’re being strategic about our zone. We have now size, particularly when you concentrate on Ezi on the ground with [Stewart] and now Tina coming into the lineup… As of late, we stayed in a zone slightly bit longer as a result of we had some success.”

Total, this sequence additional proved how evenly matched these two groups are and the way a lot enjoyable the primary spherical of the WNBA playoffs may very well be if the Storm and Mystics find yourself because the 4/5seeds and battle it out in a best-of-three sequence.

“There’s a motive that we’re so shut within the standings. There’s going to be instances the place we go on runs and instances the place they go on runs,” Chook mentioned. “It comes down to at least one group making a pair extra performs than the opposite and that’s what will get the win. It occurred for us [Saturday], it occurred for them in the present day.”

Storm, Mystics battle for prime protection

The Mystics and the Storm have gone backwards and forwards this season for the very best defensive score within the WNBA, an accomplishment that each groups pleasure themselves on. Mystics head coach Mike Thibault mentioned, “You’ve bought two actually good defensive groups going at one another. Groups which might be actually sensible defensively, however each groups made some errors, too, in defensive coverages. It comes all the way down to mainly, you must be higher a pair extra possessions per quarter than they’re. That’s the distinction between good groups, quite a lot of instances.”

After splitting the sequence, Seattle and Washington have the identical document as soon as once more (now 19-12). Nearing the tip of the season, each groups face the Chicago Sky and the Las Vegas Aces (#1 and #2 within the league, respectively) earlier than heading into the postseason. How the Storm and the Mystics shut out their seasons will decide their seeding, but when they land in a sequence in both the primary spherical or past, anticipate an epic battle.