Storm watch double-digit lead slip away against Dream
The Storm went into the one-month Olympic break on a three-game winning streak. The Atlanta Dream went into the break on an eight-game losing streak.
So much for trends.
Tina Charles made a short jumper with 1.8 seconds left to lift Atlanta to an 83-81 win over Seattle Storm on Friday night in Atlanta.
The Dream overcame a 14-point second-half deficit and handed Seattle its first loss of the season when it led after three quarters.
The Dream trailed 43-29 early in the third quarter, but slowly started coming back, and then held off a late Storm charge.
Atlanta led 75-69 with 2:22 left in the game. Seattle pulled to 79-78 on Skylar Diggins-Smith’s layup, then tied the game at 81 after Jewell Loyd made a turnaround three-pointer with 4.6 seconds left.
The game appeared headed to overtime, but Charles, a former Storm player, made sure that didn’t happen.
The Storm were in control for much of the first half.
All-Star Nneka Ogwumike made the Storm’s first basket — a three-pointer — but she then picked up two fouls in the opening minute.
Oguwmike went to the bench after the second foul, but Diggins-Smith made up for any potential scoring slack, scoring her team’s next 10 points to push the Storm to an early 13-7 lead.
An entertaining opening quarter ended with the Storm scoring the final five points to take a 22-18 lead.
Diggins-Smith had 13 points in the first quarter for the Storm, who might have held a bigger lead had they not been uncharacteristically sloppy in the first quarter.
The Storm came into Friday night having played 18 straight games with 15 or fewer turnovers, the fourth-longest streak in WNBA history, but they had seven in the first quarter.
Ogwumike returned at the start of the second quarter, and that, combined with the Storm having just one turnover in the period, helped Seattle push its lead to 41-29 at halftime.
Diggins-Smith led the Storm with 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting in the first half, ending Seattle’s scoring in the half with a three-point play. Ogwumike had nine points in the opening half.
Atlanta pulled to 49-44 midway through the third quarter on the strength of Rhyne Howard’s third three-pointer in the span of a minute.
The Storm, which led by as many 14 early in the quarter, steadied themselves and led 60-55 heading into the final quarter.
Seattle entered the game with a record of 15-0 when leading at the end of the third quarter, and that streak ended too.
Atlanta took a 64-63 lead with 6:24 remaining, their first lead since 18-17 in the opening quarter. The Dream never trailed after that.
Diggins-Smith had 29 points to lead the Storm and Loyd added 21.