Storm overcome perimeter woes to earn much-needed win over pesky Mystics

Presumably, Gabby Williams boarded a plane in Paris bound for Seattle when the Storm were putting the finishing touches on a surprisingly hard-fought 81-77 victory against the pesky Washington Mystics on Tuesday night.

Earlier in the day, Seattle announced it resigned the versatile forward to help with a late-season playoff push that had been stymied by a couple of upset road losses coming out of the Olympic break.

Williams’ delayed return — she missed more than half of the season to train with the French women’s basketball team that won a silver medal at the Paris Olympics — marks the third time in the past three years the Storm have added a standout player midway in the season.

In 2022, Seattle picked up perennial All-Star forward Tina Charles after she completed a contract divorce with the Phoenix Mercury. However, Charles started 10 of 18 games and never found her footing in a star-studded Storm lineup before Seattle lost in the WNBA semifinals.

Last year, Williams missed the first half of the season and appeared in just 10 games while averaging 8.4 points, 3.8 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals. Her second stint in Seattle was cut short after suffering a season-ending stress fracture in her left foot and the Storm missed the playoffs.

Still, Seattle felt the need to bring in reinforcements to potentially make up ground in the standings and establish themselves once again as a championship contender.

“The great thing about it is Gabby wants to be with us,” coach Noelle Quinn said. “She knows our system. She’s playing at a high level. She loves our organization, the players and the staff. There’s some familiarity that helps when you’re trying to incorporate her back. I’m going to be positive. No cons about bringing in a silver medalist.”

Williams, a defensive dynamo who nabbed WNBA all-defensive team honors for the first time in 2022, will certainly help the Storm’s slumping defense that’s allowed 57 and 54 points in the second halves of the previous two games.

Still, it remains to be seen if she can improve Seattle’s anemic perimeter offense that nearly cost it a much-needed win versus a struggling Washington team that entered the game with four straight losses.

Against the Mystics, the Storm converted just 3 of 23 three-pointers and were 0 for 7 from downtown in the second half.

At the start, Seattle erased a 5-0 deficit with 15 unanswered points to go up by 10. Washington closed to within 28-24 in the second quarter when the Storm went on a 16-6 run to go up 44-30 at halftime.

Seattle’s second-half defensive breakdowns were an issue once again, which allowed Washington to score 47 points after the break. Notably, the Storm had difficulty containing Ariel Atkins, who canned four three-pointers in the third quarter and finished with 25 points.

Mystics center Shakira Austin, who had 24 points, drained two free throws to close the gap to 75-74 with 1:38 remaining.

That’s when Jewell Loyd, who finished with 18 points, saved the game with a steal and fast-break layup to extend the lead to 77-74. The play was the perfect metaphor for a game in which Seattle forced 22 turnovers that led to 29 points.

Washington (6-22) never got closer the rest of the way.

“We’re still a work in progress,” Quinn said. “Allowing 47 points (in the second half) is less than 50-plus. Defensively, I saw a little bit more activity and some engagement. Sometimes you just have to land the plane.

“Overall, wins are hard to come by no matter who we’re playing. (Playing) on the road is where we need to get better and finding a way to win in spite of not being our best or our sharpest, will take that.”

Nneka Ogwumike led Seattle with 24 points and eight rebounds while Skylar Diggins-Smith added 17 points and Ezi Magbegor finished with 13 points and 14 rebounds.

The Storm return home and will reunite with Williams this week before Monday’s rematch against the Mystics at Climate Pledge Arena.

“The end of the season is near,” Quinn said. “I talked about the season feeling like an 800-meter race. It’s a quick sprint and we’re at the latter part of that sprint. I need more focus, more energy and more discipline.”