Despite being the No. 2 seed to the Las Vegas Aces’ No. 1, the Seattle Storm were still tabbed as the odds-on-favorite to claim the WNBA championship for 2020 when all was said and done.
In Game 1, the Storm looked like the odds-on-favorites they are.
🐍 𝓖𝓞𝓛𝓓 𝓜𝓐𝓜𝓑𝓐 🐍@jewellloyd#StrongerThanEver x @Symetra pic.twitter.com/pBIioPFmHz
— Seattle Storm (@seattlestorm) October 2, 2020
😱 STEWIE 😱#StrongerThanEver pic.twitter.com/UTIx6QnMGb
— Seattle Storm (@seattlestorm) October 3, 2020
🤩 @jordin_canada #StrongerThanEver pic.twitter.com/FYqpLPiyzo
— Seattle Storm (@seattlestorm) October 3, 2020
With Breanna Stewart scoring 37 points and grabbing 15 rebounds, Jewell Loyd adding 28 points to Seattle’s efforts and Sue Bird dishing out 16 assists, the Storm got the better of what was an offensively-charged Game 1 with the Aces. The final score was 93-80.
An unsung hero for the Storm was Epiphanny Prince, who scored 11 points and also compiled three steals.
Five for the Aces managed double-digit point outputs – including Angel McCoughtry with 20 points and nine rebounds as well as A’ja Wilson with 19 points and six rebounds. Kayla McBride scored 13 with four assists, Jackie Young tallied 12 off the bench (with four assists) and Danielle Robinson finished with 10 points and five rebounds.
The Mayor of SC 😤@_ajawilson22 #ALLIN ♦️♠️ pic.twitter.com/3uRTbXaQnR
— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) October 3, 2020
ON THE ATTACK!@angel_35 #ALLIN ♦️♠️ pic.twitter.com/352N5B8rYW
— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) October 3, 2020
So crafty with it!@justDROB #ALLIN ♦️♠️ pic.twitter.com/bofyN54Kbi
— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) October 3, 2020
The first game opened in auspicious fashion for the Aces, jumping out to an 8-0 lead where offensive rebounds from Carolyn Swords as well as efficient 3-point shooting from Las Vegas made a difference.
Everyone watching the game – as well as those playing in it knew that if the Aces were going to win, it was not going to be in a rout. The Storm would embark on a run – which they did.
The question was how emphatic would Seattle answer. The fact that the Storm extended what was a 23-21 lead after the first quarter into a 57-40 lead at the half should explain everything.
The Aces did not come this far in this wubble season to simply let the Storm run away with this game. Las Vegas answered what the Storm did in the second quarter with outscoring Seattle 27-12 in the third quarter. Late in the third, the Aces erased its deficit to knot up the score at 67 apiece, but the Storm were clinging to a 69-67 lead after three frames.
Seattle got the lead back late in the third after Loyd was fouled by Emma Cannon, which placed Loyd at the line for a pair of free throw attempts – both of which she made. Those two successful tries from the charity stripe were the beginning of a 13-0 run for the Storm, upping the Seattle advantage back to 13 at 80-67.
Bird’s assist performance now has her at third on the all-time Finals dimes list. Only two names are higher and both are Minnesota Lynx – Lindsay Whalen and Maya Moore. Those 16 assists, by the way, also set a new WNBA Finals record. The previous recordholder was someone also named … Sue Bird.
Hear from the @seattlestorm after Game 1 of the #WNBAFinals Presented by @YouTubeTV https://t.co/DOJxjvn6ub
— WNBA (@WNBA) October 3, 2020
Hear from the @LVAces after Game 1 of the #WNBAFinals Presented by @YouTubeTV https://t.co/0mZ9dkDrrQ
— WNBA (@WNBA) October 3, 2020
Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. Oh, by the way … what about that intro…
Chills. @WNBA pic.twitter.com/CipiwKtzvI
— Holly Rowe (@sportsiren) October 2, 2020
