It’s just one of 44 games in the longest season in WNBA history.
Rather than push the panic button following an 81-59 defeat against the Phoenix Mercury in Saturday’s regular-season opener at PHX Arena, the Storm are taking a more measured approach.
“We’re not going to be married to this game,” guard Skylar Diggins said. “It’s the first game. They got the jump on us from the beginning. They kicked our ass. It’s embarrassing.
“We didn’t score 60 points. That’s not the identity that we’ve been building for the last month and a half, but we are still coming into our own and it’s the first game.”
It’s also the first time in a decade the Storm played without six-time WNBA All-Star Jewell Loyd on the roster.
On a night when they had difficulty generating points and needed more offensive options, the Storm felt the absence of their third all-time leading scorer who forced a trade in the offseason that sent her to the Las Vegas Aces in a blockbuster deal.
Simply put, Seattle didn’t do nearly enough to keep pace with a short-handed Phoenix team while scoring fewer than 17 points in every quarter.
And the Storm’s dynamic duo of Diggins (21 points, four assists and four steals) and Nneka Ogwumike (12 points and six rebounds) were no match for Mercury stars Satou Sabally (27 points and six rebounds) and Alyssa Thomas (20 points, seven rebounds and five assists).
Diggins took responsibility for a Storm offense that tallied its fewest points since July 1, 2022.
“I’m irritated with myself,” she said. “I didn’t have us organized on offense today, so that part is on me.”
Ogwumike also bore the blame considering she was saddled with foul trouble in the first half and played fewer than 24 minutes.
“It takes me out of flow. It takes my teammates out of flow,” said Ogwumike who sank 5 of 10 shots. “I need to be more disciplined. … It’s not something that can happen if we want to be able to build that foundation.”
The other Storm starters combined for six points on 2-for-19 shooting while backups Erica Wheeler, Li Yueru and Zia Cooke were the next leading scorers with six points.
“To be honest, I feel like exactly what Sky said. I’m irritated with myself as well and it is our job to set the table,” Ogwumike said. “(The bench) was trying to do what they could to shift the energy. It’s not what our bench is capable of, but it’s on us to put them in position to come in and continue to build in the game.”
However, coach Noelle Quinn put the onus on Ezi Magbegor and Gabby Williams, who both converted one of nine shots.
“I need more from Gabby and Ezi,” Quinn said. “As a unit the last few weeks, our principles and systems that we’ve been locked into, I thought we were undisciplined in that. But we have a mature group. We have a connected group, so we will look at it and get better from it.”
It was an inauspicious start for Seattle, which fell behind 20-6 while missing 14 of its first 17 shots, including a couple of three-pointers that didn’t hit the rim.
The Storm’s best offense was their harassing defense, which forced 15 turnovers that led to 18 points.
The Mercury, who led 41-30 at halftime, were never seriously threatened in the second half and extended their lead to 73-53 when backup center Kalani Brown effectively delivered the knockout with a fast break layup with 4:29 left.
Quinn had hoped to carry over the positive momentum from a three-week training camp, which included a blowout 79-59 exhibition win against the Connecticut Sun on May 4.
“It’s our first game, so I just want to make sure everything that we’ve been working on for the past few weeks is a direct translation into this game,” she said during a pregame interview when asked about the keys to the game. “Defensively, we have to make sure we rebound the basketball. Offensively, make sure our space is on point in our pace as well.
“And then the last thing, just playing efficiently. In the preseason, we found ways to move the basketball. We found ways to play in transition. … We just want to make sure we play efficiently.”
However, the Storm shot 33.3% from the field and converted just three of 17 three-pointers.
“Credit the Phoenix Mercury, I thought they did everything better on paper than we did tonight,” Diggins said. “Let’s just be honest about that. We got outrebounded (38-29). We didn’t make our free throws (14 of 20 at the line). We missed shots that are uncharacteristic for us.”
Meanwhile, the Mercury could hardly miss while canning 51.7% of its field goals, including eight of 24 three-pointers.
It’s also a new era for Phoenix, which played its first game without superstar Diana Taurasi who retired last month. The Mercury return just three players from last season, and was missing star wing Kahleah Copper (knee) and center Natasha Mack (back).
Led by Sabally and Thomas, Phoenix rolled out a lineup with five new starters including former Storm guard Sami Whitcomb, who had two three-pointers and six points.
“(Taurasi) is the Phoenix Mercury,” Quinn said. “She’s one of the best who has ever played in this league and Phoenix is synonymous with her. So, it is different, but I’m actually happy a little bit that I don’t have to worry about how the game plan for an excellent player like DT. It’s a new area era.”
The Storm’s two-game road trip continues with Monday’s game against the Dallas Wings.
“There’s nowhere but up from here,” Diggins said. “We have a locker room full of veterans. We’ve been in this game a long time. We know we’re not going to be married to the first game and the thing about his league is you have to be ready to respond quickly because the games are going to come.
“Luckily, we have 48 hours to get back on the court and go for a different outcome.”
— The Storm’s 19-year-old rookie Dominique Malonga made her first appearance with 5:40 left in the first half and became the third youngest player in WNBA history. She finished with two points on 1-for-2 shooting in 9½ minutes.
— Storm forward Katie Lou Samuelson underwent successful surgery on Wednesday to repair her torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee, the team announced. Dr. Frank Petrigliano performed the surgery in Los Angeles where Samuelson is recovering.
— The Storm picked up the fourth-year option on Jordan Horston’s rookie contract, which guarantees her $87,080 in 2026. Horston will miss the 2025 season and her WNBA contract was suspended after tearing her ACL in February while playing in the Athletes Unlimited League.
