By Wyatt Yearout
The Seattle Storm will host its first playoff game since 2013 in Game 1 of the WNBA Semifinals against the Phoenix Mercury. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at KeyArena on ESPN2.
HOME TEAM: Seattle Storm
VISITING TEAM: Phoenix Mercury
TIP-OFF: 2 p.m./PT.
SERIES COUNT: 0-0
HOW TO FOLLOW
Fans can watch the game on ESPN2, with live stats available at StormBasketball.com. Live updates will also be provided on Twitter by following @SeattleStorm.
LAST TIME OUT
The Seattle Storm took down the Dallas Wings, 84-68, in its season finale back on Aug. 19.
With the victory, the Storm ended the season as the No. 1 seed with a record of 26-8, marking the second-best finish in franchise history. The last time the Storm entered the postseason as the top seed was in 2010, the same year Seattle last won the WNBA championship.
Breanna Stewart posted 15 points and four assists for the Storm in the victory. With her scoring output on the evening, Stewart beat Lauren Jackson’s Storm record for points in season, finishing the regular season with 742 points (previous record was 739).
POSTSEASON SERIES HISTORY
Seattle is 3-5 all-time against the Phoenix Mercury in postseason play, including 2-2 at KeyArena. The last time Seattle won a playoff series was in 2010 against the Mercury, where the Storm defeated Phoenix in the Western Conference Finals, 2-0
Sunday’s contest is a rematch of last season’s first-round showdown of the WNBA Playoffs. The Storm fell to the Mercury, 79-69, despite a playoff career-high of 23 points from Stewart.
Seattle is 41-30 all-time against the Mercury, with each road team being the victor in all three matchups this season. The Storm won the last two games in Phoenix, winning 102-91 on July 31 and defeating the Mercury 87-71 on May 23. Seattle was defeated in its 2018 season opener by the Mercury by a final margin of 87-82 on May 20.
Seattle’s season series victory over Phoenix this season marked the 13th series win against the Mercury in franchise history.
SCOUTING PHOENIX
The Phoenix Mercury entered the playoffs at the No. 5 seed and won two winner-take-all matchups to secure a spot in the WNBA Semifinals.
The Mercury took down the Dallas Wings 101-83 on Aug. 21 to secure a spot in the second round against fourth-seeded Connecticut. In the second round, Phoenix took down Connecticut, 96-86, behind 27 points apiece from Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner.
Taurasi is leading Phoenix this postseason, averaging 26.5 points and 8.5 assists in two games.
UP NEXT
Seattle returns to action in Game 2 of the WNBA Semifinals on Aug. 28 at KeyArena. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m./PT.