{"id":772931,"date":"2026-07-20T00:18:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T00:18:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/772931\/"},"modified":"2026-07-20T00:18:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T00:18:14","slug":"storm-open-2-game-home-set-with-surging-lynx-before-all-star-break-field-level-media-professional-sports-content-solutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/772931\/","title":{"rendered":"Storm open 2-game home set with surging Lynx before All-Star break – Field Level Media – Professional sports content solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Seattle Storm aren\u2019t going to make the WNBA playoffs this year and might end up with the worst record in the league. They enter Monday night\u2019s game against the visiting Minnesota Lynx as 10 1\/2-point underdogs.<\/p>\n

But Seattle\u2019s painful rebuild gained a fan Friday night. Even after a 45-point, 10-assist performance that was the first in WNBA history during Indiana\u2019s 110-107 nail-biter over the Storm, Caitlin Clark was full of praise.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey really have a good young core,\u201d she said. \u201cThey\u2019re going to be a team to watch in the next couple of years.\u201d<\/p>\n

That core \u2014 Dominique Malonga, Awa Fam and Flau\u2019jae Johnson \u2014 all showed off in the high-scoring loss. Malonga fired in a team-high 28 points on 13-of-22 shooting and grabbed 14 rebounds, while Fam and Johnson each added 16 points. Fam hauled in nine boards and Johnson dished out six assists.<\/p>\n

The next step for Seattle (6-21) is learning how to close out close games like Friday night. It is 0-10 in games decided by five points or less.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a marathon,\u201d Malonga said. \u201cI\u2019m proud of what we did but we need to put 100% energy into these close games.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the Storm strive for consistency over the season\u2019s second half, Minnesota (20-6) hopes to fine-tune some things. It\u2019s coming off a 101-93 home win Saturday night against Portland, getting 24 points from Kayla McBride, her sixth straight game of at least 20.<\/p>\n

But Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve was unhappy with her team\u2019s defense. Although they\u2019ve won five straight games, they\u2019ve yielded at least 80 points in seven consecutive contests. Portland sank 48.1% from the field and hit 13 of 30 3-point attempts.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to start making some progress there and some recognition,\u201d Reeve said. \u201cI\u2019m not sure that it\u2019s sinking in, so I don\u2019t know what lies ahead for us defensively.\u201d<\/p>\n

Minnesota won the teams\u2019 first meeting 88-68 on June 6 in Minneapolis. Monday night\u2019s contest is the first of a two-game series, as the squads will face off again on Wednesday in the last game before All-Star weekend.<\/p>\n

\u2013Field Level Media<\/p>\n

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