SEATTLE (AP) So far, the defense has been the defining factor in a series featuring some of the top offensive stars in the WNBA.
As Seattle and Las Vegas split the first two games of their WNBA playoffs semifinal series, Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson performed like the two finest players in the league. But the teams that played the best defense ultimately won the games.
In the 76-73 victory over the Pacers in Game 1, the Storm improved by devising a strategy to prevent Wilson from dominating. In Game 2, the Aces outperformed their opponents, winning 78-73 while playing a leaner lineup and limiting Stewart's supporting cast.
This has prepared the field for Sunday's crucial Game 3 of the best-of-five series, which will play back in Seattle.
Seattle coach Noelle Quinn said, "We're going to continue to do all it takes schematically to minimize their explosive offense. But I'm not sure whether it's been done twice in a row this year to keep this team under 80. We'll take that as a starting point and grow from there.
Quinn's question, the Aces were restricted to fewer than 80 points in back-to-back games once during the regular season. Las Vegas scored 79 points in a victory over Los Angeles, then 78 points in a defeat to Seattle a few days later.
The defense was not anticipated to be the series' defining factor, not even in that one game where Seattle restrained Las Vegas. In each of the four regular-season games, which Las Vegas won, the winning club scored at least 85 points. That featured the Aces' 109-100 triumph in the regular-season finale.
Although defenses often get tougher throughout the playoffs, it's noteworthy that neither team has scored more than 80 points through the first two games.
Chelsea Gray, an Aces guard, said every possession "is about what is your smartest move, what is going to give you in the best position defensively."
During the regular season, the Aces scored 90.4 points on average, and they defeated Phoenix in the first round with 98 points. In the regular season, Seattle shot 44% from the field, but in Games 1 and 2, they shot 41.3% and 40.6%, respectively.
When the Aces went with a smaller team in Game 2, Gray was asked to play against post players defensively, which was crucial for Las Vegas.
Aces coach Becky Hammon stated, "That stretch that we went small, placed Chelsea Gray on the post, her activity changed the game's momentum." "Active and disruptive behavior is one of the defense strategies we want to employ. Physical. Aggressive. She, in my opinion, really set the tone for us.
In certain ways, Wilson and Stewart have counteracted one another. Stewart scored 24 and 32 points in games one and two, respectively. In Game 1, Wilson was held to eight points and 12 rebounds, but he bounced back the following game with 33 points and 13 rebounds.
Wilson's efforts in Game 2 were successful partly because the Aces could prevent Jewell Loyd from having an impact on offense. She had eight in Game 2 compared to Loyd's 26 in Game 1.
Seattle is hopeful that Gabby Williams' potential comeback from missing the first two games due to a concussion will give them a boost going into Game 3. Williams was chosen for the second team of the All-WNBA defensive team this season.
The thing that most impresses me is that we accomplished that without Gabby. So, Quinn remarked, "We're optimistic.
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