Seattle Storm Falls to Phoenix Mercury in Season Opener

SEATTLE — The Seattle Storm opened their WNBA season on May 17 with a disappointing loss to the Phoenix Mercury, falling 81-59 at PHX Arena. No. 2 overall draft pick Dominique Malonga made her debut for the Storm.

Despite the excitement surrounding Malonga’s arrival, it was veteran Skylar Diggins who stole the spotlight, scoring 21 points and providing four assists for Seattle. However, the Mercury took control early, scoring the first five points and maintaining their lead throughout the game.

Malonga checked into the game with 5:40 left in the first quarter and quickly scored her first career points with a layup. “I’ve only been here a short time, but I felt the energy right away,” Malonga said after the game. “It’s just the beginning.”

Phoenix surged to a 20-6 lead, but the Storm narrowed the gap to 23-15 by the end of the first quarter. They briefly cut the deficit to six points in the second quarter, but the Mercury responded, extending their lead to double digits by halftime.

Sato Sabally led all scorers with 27 points for Phoenix, while Alyssa Thomas contributed 20 points. For Seattle, Nneka Ogwumike added 12 points and reached a milestone by moving into 10th place on the WNBA’s all-time steals list.

Seattle’s defense forced 17 turnovers, converting them into 18 points, and the Storm recorded 10 steals in total. Head Coach Noelle Quinn expressed optimism despite the loss, stating, “We had moments of great energy and disruption defensively. This is a new team with a lot of talent—we’re going to keep building.”

The Storm now look to bounce back as they head to Dallas to take on the Wings on May 19. The game will air at 5:00 PM PT on NBA TV and CW Seattle.