Magbegor’s return can’t save Storm from itself
By Christan Braswell, edited by Charles Hamaker
Las Vegas, NV - After missing the last four games due to a concussion, Seattle Storm All-Star center Ezi Magbegor is set to return in Game two in the best-of-three first-round matchup with the Las Vegas Aces.
“Very excited. To be able to add some rim protection to our defense, we won’t have the same effort today in Game two. To add a little bit more presence inside outside, we’re adding an All-Star back to the mix.”
In the same breath, Magbegor’s return shouldn’t be thought of as an instant fix for what ails the Storm
“I don’t want Ezi coming thinking she has to be Superwoman and have to do everything for us. I want her to be exactly who she’s been for us all season and give us a lift.”
Magbegor sustained the injury against the Dallas Wings on September 13th. Since then, she’s been in concussion protocol working her way back. While stating the obvious, it’s still important to note that concussions are unlike any other injury due to their severity. Every case is different and requires different methods of treatment.
Having missed the last ten days of action, Magbegor most likely won’t be at 100 percent as far as game shape and her recovery process from injury. Being healthy enough to play and fully healed from injury, especially concussions, are two different things. The process isn’t one that can be completed overnight.
Game 1 Trends
In Game one, Seattle did a commendable job defending the 2024 MVP, A’ja Wilson, in the first half without Magbegor by holding her to four points on 1-8 shooting in the first half. A big factor was Wilson's struggle to combat veteran center Mercedes Russell’s length at 6’6”. Aces coach Becky Hamilton commented on it at halftime and how it bothered her team in the paint.
As expected, the two-time champion bounced back in the second half, netting 15 of Las Vegas’ 26 third-quarter points. After scoring the first four points to start the third quarter, an emphatic block from Wilson on one end led to a three-pointer from Jackie Young on the other.
A few key components that led Wilson’s hot streak was taking Ogwumike out of the paint and into a bevy of pick-and-rolls, which left Mercedes Russell as the lone rim protector. The Aces also did a better job of moving without the basketball and giving it to Wilson with ample space near the top of the key to operate. Most of her points in the period came via one-on-one defense, an aspect the Storm has struggled with all season, whether it’s a three-time MVP or not.
The presence of Magbegor in a situation like this wouldn’t necessarily stop a player like Wilson. Still, it presents a better chance of defending her and the options at her disposal to deliver the ball. Standing at 6’4” with the agility to defend guards just as well as she defends the rim, Magbegor is one of the best help defenders in the league simply because of her frame. With a 6’9” wingspan, she is a menace on ball screens forcing turnovers or blowing up plays because of her intelligence.
“She’s a closer. She’s a big piece, especially on our defense, she’s a big defensive piece that we miss and we have to fill those gaps someway somehow. Playing defense without her is definitely different.”
These intangibles paired with a world-class defender in the versatile Ogwumike gave Seattle the best 1-2 punch on both sides of the court as far as post-duos go this season. In a next-player-up mindset, the Storm piecemealed a defensive front with Russell starting in place of Magbegor.
The pairing held up, but when came down to quick movements off the ball like backdoor cuts or opposing players making themselves available to the ball with a full head of steam, it couldn’t hold up in the second half. These are areas of defense in which Magbegor thrives.
What makes her such a feared defender is her ability to alter shots or plays before they happen. Her highlight reel blocks are highly entertaining, but her work that doesn’t show up on the box score at the end of the game is what fuels the Storm. That second or two of hesitation instilled in ball handlers allowed Seattle’s defense to jump the ball, a strategy that made them league leaders in steals and one of the best teams in points off turnovers.
Without Magbegor, the defense-by-committee approach has carried Seattle this far in four games. However, her absence isn’t why they lost.
Since the start of the second half of the season, the Storm have struggled to regain the rhythm that carried them before the Olympic break. There were several stretches where it seemed as if they were on the right track, but the fact that it wasn’t sustainable in moments where it mattered most was inescapable.
For example, the two-point fourth quarter showing in Game one is the most daunting and recent display. Going into the final frame up 65-64, failing to net a field goal isn’t due to missing Magbegor.
Magbegor plays a crucial role in the team’s approach on that side of the court, but not having her wasn’t the reason for the same lack of effort and will-do mentality that Seattle has endured in post-Olympic play. These habits reared collective heads at the most inopportune point in a game, which is clutch time.
To add an All-Star and two-way threat back to the fold will fuel the Storm’s sails, but Magbegor’s return can’t be looked at as a savior moment, as Quinn eluded to. To prolong their season, Seattle has to get back to the basics that have carried them this far.
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Cover photo by Rio Giancarlo. Check out our previous articles with photos by Rio Giancarlo, and his portfolio here.
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