Storm throttle Fever, 103-88

Steph Chambers / Getty Images Sport / Getty

By Christan Braswell

Indianapolis, IN - When speaking to reporters on media day, Seattle Storm guard Skylar Diggins-Smith said she needed five to seven games under her belt to integrate into Seattle’s system fully. Coincidentally, the team’s fifth game was a two-point victory over the Indiana Fever on May 22nd at Climate Pledge Arena. The Storm haven’t dropped a game since that day, extending their win streak to four games after clobbering the Fever at Gainsbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday night, 103-88.

“That was excellent foresight from Sky [Skylar],” said Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike. “I think I was asked this too and I couldn’t give you a timeline but I knew it would come together eventually.”

Everything went right and early for Seattle. Diggins-Smith notched the first score of the game via an effortless finger roll. She finished with 18 points, 9 assists and no turnovers. In her last four games, she has 21 helpers and only seven turnovers.

In a true team effort from the start, the “Core 4” shined once again. Jewell Loyd had a game-high 22 points and five assists. Nneka Ogwumike finished with 17 points on 8-for-10 shooting, six rebounds, and six assists.

According to Across the Timeline, it was just the seventh time in WNBA history that three teammates each had 15+ points and six-plus assists in the same game, the first in Storm history.

Ezi Magbegor added 15 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks. She’s tallied at least two blocks in nine straight games, tied for the 15th-longest streak in WNBA history.

Heading into the half, Loyd and Diggins-Smith combined for 27 of the team’s first 47 points, taking a six-point lead to the locker room. Fever forward NaLyssa Smith had 15 first-half points as she made her presence felt early and often.

Seattle went on a 14-4 run, outscoring Indiana 34-18 in the third quarter, holding them to 35 percent shooting. After scoring 15 points in the first half, Smith scored one point in the third.

Heading into the final frame, Seattle led 81-59 and turned on cruise control until the final buzzer sounded.

“We have a lot of great athletes who can use their athletic ability to be disruptive,” coach Noelle Quinn said. “But also, we have really high IQ players who have picked up on our system and really have adjusted.

“The communication on the court is important when you’re working with new players and learning a new system. At the end of the day, a lot of times you say, ‘Just land the plane.’ It may not always be correct, but if they do the most aggressive thing and they’re all in alignment with that, then what you see is a really successful product defensively.”

Following their two-game road trip, Seattle will have a four-day break before Tuesday’s matchup against the Phoenix Mercury at Climate Pledge Arena.

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