Nneka

Ogwumike

Wheeler was the Storm’s best shot maker on Thursday night as she made six shots, the most across the entire Storm team. While she also wasn’t the most efficient, she tied Nneka Ogwumike for the most points scored from the Storm of the night. Wheeler was most effective getting downhill since she missed most of the three-pointers she took. Although her most important shot came with 19.3 seconds left in regulation where she hit a 12-foot jumper to give the Storm a one point lead. Skylar Diggins got the ball to Wheeler once again with 4.4 seconds left in regulation while the Storm was down just a point, but Wheeler missed a 15-foot jumper losing the Storm the game. Just like Diggins, Wheeler registered assists to five different teammates which included Ogwumike, Diggins, Gabby Williams, Ezi Magbegor and Dominique Malonga.

Diggins was inefficient from the field only hitting just over 30% of her field goals. She missed six shots at the rim which is usually where she’s most effective. Diggins scored the ball beyond the arc, taking five three-pointers and making three of them. She had a chance to win her team the game with 12.4 seconds left in regulation. She got the ball at the top of the key and drove past Jackie Young and A’ja Wilson. She was met by Jewell Loyd right on the block but decided to pass the ball to Wheeler who had a more hot hand rather than trying to drive the ball to the rim through contact. Diggins also had six assists and found five different teammates in Ezi Magbegor, Nneka Ogwumike, Erica Wheeler, Brittney Sykes and Gabby Williams all for scores.

Ogwumike wasn’t her most efficient on Thursday night, but she still had moments that showed she’s a future Hall-of-Famer. She scored 14 of her 16 total points all in the second half, giving her team an offensive boost when the Storm really struggled to score the ball in the second quarter. Ogwumike was aggressive on both the glass and getting to the line, as she got to the line four times and led her team in rebounding with nine, just a rebound away from a double-double. She also was clutch and hit a huge wide open three with 2:40 left in regulation to pare down the Aces’ 5 point lead to just a score.

After scoring 11 points and finishing with a plus/minus of minus-33 in Sunday’s Game 1 defeat, Ogwumike was motivated to bounce back with the Storm’s season on the line. The Storm forward was elite in Game 3, shooting 4-of-5 from beyond the arc and finishing a blocked shot shy of a complete stat line. Ogwumike started well, shooting 4-of-6 from the field in the first quarter. She and the Storm were excellent down the stretch, outscoring Las Vegas in the fourth quarter by a 25-14 margin to force a decisive Game 3 on Thursday. Seattle will need a similar effort from Ogwumike if they’re to have a chance of ending the Aces’ season.

Ogwumike and the Storm clinched a postseason berth with Tuesday’s 74-73 victory, with the veteran forward leading the way offensively. She was one of four Storm players to finish in double figures and has scored 18 points or more in four straight games for the first time this season. After going 5-of-11 from deep in Seattle’s September 1 loss to the Sparks, Ogwumike has shot 0-of-6 in her last two games. However, she’s made 16 of her 22 two-point attempts during this stretch, more than compensating for the mini-slump from deep. Seattle’s seed for the postseason depends on the result of Thursday’s game between Golden State and Minnesota. The Storm will be seeded seventh if the Valkyries lose and eighth if they win.

Ogwumike led her team in scoring and rebounding, although she missed a double-double just by one rebound. She shot 53.3% percent from the field on Friday night, a return to form for her efficiency which had gone down in her previous four games. This was her first game shooting over 50% from the field since she scored 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting against the Fever on August 26. Ogwumike scored well in space against the Liberty on Friday night and went toe-to-toe battling against Breanna Stewart in the fourth quarter where the two forwards went back-and-fourth scoring the basketball.

Ogwumike used a fast first half to conclude as one of the Storm’s leading scorers against the Sparks. The former league MVP tallied 15 points and five threes through the first two quarters of the game, before a six-point, 2-of-9 shooting second half prevented her final line from being more spectacular. Ogwumike’s post-halftime struggles on offense coincided with the Storm’s rough offensive half as a team, as they scored only 32 points and surrendered a 14-point halftime lead before losing by six. The Storm are still fighting for their playoff lives and will continue to rely on Ogwumike for production through the end of the regular season.

After totaling 29 points in Seattle’s prior two games, Ogwumike recorded her 16th 20-point game of the season on Saturday. The Storm, who were struggling to hold onto a playoff spot earlier this season, have now won five of their last six. Ogwumike has scored 20 points or more in three of those contests, and some of her teammates have been more consistent in their production. What should help Seattle lock down a playoff spot is that they’ll play their final three regular-season games at home, starting with Sparks on Monday.

Besides Ogwumike, Sykes was the second player that was successful scoring the basketball for Seattle in their blowout loss to the Fever. She had her most productive quarter in the third when she was willing the Storm to try to get back into the game. She put pressure on the rim, getting into the paint and driving past Indiana Fever defenders Lexie Hull, Odyssey Sims and Kelsey Mitchell. But besides her third quarter burst, Sykes struggled to put points on the board. She did have three assists, however, finding Ezi Magbeegor and Nneka Ogwumike in spots where they had the advantage.

Ogwumike continues to lift the Storm as they try make their playoff push. She had another incredibly efficient performance shooting 63.6% percent from the field. In her last two games, Ogwumike has shot the ball over 60% which takes her overall field goal percentage to 52.9%, the best field goal percentage Ogwumike has had since 2022. What remains impressive about Ogwumike’s efficiency is how she’s not just hitting easy shots at the rim. She’s creating and making difficult shots from the mid-range in addition to being the Storm’s most consistent three-point shooter as of late.