Storm will play Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark again in front of a sellout crowd.
The first time Caitlin Clark came to town, the Storm set a franchise attendance record due in large part to the massive fan appeal generated by the Indiana Fever rookie sensation.
Following Seattle’s 85-83 win last month, coach Noelle Quinn had a message for the capacity crowd of 18,343 at Climate Pledge Arena: “It was a great night for women’s basketball and great for Seattle. It’s good to have new eyes on the game, I would like to think some of those fans were for us.
“If that was your first Storm game, I hope you come back and see more of what these amazing women have to offer.”
Well, Clark and the Fever (7-11) are back in Seattle for Thursday’s 7 p.m. matchup with the Storm (10-6), and once again, the game is sold out, which is the third sellout in franchise history.
While Clark is certain to draw a considerable amount of attention on and off the court, the rematch also puts a bit of a spotlight on Storm star Jewell Loyd, who spoiled Clark’s WNBA debut in Seattle with a remarkable performance.
Loyd finished with 32 points on 12-for-24 shooting, 11 rebounds and six assists — all season highs, while Clark had 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
The Storm had hoped the outing would be a breakthrough moment for the 10-year veteran, who began the season shooting 24% from the field in the first four games.
However, Loyd’s shooting woes have continued, particularly on the perimeter.
Nearing the halfway point of the season, the 5-foot-11 guard is averaging 18.4 points, which is six points fewer than last year when she led the league with 24.7 points per game.
The dip in scoring was expected due to the arrival of perennial WNBA All-Stars Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith, but what’s concerning is Loyd’s precipitous drop in accuracy.
Through 16 games, she’s shooting a career-low 33.7%, including 22.9% on three-pointers — her lowest since her rookie year in 2015.
“It feels good,” said Loyd, a 40.4% career field-goal shooter when asked about her shooting mechanics. “It’s a rhythm thing and sometimes it’s just that. The shots felt good and they’re just not going in. Same looks, my process is still the same. I haven’t changed any of my structural stuff or my routine. I’m not too concerned about it because I’m able to do other things. Players go through it. Teams go through it.”
In the past six games, Loyd has connected on 3 of 34 three-pointers, including 0 for 13 in the last three outings.
The last time Loyd endured a prolonged shooting slump was in 2019 when she had a 12-game stretch in which she connected on 4 of 31 three-pointers.
“We’ve seen this before on her journey,” Quinn said. “We’ve been through it as an organization. I’ve been through it as her teammate and coach. That’s why I’m not too concerned. Just keeping her confident and getting the reps in.
“Practicing helps that to get your feel back. It’s a process and it’s literally day by day. We’re taking one step at a time. Seeing where [we can] get her more comfortable. I think it’s going to come around because she puts so much work in.”
It must be noted that while Loyd’s shooting percentage has dipped, she’s averaging career bests in rebounds (5.5 per game) and assists (3.8). She’s also averaging 1.4 steals, which is a percentage point below her personal best.
“As long as I impact the game and we’re winning, that’s what’s most important to me,” said Loyd, an 87.6% free-throw shooter who is second in the WNBA with 97 free-throw attempts. “Some nights, it might not be with scoring. It might be with defense, getting rebounds or what have you. … Thankfully, we have people that can score. That’s the difference between last year. It doesn’t have to be just me.”
Last year, the Storm needed Loyd to set a WNBA single-season record with 939 points, and they still finished next to last in the league at 11-29.
Through 16 games last season, she tallied five of her league-best 12 30-point games, including a career-high 41 points.
“Does she need to go out and score 30 every night?” Quinn asked. “No, but I’d take it because we know she’s capable of that. She’s done it. We’ve seen it and it’s in her to do those things. I think for her, it’s important to stay the course and not overly analyze it. The shots that she’s getting are good looks and ones that we’re used to her making. It’s the law of averages at some point.”
Note
— The Storm are 2-0 this season against the Fever, including a 103-88 road win on May 30. Since then, Indiana is 6-3, including 4-1 in the past five games.
