Skylar Diggins led the Seattle Storm with 24 points, supported by Nneka Ogwumike’s 21, as the Storm defeated the Chicago Sky 94-88 on Tuesday. This matchup marked the start of Seattle’s five-game road trip and featured Angel Reese’s return to the Chicago lineup after a back injury.
Seattle Establishes Early Dominance Despite Chicago Rally
The Storm built a lead as large as 19 points late in the fourth quarter, though Chicago managed to narrow the gap to seven points with just over two minutes remaining. Seattle then sealed the victory with Ogwumike’s late three-pointer extending the lead to 89-79 in the final seconds. Both Diggins and Ogwumike connected on three three-point shots, highlighting a balanced offensive effort.
Angel Reese Returns After Absence
Reese returned from missing seven straight contests and nine of the past ten, finishing with 19 points and seven rebounds. The second-year forward, who led the league with a 12.6 rebounds per game average before her injury, started strong with six points and four rebounds in the first half. Early in the game, she scored a fast-break layup 46 seconds in, capitalizing on a Rachel Banham steal.
Key Contributions Support Seattle Victory
Besides Diggins and Ogwumike, Dominique Malonga added 15 points, Brittney Sykes contributed 12, and Ezi Magbegor scored 11 points while grabbing eight rebounds. For Chicago, Ariel Atkins scored 19 points, Kia Nurse added 13, Kamilla Cardoso posted 10 points along with six rebounds and six assists, and Elizabeth Williams chipped in with 10 points and nine rebounds.
First Half Dominance and Season Series Edge
The Storm entered halftime with a 46-34 lead, shooting 57.6 percent from the field to the Sky’s 35 percent. Despite Chicago briefly grabbing a four-point lead early in the first quarter, the Sky struggled in the second quarter with only 6-of-22 shooting as Seattle outscored them 26-14. With this win, Seattle secured the season series against Chicago, winning both matchups so far and improving their standing in the playoff race.
Implications for Playoff Race and Upcoming Matchups
Seattle’s victory moves the team (18-18) one game ahead of the idle Los Angeles Sparks for the eighth and final playoff spot, while Chicago (8-26) falls into a tie with Dallas for the second-highest number of losses. The Sky have struggled since the All-Star break, going 1-11, but the return of Angel Reese offers renewed hope for their remaining games. The teams will meet again on August 30, when Seattle hosts Chicago, a matchup that could hold further playoff significance.