Out with a bang: Storm win final home game in Everett

EVERETT — The Seattle Storm signed off from Angel of the Winds Arena with a flourish Thursday night.

Playing the last of their five home games in Everett this season, the defending WNBA-champion Storm bid adieu with a 69-57 victory over the Dallas Wings.

In truth, the Storm didn’t play their best game Thursday, undergoing stretches of sloppiness against one of the league’s worst teams. But a spectacular second half from Jordin Canada, who tallied 18 points, six assists and three steals, plus the usual high-energy contributions from Natasha Howard (23 points, 11 rebounds, six steals) were enough to give Seattle, which used Angel of the Winds as one of its temporary homes this season while a new Seattle arena is built, a 4-1 record in games played in Everett.

“It was our defense,” Canada said about why Seattle was able to put the game away late. “From the start we knew we had a lot of energy and we knew at some point it was going to wear them down. So we just tried to continue at it. We had a lot of bodies come in and play as much as they could and be aggressive in every possession, and I think that kind of tired them out and allowed us to go on a run.”

The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for Seattle (13-11), which remains solidly in playoff position with 10 games remaining in the season. The Storm moved a game ahead of the Phoenix Mercury into the No. 6 position, and are four games ahead of the ninth-place New York Liberty, who are currently the first team out.

Dallas (6-17) was led by Kayla Thornton (14 points, six rebounds), Arike Ogunbowale (13 points, six assists) and Isabelle Harrison (12 points, seven rebounds, four steals).

Storm All-Star guard Jewell Loyd started the game on the bench as she continued to nurse the ankle injury that caused her to miss games before the break. Loyd started each of Seattle’s first two games following the break, but with limited minutes and limited effectiveness. She spent time on the stationary bike next to Seattle’s bench before checking into the game for the first time with 2 minutes, 51 seconds remaining in the first quarter. She finished with eight points in 16 minutes.

Seattle trailed 38-37 at halftime, and even when the Storm looked like they were ready to make a run in the second half, they were unable to shake the Wings. But Seattle finally put the game away in the fourth quarter. Leading 56-53, the Storm went on a 13-2 run during which Canada pulled the strings, either by scoring herself, setting up teammates or by creating turnovers with her ball pressure on defense.

“I thought a couple things sparked (the late run),” Storm coach Dan Hughes said. “I thought defensively we were really solid. I thought Jordin Canada had a presence right then. She not only finished plays, but she got us into offense, we attacked and then had the patience to be open-minded about where the shot would come. We kept putting pressure on them early in possessions, and we did a much better job (with tempo) in the fourth quarter, and I give her a lot of credit because she usually has the ball in her hands in that early stage.

“That’s a key win for us,” Hughes added. “We went through a tough stretch, came back home and needed that one, and it was a good one to get.”

Dallas came out on fire from the start, hitting 3-pointers on three of its first four possessions and five total in the first quarter — the Wings came into the game averaging just 6.2 3s per game. Howard almost single-handedly kept Seattle in it, her tenaciousness on the boards and 13 points helping the Storm stay within four at 24-20 at the end of the first.

Dallas cooled off considerably in the second quarter, but Seattle wasn’t much better. However, Canada’s driving teardrop with 10 seconds remaining in the half meant the Storm headed to halftime trailing by just one.

Seattle grabbed the lead right at the start of the third quarter and appeared to be poised to blow the game open. However, the Storm got sloppy, with a series of turnovers and wild shots meaning Seattle was unable to shake the Wings. But one player who wasn’t effected by the malaise was Canada, who was excellent on both ends of the floor, and a late jumper by her plus two free throws by Loyd gave Seattle a 52-47 lead after three.

Lay-ins

Seattle continued to play without star point guard Sue Bird. Bird, who hasn’t played this season, remains out indefinitely as she recovers from arthroscopic knee surgery. It is not known whether Bird, an 11-time WNBA All-Star, will be able to get back on the court this season. … Dallas was without its best player, point guard Skylar Diggins-Smith. Diggins-Smith, a four-time WNBA All-Star, has not played this season after giving birth to her son in April, and it is not known when she will return.