> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Instant Takeaways: Storm Shoot Historically Bad in Crushing Loss to Valkyries - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/instant-takeaways-storm-shoot-historically-bad-in-crushing-loss-to-valkyries/ - Published: 2025-06-30T03:40:05.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T05:59:06.000Z - Author: Connor Benintendi - Tags: Storm, Skylar Diggins, Nneka Ogwumike, Ezi Magbegor, Erica Wheeler, Zia Cooke \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1448"\] ![ The Seattle Storm posted one of their worst offensive performances since 2015 in an 84-57 loss to the Golden State Valkyries. Credit: John Mac ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/54549772252_2836923972_k-format-original-1.jpg) The Seattle Storm posted one of their worst offensive performances since 2015 in an 84-57 loss to the Golden State Valkyries. Credit: John Mac \[/caption\] The Seattle Storm posted arguably their worst offensive performance of the last decade in an 84-57 loss to the Golden State Valkyries on Sunday, June 29, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. Seattle was stymied for the [second straight time against the WNBA’s newest franchise](https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/home/valkyries-stifle-storms-offense-snap-3-game-win-streak), never finding an offensive rhythm and never generating a defensive answer to a fiery, cohesive Valkyries offense. The Storm fell to 10-7 on the season, while the Valkyries improved to 9-7. Here’s what we learned from a crushing Storm loss against Golden State. ### **Historically bad offense** The Storm entered Sunday night’s game averaging 21 points per quarter (84.2 points per game). They scored 27 points in the entire first half against the Valkyries. That’s what happens when a team converts just 26 percent of its shots over 20 minutes of basketball. By the game’s end, the outlook wasn’t much better. Seattle’s 27 percent shooting percentage was the fourth-worst in franchise history and the team’s worst single-game average since 2015 (a 68-45 loss to the then-Tulsa Shock). That Storm team finished the season 10-24. Golden State’s zone defense stifled Seattle once again, forcing it into difficult perimeter shots that rarely found the net. In addition to a poor overall shooting performance, the Storm hit just 6 of 28 threes (21.4 percent), a far cry from their league-leading average of 36.6 percent from beyond the arc so far in 2025. Seattle’s defense kept them in the game early by keeping the rebound battle close, but they still lost in that area, 41-38\. It could’ve been much worse if they were battered on the boards. Golden State dominated that area in the first matchup between the two teams. Through 17 games, the Storm are one of the better statistical offenses in the league. However, those numbers conceal the occasional dysfunction that often leaves them trailing early in games they should win. It’s particularly notable when they are restricted to a half-court offense. Seattle isn’t a good team offensively when the pace slows, and their fastbreak opportunities are halted. The magic number all season long has been 21 assists. They are 10-0 when reaching or exceeding that figure, and 0-7 when falling short of it. Teams like Golden State, which plays defense by committee, are Seattle’s kryptonite. The Storm must adjust. This team is too talented to have these issues persist all season. Sure, every team has an off night, but Seattle’s bad losses this season have all looked the same. The Storm’s Achilles heel is exposed: force their stars to play hero ball, take care of the basketball to avoid transition momentum and out-hustle them to the boards. ### **When the stars don’t shine** Skylar Diggins led Seattle with 18 points, followed by Erica Wheeler with 13\. Zia Cooke stepped in with 10 points off the bench after playing more than 20 minutes for the second straight game. Nneka Ogwumike, Gabby Williams, Ezi Magbegor and Alysha Clark combined for 12 points on 5-for-27 shooting. That alone is enough to explain the defeat, but it’s even worse when the output from Magbegor (2 points) and Clark (0) are no longer a surprise. Those two are averaging a combined 12.1 points per game after entering the season with much loftier expectations. It puts a lot of weight on Ogwumike, Diggins and Wheeler to produce, and when one of them falters, these types of poor team performances can result. ### **Coaching matters** Perhaps the most puzzling thing about Seattle’s blowout losses this season is the lack of in-game adjustments. Golden State essentially did the same thing the entire game, with no direct counter-tactic from head coach Noelle Quinn. The Valkyries stopped the Storm from scoring in the paint and did so at will (46-18 advantage in paint points) the entire game. One of Golden State’s runs in the third quarter was emblematic of the biggest differences between the Valkyries and Storm. Leading 55-42 with just over three minutes to play, Golden State’s defense, energy and cohesion led to a 10-0 run that had Seattle spiraling. That ballooned the lead over the 20-point mark, which seemed to shut down all hope the Storm had of a comeback. At no point during that run did Quinn use a timeout to reset, and the players had no real direction on offense. Meanwhile, the Valkyries looked like a well-oiled machine despite being in their first year of existence, built through an expansion draft and under the leadership of first-year WNBA coach Natalie Nakase. Strong coaching and team basketball are how the Valkyries are exceeding expectations in their inaugural season. That’s not an indictment of Quinn, who has also had the Storm playing excellent basketball at various points during the season. But through 17 games, the Storm are underachieving. ### **Up next** The Storm have a light schedule this upcoming week with just two games. Seattle will visit the Atlanta Dream (11-6) at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 3\. Atlanta won the first matchup with the Storm in Seattle, 94-87, on May 30. Seattle stays on the road after that game for a rematch with the New York Liberty (11-5), who have continued to skid since losing to the Storm on June 22.