> ## 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 Overpowered By Wings in Season Finale - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/storm-overpowered-by-wings-in-season-finale/ - Published: 2026-09-24T05:37:16.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T06:13:17.000Z - Author: Connor Benintendi - Tags: Game Day, Analysis, Storm, Dominique Malonga, Awa Fam, Flau'jae Johnson, Natisha Hiedeman, Jade Melbourne, Sonia Raman \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1439"\] ![ Seattle Storm guard Flau’jae Johnson rises up for a jumpshot in the team’s 90-74 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday, Aug. 30, at Climate Pledge Arena. Credit: Courtesy of Seattle Storm ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/knr16183-format-original.png) Seattle Storm guard Flau’jae Johnson rises up for a jumpshot in the team’s 90-74 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday, Aug. 30, at Climate Pledge Arena. Credit: Courtesy of Seattle Storm \[/caption\] The youthful trio of Dominique Malonga, Awa Fam and Flau’jae Johnson fittingly carried the Seattle Storm in their final game of the season, but a lack of scoring across the lineup resulted in a 103-91 loss to the Dallas Wings on Wednesday, Sept. 23, at Climate Pledge Arena. Malonga (29 points, eight rebounds) led all scorers in the game, nearly posting her third 30-point game of the season. Fam scored 22 points and added seven boards, while Johnson tallied 21 points, six rebounds and four assists. Seattle finished its 2026 season 8-36, setting a new WNBA record for losses in a season and posting the fewest wins by a Storm team since the franchise’s inaugural campaign in 2000 (32-game season). Their last win of the season was against the Toronto Tempo on Aug. 26. Dallas (27-17), which was already locked into the No. 7 seed in the postseason, was led by 25 points, five rebounds and seven assists from Paige Bueckers. Arike Ogunbowale (23 points) and Jessica Shepard (20) also scored 20 or more points. Here’s what we learned from the Storm’s season-ending loss to the Wings on Wednesday. ### **Polar opposite first, second quarters** Malonga was the Storm’s only scorer until 35.6 seconds remained in the first quarter. Even then, the only other points were two Johnson free throws. Dallas built a 29-12 lead in the meantime, with Malonga scoring 10 points on 4-for-8 shooting. The rest of the Storm team was 0-for-8 from the field in the first quarter. The Wings shot 62% from the field in the period to Seattle’s 25%. It was a complete thumping, and the Storm looked like they were ready to head on vacation in the offseason. Seattle looked like a completely different team in the second quarter, immediately embarking on a 19-6 run that cut the Wings' lead down to four. The abysmal shooting of the first quarter was far in the rearview mirror, as the Storm made eight of their first nine shots in the second period. Malonga, Fam and Johnson put their feet on the gas pedal, with all scoring in double figures in the first half. Fam had an 11-point quarter to lead all Storm players, and Malonga had a game-high 16 points at the break. The Wings responded to the run, but Seattle still cut a previously 17-point deficit down to seven before the second half. And the Storm shot a scorching hot 13 of 16 from the field in the second quarter to do it. ### **Missed opportunities at the season’s buzzer** Storm head coach Sonia Raman continued to lean on her starters in the third quarter. Jade Melbourne and Taylor Thierry saw a decent amount of time on the court, but it was a steep drop-off from there to the rest of the Seattle bench. Thoughts of a comeback started fading late in the third quarter, as the Wings concluded the period with a 13-point lead. The Storm still had just six points from players not named Malonga, Fam or Johnson at that point in the game. Even then, Seattle could’ve been much closer late in the game if not for missed free throws. The Storm converted just 15 of 23 attempts at the stripe, and had they made even four or five more of those, it would’ve been a completely different game in the fourth quarter. There were inflection points. Melbourne cut the Wings’ lead to eight with four minutes left, and Natisha Hiedeman made it six with just over a minute remaining after a strong and-one. But Dallas continued to answer every big play the Storm made. Other pieces of the lineup finished strong for Seattle, with Hiedeman posting 10 points and 14 assists. Jordan Horston, however, finished scoreless after starting for the second time in the last three games. That’s a huge hole in the lineup. ### **Looking to the future** It was only fitting that the Storm’s trio of the future carried the team in the final game of the season. Heading into 2027, Malonga, Fam and Johnson are the only players who are locks to be on Seattle’s roster next season. As good as they’ve been statistically, that group still has to mature enough to meet the moment in big games. That’s been an area that nobody on the Storm has excelled in this season. But that will come with experience, age and having more of a veteran presence on future rosters. Johnson set the Storm record for most points in a season by a rookie (626). Malonga is a top candidate for Most Improved Player. Fam has been streaky, but has potential to be one of the most versatile players in the WNBA. The future remains bright, but the Storm’s front office has to be open to sweeping change on the roster. Money must be spent, and Raman has to take a big leap with her in-game strategies in Year 2. Seattle should be a much better team in 2027 if the Storm lean into their young trio and put quality veteran pieces around them. This year’s supporting cast just wasn’t good enough.