Storm falters in fourth in 98-85 loss to New York

Seattle drops second straight, falls to 19-21 on the season

Jewell Loyd leads the Storm with 22 points

The Seattle Storm lost their second straight game on Tuesday night, falling 98-85 to the New York Liberty at Barclays Center. The Storm led by 10 points in the third quarter, but the Liberty outscored them 32-18 in the fourth quarter to earn the win. Jewell Loyd led the Storm with 22 points, while Breanna Stewart added 20 points and 10 rebounds. Natasha Howard chipped in with 18 points and nine rebounds. The Liberty were led by Sabrina Ionescu, who had 25 points and eight assists. Betnijah Laney added 22 points and eight rebounds, while Kayla Thornton scored 19 points. The Storm shot just 38.5% from the field and 28.6% from three-point range. The Liberty shot 46.5% from the field and 38.5% from three-point range. The Storm return to action on Thursday night when they host the Dallas Wings at Climate Pledge Arena.

What went wrong for the Storm in the fourth quarter?

The Storm led by 10 points in the third quarter, but the Liberty outscored them 32-18 in the fourth quarter to earn the win. So what went wrong for the Storm in the fourth quarter? There are a few factors that contributed to the Storm's collapse in the fourth quarter. First, the Liberty made some key adjustments on defense. They started to double-team Stewart more, which forced the Storm to find other ways to score. Second, the Storm went cold from three-point range in the fourth quarter, making just 1 of 8 attempts. Finally, the Liberty simply outplayed the Storm in the fourth quarter. They were more aggressive on the boards and they made more hustle plays.

What can the Storm do to improve?

The Storm need to make some adjustments if they want to avoid a similar collapse in the future. First, they need to find a way to counter the double-teams that they are likely to face on Stewart. Second, they need to improve their three-point shooting. Third, they need to play with more intensity and hustle, especially in the fourth quarter. The Storm have a lot of potential, but they need to start playing more consistently. If they can do that, they can be a contender for the WNBA championship.