Breanna Stewart’s WNBA playoff record 42 points not enough as Storm fall 97-92 to Aces

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – SEPTEMBER 06: Sue Bird #10 of the Seattle Storm reacts after losing to the Las Vegas Aces 97-92 in her final game of her career during Game Four of the 2022 WNBA Playoffs semifinals at Climate Pledge Arena on September 06, 2022

SEATTLE – Breanna Stewart matched the WNBA playoff record of 42 points in Game 4 on Tuesday night, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the firepower of Chelsea Gray and the Las Vegas Aces, who advanced to the WNBA Finals with a 97-92 victory over the Seattle Storm.

Stewart’s 42-point effort was a Herculean attempt to stave off elimination and extend the legendary career of point guard Sue Bird to a Game 5 back in Las Vegas. Instead, the Aces showed why they were the best team in the WNBA this season in advancing to the championship round.

Stewart is just the fifth player in WNBA history to reach 40 points in a playoff game. She matched the 42 points scored by Angel McCoughtry of the Atlanta Dream in a 105-93 victory over the New York Liberty in 2010.

Jewell Loyd tied the game at 87-87 with 1:42 left to play. Gray then delivered another clutch 3-pointer to put the Aces back on top. After a Loyd miss, Gray converted another contested jumper to push the lead to five, 92-87.

Las Vegas kept making free throws down the stretch to hold on for the victory.

For Gray, her performance marked the first 30-point, 10-assist game in WNBA playoff history.

After falling into an early 6-0 hole, the Storm roared to life. A 12-1 run put Seattle on top as Stewart began to catch fire. She ripped off 13 straight points for the Storm with three of her five 3-pointers in the half fueling the surge as Seattle took a 20-11 lead.

Las Vegas clawed back before the end of the quarter with A’Ja Wilson getting her first basket of the night inside the final minute to trim the lead to 23-19 at the end of the frame.

Wilson and Gray combined for 63 points against Seattle in their 110-98 victory in Game 3. The Storm held the duo to just Wilson’s two points in the first quarter win building their advantage.

Stewart continued her assault on the scoreboard before halftime with two more 3-pointers en route to 26 first half points. It’s the most points ever scored in the first half of a WNBA playoff game and trails only the 27 points McCoughtry of Dream scored in the second half of a 2011 playoff game against the Minnesota Lynx.

Wilson, Gray and Plum started to pour in buckets for Las Vegas as the Storm offense stagnated. Only Stewart and Loyd managed to score for Seattle in the third quarter as the Aces pulled out to a 66-59 lead.

Gabby Williams provided an offensive spark in the final quarter and a contested three-point play where Wilson raked her in the face gave Seattle an 83-82 lead, their first advantage since early in the half. Jackie Young, who added 16 points for the Aces, immediately answered with a three-point play of her own to play Las Vegas back on top.

Loyd finished with 29 points in the effort for Seattle with Bird adding eight points and eight assists in her final game.

Wilson scored 23 points with 13 rebounds for Las Vegas.