Jul 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Seattle Storm center Ezi Magbegor (13) shoots the ball against LA Sparks forward Azura Stevens (23) in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Fresh off a month-long hiatus from the WNBA calendar, the Atlanta Dream will host the Seattle Storm on Friday in College Park, Ga., with each team trending in opposite directions.
The league schedule has been dormant since July 17 due to the Olympic games, giving each team some time to recover and rev up for the home stretch of the regular season.
However, not all Storm players were able to rest over the break, as the team boasted four Olympians. Jewell Loyd, the league’s fourth-leading scorer at 20.1 points per game, helped lead Team USA to its eighth straight gold medal, while the Australian team included two members of the Storm in Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb. The duo helped the Australians secure the bronze in Paris.
“This was really special,” Loyd said of winning gold. “These never get old. It was awesome to have this experience and to do it in this atmosphere. This was a special group.”
Magbegor, who leads the Storm in rebounding at 8.7 boards per game, tallied 30 points and 13 rebounds in the third-place win over Belgium, guiding the country to its first medal since 2012.
“Being an Olympian is the pinnacle of everyone’s career,” Magbegor said. “It means a lot to be able to represent yourself, your family and a whole nation.”
Now back in the States, Seattle’s stars hope to continue their winning ways as the Storm’s 17-8 record has them tied atop the Western Conference standings alongside the Minnesota Lynx. The Storm enter play Friday winners of three straight and eight of their last 10.
While Seattle was celebrating a great first half of the season, the Dream had to reflect on what has been a challenging 2024. After starting 4-2, Atlanta has dropped 15 of 18, entering the break with a 7-17 record and an eight-game losing streak.
“We just have to continue to play hard, continue to fight,” Atlanta head coach Tanisha Wright said. “We have to focus on the small things that can make big impacts. That’s been the main message.”
A forgettable season was made a bit easier prior to the Olympic break, as star player Rhyne Howard returned July 17 following a month-long absence due to an ankle injury.
Howard’s 15.4 points per game rank second on the team behind Allisha Gray’s 15.5.
–Field Level Media
