Storm notebook: Dominique Malonga is on path to establishing consistency

Following her record as the youngest WNBA player to register a double-double, Dominique Malonga nearly achieved another while playing key minutes for the Seattle Storm in a 69-58 loss to the Washington Mystics. Despite the defeat, the Storm's bench players, including Malonga (+9), Alysha Clark (+14), Tiffany Mitchell (+8), and Lexie Brown (+4), posted a starkly positive average plus/minus of +8.8. This contrasted sharply with the heavily negative averages of the team's top four starters: Nneka Ogwumike (-25), Skylar Diggins (-20), Ezi Magbegor (-20), and Gabby Williams (-19), who averaged -21. Starter Erica Wheeler (-6) played with both groups.

The significant bench impact was most evident during a critical 17-2 run spanning the end of the third and start of the fourth quarters. Trailing by 19 points with 1:36 left in the third, the Storm, led by the second unit (Clark, Malonga, Mitchell, Brown, and Wheeler), cut the deficit to just four points by the 5:02 mark of the fourth quarter. Erica Wheeler was instrumental offensively during this run, scoring 10 of her 12 points, including two three-pointers to start and end the third quarter, and a driving layup to cap the run.

Dominique Malonga contributed significantly during the run, scoring six of the game's next seven points. Her sequence included a fast-break layup off her own midcourt steal immediately following Wheeler's early fourth-quarter basket, forcing a Mystics timeout. Malonga then secured an offensive rebound, drew a foul on a putback attempt, and sank two free throws. Shortly after, another steal by the rookie led to a transition layup assisted by Wheeler. The entire bench unit received credit for holding the Mystics scoreless during this pivotal stretch.

Head coach Noelle Quinn praised the bench unit's performance, highlighting their defensive effort (holding the Mystics to nine points in the fourth), Malonga's running and rebounding, and Wheeler's offensive lift. She noted the unit provided the needed fight and energy. Starter Nneka Ogwumike acknowledged the bench's "serious resilience," admitting the first unit "was not getting it done" in the second half and stressing the need for better starts and sustainability from the starters, while recognizing the strength coming off the bench.