Welcome to our blog! Last night, the Seattle Storm faced off against the Phoenix Mercury in what could potentially be the final home game of Diana Taurasi’s 20-year career. Taurasi, a legendary player in the WNBA, had nine points on 3-of-9 shooting in 18 minutes. The crowd erupted into a chant of “We want DT!” in the closing minutes, prompting Taurasi to return to the court. She came back to another chant — “One more year!” — and addressed the crowd after a tribute video.
Despite Taurasi’s efforts, the Seattle Storm emerged victorious with an 89-70 win. Nneka Ogwumike led the Storm with 17 points, while Brittney Griner led the Mercury with 11 points. The Storm secured the No. 5 playoff seed and will face off against the Las Vegas Aces in a best-of-three series, starting Sunday.
On the other hand, the Mercury claimed the No. 7 seed and will take on the Minnesota Lynx in their first round series. There is uncertainty surrounding Taurasi’s future in the league, with speculation that this may be her final game. The Lynx have the opportunity to potentially end Taurasi’s career unless the Mercury can rally back.
Before the game, Taurasi was honored by her fellow Mercury players, who wore jerseys with a goat — Greatest Of All Time — in the No. 3 during player introductions. Taurasi, at 42 years old, has not confirmed whether she will retire after this season, but the possibility looms.
Despite the emotional atmosphere, the Storm came out strong, scoring the game’s first 10 points. While Taurasi managed to make her mark with a 3-pointer, the Storm maintained their lead throughout the game. Seattle’s dominance was evident as they shot 15 of 22 in the first quarter, establishing a 35-14 lead.
Although the Mercury made a comeback in the second quarter, narrowing the gap to 43-31 by halftime, the Storm pulled away in the third quarter. Phoenix attempted to rally in the final quarter, but Seattle’s resilience secured them a road victory in what could be Taurasi’s final home game.
This game marks a potential end to a remarkable career for Taurasi, who is undeniably one of the greatest women’s basketball players of all time. Her legacy includes multiple championships and records that have solidified her place in basketball history.
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