Sarah: Dominique Malonga drops twenty-nine in the finale, but seven teammates are on the injury list. How do you rank a team that finishes 8-35? We’re diving into the Storm’s power rankings right now.
Tom: It is a brutal season to analyze, Sarah. But when you look at the individual brilliance against the systemic collapse, there is a lot of basketball to unpack here.
Sarah: Welcome to the Beatline Podcast Network! I’m Sarah, and this is your daily WNBA breakdown. Joining me is Tom. We have three things for you today: first, where the Storm actually sit in the Western Conference standings despite that 8-35 record. Second, we’re looking at the strength of Malonga versus the weakness of an empty roster. And third, a realistic projection for 2027 if health returns.
Tom: Right. And we have to talk about that final game against Dallas. Paige Bueckers had twenty-five, Jessica Shepard with a triple-double. It was a tough end to a tough year.
Sarah: Let’s get into it. Segment one: Where does Seattle rank in its division? They finished fourth in the Western Conference Division. That sounds decent until you see the records around them.
Tom: Yeah, fourth place is misleading without context. You’re looking at Dallas at twenty-six wins, and then Seattle sitting at eight. The gap isn’t just points; it’s structural integrity. When you’re playing from behind every single possession because you don’t have rim protection or secondary playmaking, the standings become a reflection of who has the most injuries, not necessarily who has the best system.
Sarah: So, is fourth place a win or a loss in terms of organizational health? Because finishing below .500 by such a wide margin usually means something is wrong with the front office strategy, not just the locker room.
Tom: It’s a failure of depth management. Look at the injury report from that final game against Dallas. Taina Mair out. Zia Cooke out. Katie Lou Samuelson out. Ezi Magbegor out. Alanna Smith out. Azzi Fudd out. Costanza Verona out. Seven players. Seven key contributors. You cannot compete in the Western Conference when you are fielding a roster that looks like a practice squad.
Sarah: Seven players. That is essentially the entire supporting cast. So how do you evaluate Dominique Malonga’s twenty-nine points in that context? Is it impressive because he carried them, or is it tragic because no one else could help?
Tom: It is both. Statistically, it is huge. Natisha Hiedeman had fourteen assists. She was trying to run an offense with limited spacing. Malonga got to the rim because there was no one to contest. Magbegor being out meant the paint was open. He capitalized on the mismatches. But defensively? Without Magbegor and Smith, the Storm allowed one hundred and three points to Dallas. That is not a defensive scheme issue; that is a personnel issue.
Sarah: So, ranking-wise, they are fourth, but functionally, they were fighting for survival. What about the Wings? Paige Bueckers with twenty-five points, Shepard with twenty points, eleven rebounds, and twelve assists. That sixth triple-double of the season really highlighted the disparity between the top teams and Seattle.
Tom: Exactly. Jessica Shepard securing another triple-double shows what elite versatility looks like. The Storm had no answer for her size and passing vision. Hiedeman tried to distribute, but when you’re down by twelve early, the rotations break down. You can’t switch effectively when you’re exhausted and outnumbered. The Storm ranked fourth because of tie-breakers and games against other struggling teams, but on any given night, they were the worst team in the conference.
Sarah: We’ll be back after this quick message from our supporters.