Liberty vs. Storm: Breanna Stewart Scores 28 as New York Extends Seattle's Losing Streak to 10

Dominique Malonga scored 31 points on 14-of-20 shooting, added 10 rebounds, and lost by six. If you need one sentence to explain the 2026 Seattle Storm, there it is.

Breanna Stewart answered with 28 on Wednesday night at Barclays Center, Jonquel Jones flirted with a triple-double by stuffing 15 rebounds and seven assists next to her 14 points, and the New York Liberty won 92-86 to finish off a two-game home set against Seattle. The Storm have now lost 10 straight. For anyone keeping score at home, and in Seattle that has become a grim hobby, it is their second double-digit losing streak of the season.

New York Fast, Seattle Stubborn

This one started the same way Monday's did, with New York landing the first punch. It was 5-4 New York when the Liberty ripped off 12 straight in about two minutes to make it 17-4. Rebecca Allen was the early problem, pouring in 10 points in the first quarter on the way to a 27-16 lead.

Then Malonga took over. The 20-year-old from France hung 15 on New York in the second quarter, hitting from deep, attacking the rim and sinking a fadeaway for good measure. An 8-0 Storm run cut a 34-21 deficit to 34-29, and after New York pushed back to 47-36, Seattle scored nine straight spanning halftime. Malonga's 3 in the final seconds of the half made it 47-43, and the Storm opened the third by getting within 47-45.

It stayed tight until the game was tied at 50. That is when Sabrina Ionescu, who had two points at the break, finally showed up. An and-one and a 3 got her going, she piled up eight points inside a 12-2 surge, and New York had breathing room again. Seattle still hung around, trailing 69-65 going to the fourth.

Jones took care of that part, opening the final period with an and-one and then a 3 all on her own, and an 8-0 Liberty burst made it 77-65 by the 7:53 mark. The Storm kept coming in small waves, cutting it to six on several occasions, but every time they got close, somebody in seafoam had a response. Stewart hit an 18-foot step-back at 3:38 and a driving layup at 3:02, Marine Fauthoux drilled a 23-foot 3 at 1:47, and Ionescu and Pauline Astier closed things at the line.

Stewart Was Steady, Jones Did Everything Else

Stewart went 12 of 22 from the field and grabbed eight rebounds, and she hit the buckets that kept Seattle from ever feeling good about a late run. Jones might have been more valuable. Her 15 rebounds, 11 of them on the defensive end, and seven assists gave New York a hub at both ends, and she finished plus-18 in 30 minutes. Ionescu scored 15 with six assists and five rebounds, going 6 of 6 at the line despite a 4-of-14 night from the field.

The best underrated line belonged to Astier: 11 points on a perfect 4 of 4 from the floor and 3 of 3 at the stripe, plus five assists and a team-best plus-20. Allen finished with 12 on 4-of-6 shooting, including both of her 3-point tries.

For Seattle, Malonga was simply the best player on the floor for long stretches, with two 3s, three assists, two steals and a block alongside the points and rebounds. Awa Fam scored 13 off the bench and hit 3 of 6 from deep, Jade Melbourne added 13 and seven assists, and Flau'jae Johnson scored 11, including seven in the final 1:24 to make the score look closer. Katie Lou Samuelson left with a right knee injury in the third, and coach Sonia Raman said afterward that the medical staff was evaluating her.

Ionescu Woke Up

The game turned at 50-50. Seattle had spent a full quarter climbing back from the early hole, had all the momentum and had a player New York could not stop. A 12-2 run from there was a cold splash of water, and it started with a player who had been nearly invisible for 20 minutes. The Storm trimmed it back to four by the end of the third, but they never got even again, and New York spent the rest of the night protecting the lead at the line.

Stats That Matter

• 19 of 21 vs. 7 of 11: Free throws. New York made 12 more in a six-point game.
• 16-6: Liberty edge in fast-break points.
• 46 percent vs. 44 percent: Seattle shot better from the field and still lost, largely because of the line.
• 38-35: New York's rebounding edge, with 30 of those on the defensive glass.
• 31 and 10: Malonga's points and rebounds, in a loss.

What It Means

New York moved to 19-13 and 10-5 at home, with six wins in its last seven games, and took the season series with Seattle 2-1 by following Monday's 95-83 win with this one. Las Vegas visits on Sunday.

Seattle fell to 6-27 and 2-16 on the road. The current slide comes on top of an 11-game skid that ran from May 27 through June 22, and the Storm's last win was an 82-64 result at Los Angeles on July 6. A trip to Portland awaits on Saturday.

Groundhog Day, With a Great Lead Actor

Watching the Storm right now is a bit like watching Groundhog Day: every night the same alarm clock goes off, the same fourth-quarter gap opens up, and everybody wakes up to the same result. The difference is that Bill Murray eventually got to learn the piano and fix his life. Seattle is still stuck in the loop. But Malonga, at 20, is doing the one thing that makes the repetition worth watching, showing up night after night with something new. If you are a Storm fan looking for a reason to keep the TV on, she is it.

Stats from the official box score via ESPN. Game details as reported by the Associated Press.