WNBA FINALS: STORM VS. ACES

October 4, 2020

Breanna Stewart

Seattle Storm

Game 2: Postgame

Seattle Storm 104, Las Vegas Aces 91

Q. Could you maybe tell me what you're seeing, you and Sue were among the best players as a duo in net rating in the WNBA in 2018. This year you're at 27.2 in the regular season, the highest number anyone's put up in the last ten years as a duo, and in the playoffs you're 22.8 coming into today. How and why are you guys somehow better than you were even the year you last won the Championship?

BREANNA STEWART: I'm not sure. I think that we're continuing to take what the defense gives us, I think especially in pick-and-roll situations like that, you know, either I'm going to have a shot or she's going to have a shot or we're making a play for someone else. I don't know, it's great to be on the court with her.

Q. A big part of this game was the free throw disparities and your guys ability to play defense without fouling. How big was that?

BREANNA STEWART: Yeah, I mean, I think it was huge and I think obviously that was one of our main points as far as what we wanted to do. We know that Vegas likes to get to the free throw line. We knew they were going to come and really attack us today. We wanted to make sure that we were straight up and even putting our hands backwards a little bit and not letting them get and-ones.

Q. The other day, Game 1, when they made it tight, you took over and scored 11 straight to start the fourth quarter. Today when they took the lead, it was a team effort, five or six different players scored to get you guys back to double digits, at least. Talk about the balance today and along those lines, you set the record with assists in a Finals game with 33, sort of the same thing, the offense was flowing and everyone was getting touches and good looks?

BREANNA STEWART: To be honest, I think that our performance today was probably better than what it was Game 1 just as far as having a balanced approach. Game 1, I think Jewell and I were the only ones in double figures and today it was more balanced and people were continuing to be confident and knocking down shots when we needed it.

Q. Vegas was down 2-1 against Connecticut and won two straight. You've been up big against them in both games and they have rallied. What do you have to do to close things out in Game 3?

BREANNA STEWART: I mean, this is Game 3. This is our moment to really finish the series and take home the Championship, so we are going to continue to be sharp, be better than what we were in Game 1 and Game 2, and leave it all out on the court.

Q. You were asked about the balance, but I wonder if you can specifically talk about Alysha and Natasha and just how -- we know they are great defensive players, and what they were able -- they are also obviously good offensive players, but what they brought?

BREANNA STEWART: I think just starting with AC, her ability to kind of erase everything that happened in Game 1 and come in and be confident. She knocked down shots early and late and was exactly what we needed on both ends of the floor and same with Tash. She was continuing to be aggressive and take whatever the defense gave her. I think when that happens and when people are knocking down shots and it's not just one or two people, the confidence just spreads throughout the team. That's what we get in those moments where it's like everything goes in.

Q. Coach just said that you guys know how to close a team out. What is the mentality behind that when you get up to just put the game away?

BREANNA STEWART: Our mentality is just to kind of keep our foot on the gas, knowing that especially in a series like this, a team, if you give them any chance to come back, then they will. We want to continue to kind of do what we need to do, have a complete game and really, like I said, leave it all out on the court.

Q. How satisfied are you with your team's performance so far?

BREANNA STEWART: Yeah, I mean, I think this is a time where we want to play our best basketball. I think we are doing that. I think from Game 1 to Game 2, we have gotten better, and now from Game 2 to Game 3, we'll continue to get better.