Seattle Storm come back to beat Aces 86-83, force a Game 3

Skylar Diggins' jumper in the lane with 4.2 seconds left helped the Seattle Storm force a deciding Game 3 with an 86-83 victory over the Las Vegas Aces.

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sep 16, 2025, 9:29 PM Updated: 9:39 pm

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Seattle Storm Skylar Diggs Las Vegas Aces...

Seattle Storm guard Skylar Diggins makes a shot against the Las Vegas Aces on Sept. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

(AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

SEATTLE (AP) — Skylar Diggins scored 26 points, including a jumper in the lane with 4.2 seconds left, Nneka Ogwumike had 24 points and 10 rebounds, and the Seattle Storm forced a deciding Game 3 with an 86-83 victory over the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday night.

Take another look at the Skylar Diggins bucket that called GAME in the @seattlestorm's thrilling Game 2 comeback win vs. the Las Vegas Aces 👏#WelcometotheW

WNBA Playoffs presented by @Google pic.twitter.com/Klfbla74PM

— WNBA (@WNBA) September 17, 2025

Seattle won its first playoff game since 2022. The Storm will play at Las Vegas on Thursday for a spot in the WNBA semifinals.

Las Vegas had closed the season on a 16-game winning streak, before winning Game 1 on Sunday.

The Storm trailed 79-70 before closing on a 16-4 run.

Seattle Storm 86, Las Vegas Aces 83: Box score

Dominique Malonga was fouled while making a layup in transition with 31 seconds left and she made the free throw to give Seattle its first lead, 84-83, since it was 37-36.

Take a look at her bucket below ⤵️ https://t.co/mtchZ5kgdT pic.twitter.com/pZpbxBrmdC

— WNBA (@WNBA) September 17, 2025

Chelsea Gray had a turnover at the other end trying to find Jackie Young in the lane.

Ogwumike took an inbounds pass with 27.7 seconds left and held the ball near midcourt until giving it to Diggins with about 14 to go. Diggins drove into the lane and sank a shot near the free-throw line for a three-point lead.

Las Vegas had a chance to tie it at the buzzer but Jewell Loyd’s 3-pointer hit off the right side of the rim.

Malonga finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Erica Wheeler also scored 11 for Seattle.

Young led Las Vegas with 25 points. A’ja Wilson had 21 points and 13 rebounds for her 22nd playoff double-double.

Ogwumike scored 11 points in the first quarter, Diggins added 15 points in the second and Seattle was within 45-44 at the break after closing on a 7-0 run. Diggins sank a 3-pointer with 51.4 seconds left following her steal, and she added two free throws at 32.3.

Skylar Diggins gets the crowd FIRED UP 😤

She gets the steal and drains the HUGE triple! In the 2Q she scored 15 PTS & 3 3PM!

LVA-SEA | ESPN | WNBA Playoffs | @Google pic.twitter.com/Qb44QJMR1M

— WNBA (@WNBA) September 17, 2025

Diggins had just 12 points in Seattle’s loss on Sunday in the series opener, and Ogwumike had 11.