Portland Fire defeated Seattle Storm 77-72 at Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday, July 4, with Carla Leite leading the way on 20 points as the visitors claimed the result in a tight fourth quarter after overturning an early deficit.
Seattle started the fixture with more control, taking the opening period 20-10 and looking the sharper side in front of a home crowd of 10,251. Dominique Malonga gave the Storm a reliable focal point and finished with 22 points, while Flau’jae Johnson added important work on the glass with eight rebounds.
But Portland adjusted well in the second period and changed the rhythm of the contest. The Fire won the quarter 22-10, moved the ball with greater purpose, and began to assert themselves on the boards. That rebounding edge proved significant across the full 40 minutes, with Portland finishing with 47 rebounds to Seattle’s 31.
The third period remained finely balanced in terms of tension, but Portland continued to build momentum by getting to the line and making those chances count. The Fire shot 23-for-25 on free throws, an outstanding 92 percent clip, and that efficiency gave them the platform to stay in front even though their outside shooting never fully clicked.
Seattle kept pushing and produced its best response late on, posting 25 points in the fourth period, but Portland stayed composed in the closing stretch. Leite’s 20 points and four assists gave the Fire a steady attacking reference, while Megan Gustafson’s nine rebounds helped maintain control of second-chance situations and limit Seattle’s margin for error.
Key performers
Leite was the standout for Portland, not only as the team’s leading scorer but also as the player who best balanced creation and composure when the match tightened. Malonga was the leading figure for Seattle with 22 points on a difficult night for the Storm attack overall, while Natisha Hiedeman contributed four assists.
NerdSports Stat: Portland attempted seven fewer shots than Seattle but still secured the victory by winning the rebound count by 16 and outscoring the Storm by seven at the free-throw line.
This result lifts Portland to 9-12 overall and gives them a valuable road win in a tightly contested part of the standings, while Seattle falls to 5-17 and is left to reflect on a strong opening quarter that it could not sustain. The Fire will look to carry this efficiency into their next fixture, while the Storm need a sharper attacking conversion rate after shooting 33.8 percent from the floor.
Frequently Asked Questions
No goal scorers were recorded in the match data provided.
Seattle Storm 72 – 77 Portland Fire.
Portland Fire improved to 9-12 with an important road result, while Seattle Storm dropped to 5-17 and remain under pressure in the standings.
Carla Leite was the standout performer with 20 points and 4 assists.
