Flau'jae Johnson scores 23 as Storm beat Sparks 82-64
Flau'jae Johnson scored a game-high 23 points on Monday, July 6, 2026, as the Seattle Storm routed the Los Angeles Sparks 82-64 at Crypto.com Arena. The breakout performance snapped Seattle's two-game losing streak and delivered the Storm's first win over a Western Conference opponent after 12 straight defeats.
Key Takeaways
- Flau'jae Johnson led all scorers with 23 points, including 13 in the first quarter.
- Seattle's defense forced 19 Sparks turnovers and tied a season high with 14 steals.
- The 18-point margin matched the Storm's largest win of the season.
- The game aired nationally on USA Network at 10 p.m. ET as part of USA Sports' WNBA coverage.
- Sparks stars Kelsey Plum and Cameron Brink were sidelined by injury.
How Did Flau'jae Johnson Take Over Early?
Johnson opened with a burst of three-pointers and scored all of Seattle's early points as the Storm jumped ahead 13-6. She finished the first quarter with 13 points, helping Seattle to a 20-15 lead after one period.
By halftime, Johnson had 17 points and the Storm led 48-37. She shot 9-for-19 from the field with five rebounds and three assists, one of her strongest outings of the season, according to The Seattle Times.
A crowd of 12,160 at Crypto.com Arena included NBA star Kevin Durant and South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley.
What Made the Storm Defense So Dominant?
While Johnson supplied the offense, Seattle's defense drove the blowout. The Storm collected a season-high-tying 14 steals and converted 19 Sparks turnovers into 25 points.
Los Angeles managed just eight points in the third quarter as Seattle stretched its lead to 68-45. During that period, the Sparks went 2-for-15 from the field and 1-for-7 from three-point range.
Dearica Hamby led Los Angeles with 17 points, while former Storm star Nneka Ogwumike added 14 against her old team. The Sparks fell to 8-11 and lost their third straight game.
Why Does This Win Matter for Seattle?
The 82-64 victory tied Seattle's most lopsided margin of the season and offered a measure of revenge after Ogwumike dropped 24 points in a close Sparks win earlier this year. For a Storm team sitting at 6-17, snapping a skid against a West rival carries real weight.
Seattle had dropped 12 straight games against Western Conference opponents before this breakthrough. The nationally televised win also landed on a night when star watchers packed the arena in Los Angeles.
For more celebrity breaking news and sports crossover moments, this WNBA night delivered star power on and off the court.
Where Was the Game Broadcast?
USA Sports aired the Storm-Sparks matchup on USA Network at 10 p.m. ET on July 6, with Kate Scott on play-by-play, Mary Murphy as guest analyst, and Terrika Foster-Brasby reporting courtside from Crypto.com Arena, per a Versant Media release.
The Sparks played without All-Star starter Kelsey Plum (lower leg) and Cameron Brink (ankle). USA Sports continues its weekly WNBA schedule with additional games on USA Network throughout July.