Breanna Stewart and the Seattle Storm are back on top. Early on Tuesday night, the Storm completely dominated Game 3 of the 2020 WNBA Finals, beating the Las Vegas Aces 92-59. The win completed a three-game sweep, as the Storm secured their second title in three seasons, and the fourth in franchise history.
Leading the way, as expected, was star forward Stewart. She put up 37 points and 15 rebounds in Game 1, becoming the first player ever with a 35-point, 15-rebound game in the Finals, and finished the series by averaging 28.3 points and 7.3 rebounds, while shooting 62.8 percent from the field, and 65 percent from 3-point land. For her efforts, Stewart was named 2020 Finals MVP.
.@breannastewart was on another level in these #WNBAFinals Presented by @YouTubeTV 😤
— WNBA (@WNBA) October 7, 2020
28.3 PPG
7.3 RPG
62.8 FG%
Stewie is the 2020 WNBA Finals MVP! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/XwXJPgKBPu
It's the second Finals MVP in three seasons for Stewart, who also took it home in 2018. She's the fifth player in league history to win the honor multiple times, joining Cynthia Cooper (4), Lisa Leslie (2), Diana Taurasi (2) and Sylvia Fowles (2). Cooper and Leslie are already Hall of Famers, while Taurasi and Fowles will join those ranks when they retire. Based on her accomplishments this early in her career, Stewart is well on her way to joining them.
Stewart's brilliant Finals run completed an impressive comeback for the former MVP, who tore her Achilles tendon last spring, and missed the entire 2019 season. While no one doubted her skills would still be there, it was unclear what sort of athleticism she would have upon returning from injury, and whether she could still be the dominant player she was in the first three seasons of her career.
Those questions have been answered. Stewart finished second in MVP voting during the regular season, and was by far the best player on the floor in the playoffs. With Stewart back at her best, the Storm will remain title contenders for years to come.
