The WNBA season came to a close on Wednesday as the Seattle Storm completed a three-game sweep of the Washington Mystics thanks to a comfortable 98-82 road win. After a highly-contested semifinals matchup in the round prior, the Storm were able to handle business in the Finals with relative ease. Despite two out of the three finals games being double-digit victories, there were plenty of memorable moments from this year’s championship.

Let’s take a look at some of the best moments from the three-game series.

Sue Bird’s No-Look Assist to Natasha Howard

The Storm wasted little time before coming up with a highlight reel caliber play, as longtime Seattle guard Sue Bird made a cheeky no-look pass to center Natasha Howard just two minutes into game one. Bird, who is the WNBA all-time leader in assists, tallied 21 assists in the finals, which was a key reason why Seattle was able to sweep the Mystics.

Seattle’s 16-4 Run in the Second Quarter of Game 1

Seattle set the tempo from the get go in the first game and were able to find another gear in the second quarter. Guard Jewell Loyd found her rhythm and scored 10 straight points for the Storm and helped spur the team on to a 16-4 run. Seattle ended up with a 16-point lead at the half and were essentially able to put their game on cruise control as they won the first game by 13 despite the Mystics outscoring them by nine points in the final quarter.

Seattle Grunge legend Eddie Vedder Sits Courtside for Game 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPBB4pzFa0k
Given the fact that it was the WNBA championship series, it’s no surprise that celebrities came out to take in the action in-person. At the Washington Mystics home game, Wizards stars John Wall and Bradley Beal were seen in attendance, but Seattle’s celebrity sighting had a bit more panache.

Pearl Jam frontman and grunge music icon Eddie Vedder was sitting courtside for the game and congratulated the Storm in the locker room after their narrow two-point win. The Seattle legend had plenty of praise for the team, saying that the last 10 minutes of basketball that was the most exciting he’s seen in the sport since the days of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. That’s pretty high praise from a local legend!

Sue Bird’s heave as the shot clock runs out during the fourth quarter of Game 2

No-look passes are one thing, but Sue Bird ended up back on our list of best moments thanks to another trick she had up her sleeve. With the game hanging in the balance late in the fourth quarter of game two, she fought for a loose ball and secured it with less than three seconds left on the shot clock. The former first overall pick dribbled the ball quickly before hoisting an off-balance three from way downtown. The ball eventually caromed off of the backboard and miraculously went in, which gave the Storm a five-point lead with less than six minutes to go. They went on to win the game 75-73.

Breanna Stewart’s 30-point effort leads the Storm to victory in series-clinching Game 3

2018 will be known as the year that Breanna Stewart took her game to the next level. After winning the WNBA Regular Season MVP award for the first time, Stewart continued to dominate in the WNBA Finals, averaging over 25 points per game in the three-game series. Her crowning achievement came in the decisive third game, where she dropped 30 points, shot 4-for-5 from three, grabbed eight rebounds and finished with four assists. For her efforts, she was deservedly named Finals MVP. Her performance on the league’s biggest stage proves that she should be one of the best players in the league for a long time to come.

(Cropped image courtesy of Eric Wong via Flickr. | CC BY-ND 2.0)