Recap: The Seattle Storm are the 2018 WNBA champions!

For the first time since 2010, the Seattle Storm are WNBA champions, completing the Finals sweep of the Washington Mystics on Wednesday night. Here’s what happened in tonight’s Game 3.

Seattle Storm (98) vs. Washington Mystics (82)

As the final quarter began, the scoreline heavily favored the Storm. They had the big third scorer they needed in 2018 Most Improved Player Natasha Howard, with 2018 MVP Breanna Stewart not far behind. But the Storm’s weakness these playoffs had been big fourth-quarter leads — namely, giving them up — and the Mystics seemed all too ready to pounce.

To Washington’s credit, they chipped away at that lead, bringing it down to just 5 points before Seattle took over for the last time. But for a team with consistency issues all playoffs long, the Mystics’ efforts just weren’t enough against a team that seemed all but destined to win it all since they locked up the No. 1 seed last month.

Stewart led all scorers with 30 points to go with 8 rebounds, but Howard’s career-high 29 points and season-high 14 rebounds were perhaps the story of the night. Alysha Clark added 15 points and 9 rebounds and Sue Bird added 10 points to go with 10 assists.

The Storm shot 50 percent from the floor as well as 50 percent from three, making 13 shots from beyond the arc and dominating from outside as they have all season long.

In usual fashion, Elena Delle Donne stepped up for her team, leading the Mystics with 23 points, her most since returning from the knee injury that sidelined her for one game during the semifinals. Kristi Toliver also improved her postseason shooting performance, adding 22 points as well as 5 assists. No other Washington player scored in double figures.

WNBA President Lisa Borders awarded the Finals MVP trophy to Breanna Stewart during the post-game festivities.