Sue Bird’s career is coming closer to its end after she played at Climate Pledge Arena for the final time in her regular-season career. The festivities before and after were enough to make Bird emotional as the reality of her legendary career ending soon hit her harder than it might’ve before.
Sue Bird is a Seattle legend through and through.
— WSLAM (@wslam) August 7, 2022
One final time at Climate Pledge Arena 💚 (📸: @trapographer) pic.twitter.com/1BUtYLhkOR
Like her first game at Climate Pledge, Bird marked her last regular-season home game with an 89-81 loss against the Las Vegas Aces. Bird posted nine points, four rebounds, and nine assists. Teammate Breanna Stewart scored a game-high 35 points and 10 boards.
A’ja Wilson led the Aces with a team-high 29 points and six rebounds, playing a significant part in spoiling Bird’s party.
“I’m not going to lie, it kinda sucks to lose my last game here,” Bird said when she addressed the crowd postgame. “But it’s OK; I lost my first game here too.”
21 years of greatness.
— WSLAM (@wslam) August 7, 2022
Thank you, Sue đź’š (via @seattlestorm) pic.twitter.com/bPLnv9r5qv
The Storm (20-13) are in second place behind the Aces (23-10) in the Western Conference standings with three games to go before the season concludes on August 14.
The Storm-Aces contest could be considered a preview for a potential Conference Finals series preview between the two powerhouse franchises. The two foes will play again to end their respective regular-season campaigns.
“Listen, Vegas is a really good team,” she said per ESPN. “I think—myself included—we made a lot of mistakes that were in our control. Eight points doesn’t; I don’t think, really tell the story. They just kind of extended it there at the end. We get to see them again, and while I would have loved to have gotten a win—maybe it’s a sign of good things to come. That turned out OK in 2002.”
When Seattle and Las Vegas face off for the final time, the Storm will come to Michelob Ultra Arena with revenge on their mind.
Sue Bird is the greatest athlete to EVER rep Seattle. (📸from @wslam) https://t.co/DPGQR4oVtC pic.twitter.com/wPAPl8l1Kd
— Jayda Evans (she/her) (@JaydaEvans) August 7, 2022
The Storm will play the reigning champion Chicago Sky on the road this Tuesday, while the Aces will host the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday.
