Tied at 18 with less than a minute remaining in the 1st quarter, Portland’s second year star Carla Leite drove inside the paint, lobbed across her body to Megan DiLeo beyond the arc, and the Spain international snatched the lead with a corner trey.

Over the next thirty-one minutes, a flurry of lead changes, momentum swings, and both teams reaching triple-digit scores proved once again that nothing is unexpected when these two teams tip off.

At the final buzzer, Washington won 105-100.

Washington rallied in the second period, with Shakira Austin leading the way. In a two-minute span over the middle of the quarter, the 6’5” center snagged two offensive rebounds, a put-back bucket, a point-blank layup, and a driving layup off a Sonia Citron dish inside. Later in the quarter, the veteran big found netting once again with an 8-foot turnaround jumper, and was fouled in the act of shooting, later converting an and-1. At halftime, the Rose City’s expansion team held a narrow lead, 49-47.

Portland took that halftime lead partly due to three point shooting - they managed to hit 7/12 from downtown - while also repeatedly attacking inside. Through two quarters, every Fire attempt either came from the paint, or the perimeter.

The third quarter featured a small Portland push, nudging the lead back beyond one possession. With exactly 8:00 remaining, Canadian three point sniper Bridget Carleton struck paydirt from 25 feet out, extending the Fire’s edge to 54-48. On their next set, the aforementioned centers DiLeo and Austin fought down low, with Austin earning a foul, and DiLeo subsequently swishing two free throws. Thanks to a Leite layup with 6:59 to go, the home team led by double-digits.

Late in the period, Washington roared back. Trailing by 8 with less than a minute left, rookie guard Cotie McMahon hit a pair of free throws. Right before the buzzer, she knocked down another shot from the stripe. Through three quarters, the Mystics trailed by 5.

In the fourth quarter, Washington cracked the proverbial code to Portland’s defense, burying the home team with a 40 point barrage. First, Citron found Austin for another driving layup. Then the Mystics went back to the well, leaning on their star post player to convert from close range. After hitting her third layup of the quarter, with 8:30 left, Washington trailed by 2. The Fire responded by focusing attention inside, and the Mystics made them pay from long-range. With 7:28 left, Michaela Onyenwere stroked nylons from 22 feet out. Half a minute later, Kiki Iriafen put the road team ahead with a post-up jumper.

While Portland got close - tying the game at 78, then holding a 2 point deficit twice - Washington continued to score inside at will. With less than two minutes left, Austin swished a 7-footer to go up 6. The Mystics looked for her on their next set, and she drew a foul from her Fire counterpart DiLeo. After Emily Engstler fouled her former teammate Michaela Onyenwere, additional free throws padded the deficit to 99-90. Despite a late Portland run - highlighted by a Leite triple in the final seconds that made it a one possession game - Washington finished victorious.

Center Shakira Austin led Washington with 31 points on 11/18 shooting, with a standout performance from the free throw line: 9 makes on 13 tries. She also added 3 offensive rebounds, 7 defensive rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks.

For Portland, Carla Leite led the way. The second year star put up 27 points across 30 minutes, plus 11 assists, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals.

The loss drops Portland to 15-22, now 6.5 games behind 8 seed Dallas with 7 games left to pass them for the final playoff spot. Coincidentally, the Fire and Wings meet Tuesday night in Dallas, with the contest scheduled for 5 PM PST.

With just 8 games left, the Rose City (15-21) trails 8th seed Dallas (21-16) by 5.5 wins.

Portland started the game with an early lead, 24-16 through the first quarter, behind a strong start from veteran wing Emily Engstler.

“I think she set the tone early on just with the two offensive rebounds, four points, just with crashing in that first quarter”, offered head coach Alex Sarama. “With Em, I don’t think there’s a player in this league who plays harder, and is more gritty than Em, so credit for that. She’s such a tough competitor and we need that that, it’s a really important part of a team identity when you have that, a player like Em bringing it every night.”

Across 30 minutes of action, Engstler finished with 13 points on 5/13 shooting plus 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 3 blocks.

Over the second quarter, Toronto outscored Portland 28-20, tying the game before halftime. The Tempo controlled their namesake with clutch shooting: with 3:59 left in the half, Canadian guard Kia Nurse swished a trey that cut the margin to 2, and did it again with 1:21 to go. As Toronto’s shots kept falling, Portland upped its pressure on the perimeter, opening up lanes inside. Tempo center Isabelle Harrison leveled the score from point-blank range with 21.4 remaining.

Despite playing with a thin bench - at one point the Tempo were down to 7 players - Toronto found a new gear in the third quarter. Already ahead 56-43 with 4:04 to go, Harrison posted up undersized second round rookie Frieda Bühner, spun free, and padded the home team’s advantage. Minutes later, dribble penetration set up an open three in the corner for French international Ornella Bankole. When the period ended, Toronto led by 7.

Despite a late surge in the fourth quarter, it was not enough. After the game, Portland’s first year head coach highlighted several areas for improvement.

“I don’t feel like we were finding great solutions that we typically emphasize, and that’s why they stayed in it [Toronto’s defense], and it was disruptive. Then just on the ball, I thought we kind of went away from a lot of the stove we’ve done all season with our go screens, and we’re really getting way too slowed down in those end of clock possessions. But I think the main story was obviously the fouling. It was so evident in that end of the second quarter.”

As a team, Toronto shot 26/33 from the free throw line. Portland’s opportunities paled in comparison, going 14/17 from the stripe.

Canadian star Bridget Carleton led the Fire with 18 points on 5/13 shooting, matching the clip of her fellow wing Engstler, and rookie center Serah Williams stood out with 10 points on 5/7 from the field, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals. Despite their successes, the rest of the team struggled: Portland’s field goal percentage was a mere 38.6%, and they were out-rebounded by Toronto 34 to 27.

Tomorrow, Portland returns to action against the Washington Mystics, with coverage tipping off at 4 PM PST.

Tonight, as Portland moved one step further towards the completion of their first season in the W, Leite once again showed why she is this team’s engine. In a tour-de-force 23 point display across 28 minutes, Leite led the Fire to an 88-85 win over the Phoenix Mercury.

Entering the fourth quarter, Portland trailed 64-61. From there, the French international took over. With 8:56 remaining, Leite drove to the basket for a layup that kept the margin at one possession. Less than two minutes later, she did it again, attacking inside the paint for another layup. With 6:54 to go, Leite followed up those efforts with a turnaround ten-footer from the high block. On Portland’s next set, she drove inside, then kicked out to rookie forward Nyadiew Puoch for a three.

In the final minutes, the former Golden State guard swished a trey of her own, slashing Portland’s deficit to a single point. One possession later, she swung the lead in their favor with a floater between the blocks.

Thanks to her heroics, Portland finished the night with a 45% team field goal shooting mark, while hitting 67% of their free throws. Only one other Fire player finished with double-digit points: starting center Megan DiLeo, who earned 15 points on 6/11 shooting.

The Fire will next play the Toronto Tempo, Friday night, with action tipping off at 7 PM PST.

In the years that followed, the British international’s WNBA career has been relatively quiet.

All that changed tonight, as the sharpshooting wing set a new WNBA personal-best 20 points on 8 made field goals. She also added 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. Behind her brilliance, the Portland Fire bested their arch-rivals in Seattle, 84-82.

“[I] want to celebrate Holly Winterburn tonight,” stressed Fire head coach Alex Sarama. “I thought that was a career kind of breakout performance. 20 points, really efficient, then the seven rebounds and the five assists too. That was great to see Holly have such a productive game all around.”

Winterburn’s efforts were aided by Portland’s 43% team field goal shooting, a respectable rebounding battle (43 boards to Seattle’s 45), and a feisty team defense which earned 8 steals.

After one quarter, the Fire led 26-16. By halftime, their advantage reached double-digits, and the margin ballooned to 16 before Seattle roared back in the final period, with Awa Fam’s heroics (7/12 from the field, and a Storm-high 20 points) bringing the final result within doubt.

Under a minute remaining, Ezi Magbegor swished a three-pointer, cutting Seattle’s deficit to 3. With 6.6 seconds left, a Natisha Heideman trey trimmed their margin to 1. In the game’s final moments, a Carla Leite free throw doubled Portland’s lead, and a missed Hiedeman twenty-footer left the home team unhappy.

The win marks Portland’s 14th of the year, with a 14-20 overall record. The victory also clinches a series sweep of their rivals from Seattle. The two I-5 foes have faced off four times since June 17th, with the Fire taking all four games.

Portland returns to action Sunday evening against the Phoenix Mercury, with tip-off scheduled for 4 PM PST.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% advertisement-free sports journalism without a paywall. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities.

The Autism Society of Oregon sponsors local support groups across Oregon which assist people of all ages on the autism spectrum, and their caregivers. To learn more about volunteering and/or donating to ASO, browse this link.

Down star point guard Carla Leite, Portland was short-handed. In her absence, the Rose City attack relied on former Lynx shooter Bridget Carleton, who scored 16 points despite an uncharacteristic 1/7 three point shooting percentage. Carleton’s struggles on the perimeter were shared by her teammates, as Portland swished just 25.8% of their treys.

Minnesota, for their part, barely fared any better. Three point shooting was ice cold tonight, with the victors achieving just a 30% clip from downtown. Leite’s absence - sparked by a left knee sprain in last weekend’s win over the Seattle storm - proved the difference, as Minnesota outshot Portland at the charity stripe. The Lynx hit 19 of 26 free throw attempts, while Portland managed only 9 of 16 free throws.

The loss drops Portland to 13-20 on the season. On Friday, the Fire will rematch the Seattle Storm at 7 PM PST in the Emerald City.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% advertisement-free sports journalism without a paywall. Instead, we choose to spotlight local charities at the end of each article.

Basic Rights Oregon envisions an Oregon where LGBTQ2SIA+ Oregonians live free from discrimination. To learn more about Basic Rights Oregon, click here.

The twenty-three year old rookie from Australia eclipsed double-digits scoring in just three of those contests.

Tonight was different. Tonight, the first year forward set a new career-high, scoring 19 points on 6/9 field goal shooting and 4/7 from beyond the arc. For added measure, Puoch earned a positive plus/minus (+2) for just the 11th time this season.

With their Aussie rookie leading the way, the Portland Fire defeated their arch-rivals from Seattle, 100-93.

The Fire matched the Storm point-for-point in the paint, 32-even, and surpassed their opposition on the fast break 12-to-4. After trailing by 3 after the first quarter, the Rose City’s expansion team raced ahead with a 29-17 run through the second stanza.

In the second half, precise shooting kept the Fire ahead. As a team, Portland shot 51.5% from the field and a white hot 41.7% behind the arc.

Early in the fourth quarter, Seattle trailed by just one possession, 77-75, before Portland wing Bridget Carleton drove into the paint and executed a finger roll. A minute later, reserve guard Jordan Harrison nailed a three pointer, and the Rose City never looked back.

The Fire’s home stand continues Wednesday August 12th against the Minnesota Lynx, with tip-off slated for 7 PM PST.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% advertisement-free sports journalism without a paywall. Instead, we choose to spotlight local charities at the end of each article.

Basic Rights Oregon envisions an Oregon where LGBTQ2SIA+ Oregonians live free from discrimination. To learn more about Basic Rights Oregon, click here.

Last night, in front of tens of thousands of fans at Moda Center, the sparingly-used developmental player contributed extensively in a 97-83 victory: across 11 minutes, Harrison scored 8 points on 66% shooting, plus 4 assists, and 2 steals.

Her efforts did not go unnoticed.

“It was nice to give Jordan Harrison the credit she deserved just now”, opined Fire head coach Alex Sarama: “I felt like she hasn’t played for a while, and she really was so ready to go. Her attitude was incredible, in turns of even just the turnovers, she had two turnovers, I thought she was making all the right plays, but then the effort to win it back right after [was] just incredible.”

Harrison backed up star point guard Carla Leite, who managed 27 points despite only shooting 5/12 from the field, thanks to repeated aggression on the dribble. Possession after possession, Leite would attack the heart of Toronto’s defense, drawing trips to the free throw line. When the buzzer sounded, the former Golden State Valkyrie had knocked down 15/17 from the stripe.

Buttressed by their contributions, Portland led 25-23 after one quarter, and never looked back. By halftime, the home team ballooned their margin to 14, and the end of the third saw Toronto’s deficit expand to 22.

The loss snaps a five game losing streak for the Rose City’s expansion team, and sets up a fascinating rivalry rematch tomorrow night with the Seattle Storm. Back in mid-June, the Fire came back in the fourth quarter to defeat their figurative older sisters, in a 94-89 thriller.

The game tips off at 5:30 PM PST tomorrow night from Moda Center.

—

Matt Bagley is a professional sports journalist with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com features no paywalls or advertisements. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities.

The Autism Society of Oregon sponsors local support groups across Oregon which assist people of all ages on the autism spectrum, and their caregivers. To learn more about volunteering and/or donating to ASO, browse this link.

Universally across sports, expansion teams often lack team chemistry, as inexperienced players and coaches are forced to work together for the first time. Talent is at a premium, with only a single offseason to assemble a roster.

In a league full of superstars and superteams, the inexperienced, less talented Portland Fire have suffered many blowouts. Today, the Rose City’s expansion franchise can hold their heads high. In front of over thirteen-thousand fans at Moda Center, the Fire fought hard, tying their opponents through three quarters, before the Los Angeles Sparks pulled away 106-101.

Trailing 10-3 early in the first quarter, Portland crawled back behind a tour-de-force by French guard Carla Leite. Over a span of just forty seconds, the second year pro tied the score at 10-all with a made three, a layup, and two free throws. Deeper in the opening period, young Australian rookie Nyadiew Puoch and first year 35 year old backup guard Teja Oblak pushed Portland ahead. After German second round pick Frieda Bühner nailed a trey, the Fire led 19-10 with 4:22 left. When the first buzzer sounded, the home team held a 29-22 advantage.

Los Angeles inched closer in the second quarter, behind a strong showing from local starlet Cameron Brink. The 6’4” center from Portland’s westside suburbs entered the period with 6:44 to go until halftime, and contributed almost immediately with a four-foot floater. Minutes later, she hit a three pointer. Brink followed that effort with two blocked shots and a rebound - inspiring flashbacks to her dominant days in Beaverton’s prep Metro League - as the Sparks kept pace with their hosts. At halftime, Portland led 49-43.

The third quarter featured a Los Angeles rally - trailing by nine at the six minute mark, the travelers eventually stole the lead on an Erica Wheeler triple - and a Portland comeback. With less than a minute on the clock, Canadian sharpshooter Bridget Carleton received a kickout from Megan DiLeo and knocked down a deep three, leveling the score at 72-72. That tally held through the end of the period.

With six minutes remaining in regulation, the two teams remained tied, this time at 87-87. From there, the game shifted into overdrive. First, guard Ariel Atkins sank a triple. After another bomb from Wheeler, the Sparks led by 6. Portland pulled within 2 thanks to an Oblak trey, then got within 2 once again on an Emily Engstler nineteen-footer. The home team reclaimed the lead with 1:32 remaining, thanks to a deep three by their starting center DiLeo.

Moments later, Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike sank a three of her own, followed by a back-breaking triple by her teammate Dearica Hamby. With just :30 on the clock, Portland trailed by two possessions. As the game degenerated into inbounds plays and free throws, Los Angeles held firm, holding on for the five point win.

Three Fire starters - Bridget Carleton, Carla Leite, and Megan DiLeo - eclipsed double digits in points, led by Carleton’s team-high 24 on an outstanding 53.3% from the field and 53.8% beyond the arc. Off the bench, Teja Oblak contributed 15 points on 5 of 7 shooting, with 3 assists. Sparks center Dearica Hamby led Los Angeles to victory with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

The loss drops Portland to 11-19 on the season. The Fire will play again Thursday night, as they host their expansion-sisters the Toronto Tempo at 7 PM PST.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% advertisement-free sports journalism without a paywall. Instead, we choose to spotlight local charities at the end of each article.

Basic Rights Oregon envisions an Oregon where LGBTQ2SIA+ Oregonians live free from discrimination. To learn more about Basic Rights Oregon, click here.

Last night, the Portland Fire played such a game.

The home team fell to the Indiana Fever 112-98, behind a triple-double from second year pro Caitlin Clark, living up to her billing as a superstar driving the growth of the game.

Still, last night’s contest at Moda Center taught the world about Portland. In the past week, Fever role player Sophie Cunningham became the biggest story in professional sports. First, an ESPN feature piece quoted Cunningham framing transgender women as “biological men”. In the days that followed, the eighth year guard doubled down, earning reverence from the far-right.

After a firestorm of Cunningham supporters wreaked havoc at the Fever’s last game in Seattle - inciting the suspension of a Seattle Storm minority owner - a similar movement made plans for Portland. Enter Fire head coach Alex Sarama.

“When I think about Portland, and what it means to live here, its inclusivity, its respect, and that’s why I’m so proud to be here. So, I just think that’s what’s most important tonight, and for our fans, I want them to come and be comfortable, and be safe, like normal.”

Taking his pregame comments one step further, the first year coach affirmed Portland’s transgender community.

“They have our full support, and they’re a very important part of the values of the Portland Fire, at the end of the day. That’s why I said I want to make sure that all the fans who are coming are coming here tonight, I know our organization is going to be intentional, just making sure like always [that] our fan base feel comfortable and supported when they come here to the Fire Pit.”

Portland fans delivered on Sarama’s promise. Many fans snuck in 11x17 transgender & pride flags, in direct violation of Moda Center’s flag policy. Many more wore pride & trans shirts, hats, pins, or held signs staking their place in the greatest civil rights struggle of our time. What’s more, last night’s game set an attendance record for the expansion franchise: 19,959 fans packed the arena, and the overwhelming majority of those in attendance boomed a chorus of boos upon Cunningham.

Given all of that context surrounding it, the actual game in the court paled in comparison.

Portland experimented - as the first year franchise with a first year head coach have often done this season - starting rookie forward Nyadiew Puoch in a bigger lineup alongside center Megan DiLeo, veteran wings Emily Engstler & Bridget Carleton, and point guard Carla Leite.

The Australian rookie, who wields all the physical tools to someday dominate the W, is still learning how to defend this league’s bigger, faster competition. Last night, she drew five personal fouls. Her woes were a reflection of the game’s great difference.

While Portland’s big lineup kept the Fire close on the glass, only out-rebounded 30 to 25, Indiana pulled away behind a flurry of fouls. As a team, the Fever shot 30/34 from the charity stripe, while their hosts only shot 14/18.

Caitlin Clark, looking every bit of the gamechanger evangelizing the sport since her days at Iowa, scored a triple-double: 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell also provided 26 points. The firebrand Cunningham contributed 13 points, 6th most on her team.

Canadian star Bridget Carleton led the way for Portland, with 26 points on 9/14 shooting, and an impressive 7/11 (approximately 63%) on threes. French guard Carla Leite offered 20 points on an outstanding 6/9 field goal clip, plus 12 assists.

The loss drops Portland to 11-18 on the season, and marks their fourth consecutive defeat. Portland will play again tomorrow at 12:30 PM PST, hosting Beaverton native Cameron Brink and her Los Angeles Sparks at Moda Center.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% subscription-free & advertisement-free. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities.

Rogue Trans Outreach is a non-profit supportive network for transgender residents of rural Southern Oregon, where Matt grew up. They recently opened Free Closet in Ashland, a safe space where individuals can access gender-affirming clothing and accessories at no cost. To learn more about donating, browse this link.

After securing the opening tip, the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces struck paydirt early, with point guard Chelsea Gray finding superstar big A’ja Wilson open for a twenty-five footer. A minute later, Gray splashed her own trey.

The shots kept falling, and Las Vegas led 36-21 after one quarter. When the final buzzer sounded, the Aces beat the Fire 98-83.

In 30:10 of game time, Wilson constantly attacked Portland. The 4x MVP scored 28 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. For added measure, she shot 70% from the floor and 13/14 at the free throw line.

In postgame comments, Portland head coach Alex Sarama highlighted the first quarter deficit as the game’s turning point:

“It was really that first quarter. We were right there for three quarters. I mean, for three quarters it was completely even score. We actually won the second half by one. 46-45. Just how we defended the three point line at the beginning, they were seven of eight from three.”

Portland got within six points of tying the game at the 5:58 mark of the 3rd quarter, before Las Vegas pulled away for good. Newlywed center Megan DiLeo led the Fire with 20 points on 11/17 shooting, while rookie German guard Frieda Bühner delivered 16 points on 3/5 shooting and 8 flawless free throws. Last night’s action marked the team’s first game without reliable sixth player Sarah Ashlee Barker, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear in the first quarter of last week’s loss to the Dallas Wings.

The Fire next play Friday against Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever, with tip-off slated for 7 PM PST from Moda Center.

—

Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% subscription-free & advertisement-free. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities.

Oregon Pride in Business champions economic empowerment for LGBTQIA2S+ businesses and communities throughout Oregon and SW Washington. They empower LGBTQIA2S+ small business entrepreneurs and professionals, collaborate with nonprofit advocates, and engage with business and civic leaders to support policies that foster a more inclusive and welcoming business community. To learn about becoming a supporting member, browse this link.

Despite DiLeo’s brilliance, the Fire fell short at home, 101-97 to the Dallas Wings.

Portland raced out to an 11-3 run to begin the night, with rookie Frieda Bühner and veteran leader Bridget Carleton combining on back-to-back baskets. First, the German second rounder swished from twenty-four feet back. Then, Portland’s Canadian star Carleton drilled a a turnaround fadeaway jumper from fourteen feet out.

Late in the opening period, Dallas tied the game 15-all on a Maddy Siegrist three point strike. One possession later, the Wings snatched control with a Paige Bueckers bomb from behind the arc. The second quarter saw both sides tussle back & forth, before a last-second Carla Leite layup lifted the home ahead 42-40 halfway through the action.

Through one half, Portland shot 50% from the floor, and their newlywed center DiLeo led the scoring with 11 points.

In the third quarter, Dallas rallied. Former NCAA national champion Arike Ogunbowale - no stranger to clutch moments - sank a pair of threes near the 9:00 mark. A minute later, Jessica Shepard nailed a perfect hook shot, and a sixteen-foot jumper, pushing Dallas in front. With less than a minute left in the frame, the Wings’ young superstar Bueckers found Ogunbawale inside, who stepped back and hit another clutch jumper. When the quarter ended, Dallas led 76-69.

With 7:40 to go, a Shepard jumper stretched the deficit to 12. That moment seemingly woke the Fire, who roared back to life with hard, physical play. First, Serah Williams fought for a board and putback bucket with 5:39 left. Then, French phenom Carla Leite and the Spanish international DiLeo combined for a beautiful pick & roll, which sprang Portland’s center free for a layup. At just under 3:00 remaining, Portland trailed by 6. Moments later, a Karlie Samuelson trey cut that margin in half.

The game’s final moments were chaotic. With :32 remaining, Dallas led 99-97, but couldn’t deliver the knockout blow. First, Bueckers missed a jumper. Then, Dallas missed the rebound. In the final moments, Portland could have potentially won the game on a three point shot. Instead, the Fire tried a high-block post-up jumper by their top expansion draft pick Carleton. Her effort shaved the right edge of the rim before mercilessly dropping out, and a late Nyadiew Puoch foul sent Dallas to the charity stripe for two points. After a failed heave at the buzzer, the Wings escaped with a 101-97 victory.

The loss drops Portland to 11-16 overall, 9th in the WNBA standings. The Fire will return to action Tuesday night against the Las Vegas Aces, with tip-off slated for 7 PM PST.

—

Matt Bagley is a professional sports journalist with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com features no paywalls or advertisements. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities.

The Autism Society of Oregon sponsors local support groups across Oregon which assist people of all ages on the autism spectrum, and their caregivers. To learn more about volunteering and/or donating to ASO, browse this link.

Right now, in mid-July 2026, they could do much worse than emulating the four-time champion Minnesota Lynx.

Thanks to strong runs in the first and third quarters, Minnesota outpaced a Portland comeback bid in the fourth, and defeated the Fire 101-93.

Minnesota guard Kayla McBride scored 24 points - behind 4 three point shots - while moving into the WNBA’s top-20 all-time career scoring list. Aiding her effort, standout rookie Olivia Miles managed 14 points and an impressive 10 assists.

Portland played without perimeter snipers Karlie Samuelson and Holly Winterburn. The Fire also lacked their starting center Megan Gustafson, who missed her second straight game for personal reasons. After the action, head coach Alex Sarama stressed their impact on the final score.

“We never like making excuses, but obviously down two rotational players tonight, important rotational players in Meg [Megan Gustafson] and Karlie [Karlie Samuelson]. We saw that at the end of the third, when they went on a run and extended it to 15 points, I think we had to do it though. This is the last trip of a really taxing road schedule for us, and you could see our starters literally emptied the tank. They gave it their all tonight, and we needed those minutes from our second unit.”

Former Minnesota wing Bridget Carleton, the Fire’s first overall expansion draft pick and unquestioned star player, shot 50% from the field (8 of 16), and also outpaced her teammates on the glass with 8 rebounds. As a team, the Fire shot 48% from the field and 43% from deep, but Minnesota consistently found answers for Portland’s pressure defense, hitting 55% from across the floor.

The loss drops Portland to 11-15 overall. The Fire will play again Wednesday July 22nd at 7 PM PST against the Dallas Wings.

—

Matt Bagley is a professional sports journalist with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com features no paywalls or advertisements. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities.

The Autism Society of Oregon sponsors local support groups across Oregon which assist people of all ages on the autism spectrum, and their caregivers. To learn more about volunteering and/or donating to ASO, browse this link.

Once an afterthought with little shot to make a roster, the rookie center is now a revelation.

Tonight, in her first career start - filling the stat sheet on both ends of the floor - Williams shined. For added measure, her Portland Fire won by 19, dispatching the Washington Mystics 75-56.

The former Minnesota and UConn big made an impact from the opening tip. After one quarter of action, Portland led 28-13. Thanks to her tenacity on the glass, and focused interior defense - plus the combined efforts of Carla Leite’s 4 assists and Sarah Ashlee Barker’s 4/5 shooting clip - the Fire soared ahead by 16 points at the half.

A back-and-forth third quarter kept Washington at arms length, before Portland landed two crushing blows in the final frame. First, Karlie Samuelson struck paydirt from 28 feet out, keeping the lead at 66-50 with 7:53 remaining. Moments later, a Williams defensive rebound sprang Bridget Carleton in transition, who found Leite for a driving floater. With 4:17 left, Barker dished down low to veteran wing Emily Engstler, lifting the lead to 18.

From there, stifling defense finished the job, keeping Washington off the scoreboard for almost three minutes.

Carla Leite finished with a team-high 14 points on 5/12 shooting, with another flawless performance from the charity stripe on 4 free throw attempts. The rookie Williams finished right behind her in the box score, notching 12 points alongside a robust 5 rebounds, 1 block, and 1 steal. Only one Washington player crossed the double-digit mark: Mystics guard Shakira Austin had 19 points on a difficult 6/15 shooting rate.

With the win, Portland moves to 11-14 on the season, 9th in the WNBA standings. The Fire next face the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday July 18th at 5 PM PST.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% advertisement-free sports journalism without a paywall. Instead, we choose to spotlight local charities at the end of each article.

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This morning, the Portland Fire got to experience that tradition first-hand.

In a game that tipped off bright and early Tuesday - 11 AM local time - Connecticut fought off a feisty Portland comeback to win by three, 90-87.

Four Fire players surpassed double-digit point totals, led by driving point guard Carla Leite’s 18 points on 6/11 shooting, 6 flawless free throw shots, and 6 assists. Her efforts were aided by center Megan Gustafson’s 15 points on 6/12 shooting, wing Emily Engstler’s 14 points on 5/12 shooting, and wing Bridget Carleton’s 12 points on 5/11 shooting. Defensively, Engstler and Carleton combined for 6 steals.

While Portland’s starters amassed impressive stats, and their bench shot an outstanding 50% (7/14) from the floor, it wasn’t enough for the win. Connecticut center Brittney Griner dominated to the tune of 20 points on 8/11 shooting, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocks, and forward Aaliyah Edwards excelled. In 24 minutes, Edwards notched 21 points on 9/13 shooting, and hauled 8 rebounds.

“We just can’t afford to come out slow in games like this,” opined Portland head coach Alex Sarama after the action concluded. The first year coach went on to credit the loss to Connecticut’s talents inside the paint. “Just I felt athletically [it was] really difficult to contain. I think we’ve struggled with teams this year that had those really athletic bigs with length, size, and skill. You know, I thought BG and Edwards just really got what they wanted tonight. Obviously, seeing what they shot from the field, and then we just weren’t disruptive enough. Obviously we tried to double, [and] it got better as the game went on, but early on, just multiple scenarios where BG was just shooting over us or we weren’t positioned correctly. So, yeah, another one that we keep learning from, and [we will] carry it into the DC game.”

Portland will next play Thursday at 4 PM PST at the Washington Mystics, in a rematch of a four-overtime thriller last month.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% advertisement-free sports journalism without a paywall. Instead, we choose to spotlight local charities at the end of each article.

Basic Rights Oregon envisions an Oregon where LGBTQ2SIA+ Oregonians live free from discrimination. To learn more about Basic Rights Oregon, click here.

Today, those flaws vanished behind a flurry of clutch shots, as Portland hit 60% of their field goals and 48% of their three pointers in a thrilling 102-92 road win over the Atlanta Dream.

Sarama’s side set the tone early. Rookie forward Nyadiew Puoch flanked familiar sharpshooting wings Emily Engstler and Bridget Carleton in the starting lineup, starkly contrasting with the modern, shooting-focused lineups that have defined Portland’s season to this point. Thanks to Puoch’s added length alongside breakout center Megan Gustafson, the Fire began the day with a pair of rebounds.

Of course, none of that length or three point shooting would matter without a great point guard. Second year French playmaker Carla Leite was great today: in 26 minutes, Portland’s go-to distributor delivered 13 points, 10 assists, and 3 rebounds. When the buzzer sounded, she crossed double-digit dishes for just the third time this season.

Several moments stood out in the contest. Already up four in the final seconds of the first half, the former Golden State Valkyrie Leite dropped jaws with a step-up, step-back sequence, drawing a foul and three free throws. At halftime, her Fire led by seven.

Through a back-and-fourth third quarter, Portland’s physicality prevailed. Close range baskets from revelatory third rounder Serah Williams and their Spain international Gustafson bumped Portland ahead by eight entering the fourth.

Portland’s expansion team struck the decisive blow with two minutes remaining. First, Carleton found Leite at the halfway line, who slowed their pace to a crawl, walked the ball to the arc, yo-yo’d across her shoulder to Carleton, who rifled quickly to a wide open Engstler in the corner. Suddenly, the Fire led by a game-high eleven point margin.

When the action ended, Megan Gustafson led Portland with 17 points, while Emily Engstler hauled in a team-high 11 rebounds, and the aforementioned Leite put up excellent assist numbers. Together, the Fire’s talents combined for the team’s tenth win of the season, 10-13 overall and 2.5 games behind the eighth seed Washington Mystics.

Portland returns to action Tuesday July 14th at 8 AM PST.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sports journalist with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com features no paywalls or advertisements. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities.

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“If you had told me that we would have won the rebound battle by 3, I definitely would not have believed it, so obviously credit to Vegas firstly, of course we want to win every single game, but outside of the turnovers tonight, I think there are a lot of good things, especially on the glass.”

Las Vegas cruised through the game’s first three quarters, leading by 12 at halftime and 17 entering the final frame. Still, Portland fought back.

Down 16 with 8:23 to go, Carla Leite and Bridget Carleton combined on a pick & pop three point play that pulled Portland closer. Two minutes later, rookie Frieda Bühner weaved through traffic and floated one from the high-block. When the action ended, the German international crossed a milestone 100 career points.

Las Vegas closed the door with 5:22 left, as Jackie Young found superstar A’ja Wilson on the edge of the paint. In the blink of an eye, the three-time WNBA champion swished a fadeaway, pushing Las Vegas ahead 80-62.

At the final buzzer, Wilson led all scorers with 32 points on 10/19 shooting, and 3 assists. Her dominant showing extended to the defensive end with 10 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. Moda Center’s hosts were led by their outstanding second year point guard Carla Leite’s 13 points, plus double-digit tallies from center Megan Gustafson, reserve guard Teja Oblak, and veteran wing Emily Engstler.

The loss drops Portland to 9-13 on the season, 11th overall in the league standings. Tomorrow afternoon, Portland hits the road to face the Atlanta Dream, with action tipping off at 1 PM PST.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

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Twice this season, the Rose City has emerged victorious. Thanks to the efforts of Carla Leite - who scored 20 points behind a flawless 14/14 free throw rate - the Fire defeated their rivals last night in a thriller.

Entering the night, Portland slumped in with a 2-8 record in their previous 10 games. Through one quarter, that negative trend appeared undeterred. Behind several lethal transition attacks, Seattle led 20-10.

The second quarter featured a stark reversal of fortune. With 9:18 to go, Carla Leite drove from the left elbow into the lane, drew a foul, and swished a bank shot for added measure. The and-1 marked the first points of the night for the second year French guard. Thirty second later, once again attacked from the arc's left edge into Seattle’s paint. This time, she collapsed the defense - enticing three black jerseys towards her dribble - before kicking out to a wide open Emily Engstler for three.

From there, a Seattle miss fell into the arms of Sarah Ashlee Barker. After crossing the halfway line, the second year guard from Alabama lobbed a perfect pass from one hip to the opposite shoulder, lured by Engstler for a transition bucket. With just past two minutes gone, Portland trailed 20-18. Only the halftime buzzer would stop the Rose City run, as the Fire went into the locker room up 32-30.

Surprisingly, Portland only hit two made threes in the first half: the aforementioned Engstler strike, and a twenty-five footer by Euro guard Teja Oblak. Through two quarters, feisty Seattle defense denied their perimeter strikes.

Coming out of the break, the Fire adjusted to what their opponents offered them. With 9:18 remaining in the third, Leite ran to the net for a layup, drawing an and-1. At 7:53 left, she did it again. Time after time, Seattle focused its attention upon black & red snipers across the arc, and Leite made them pay. In the third quarter, she notched 8 points (on 4 made free throws) with 1 assist. When the period ended, Portland led 54-47.

The fourth quarter featured thunderous blasts from both teams. At the 9:23 mark, Bridget Carleton bumped Portland up 8 with a twenty-four footer. With 6:29 to go, that lead was threatened after an Awa Fam twenty-three foot fadeaway crawled Seattle within 3. Seattle struck again with 3:17 left, as a Natisha Hiederman twenty-five foot swish moved the margin to 5.

In the final minute, Leite silenced any prayers of a comeback. Up four with 43.2 on the clock, Portland’s star point guard beat Seattle defender Zia Cooke, earned a foul, and swished her ninth and tenth made free throws of the night. After Dominique Malonga missed a high block jumper on the other end, the game was out of reach.

By securing the 77-72 final score, Portland snapped its six game road losing streak dating back to June 2nd against the Golden State Valkyries. Portland is now 9-12 this season, 6th in the Western Conference and 11th league-wide.

On Thursday, Portland will return home. Tipping off at 7 PM from Moda Center, the Fire will rematch the Las Vegas Aces, who won a shootout in Portland last month.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com features no paywalls or advertisements. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on Matt’s favorite local charities.

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The close skirmish was foreshadowed after one quarter, with Portland narrowly ahead 31-28 thanks to 52.6% field goal shooting and a 40% three point clip. The Rose City stayed on top early in the second quarter, thanks to stalwart perimeter defense.

First, a Sarah Ashlee Barker swat set up an Emily Engstler attack in transition. After reaching the three point, the veteran wing whipped the ball right to left across her shoulder to Carla Leite, who found Barker open in the corner for three. The second year guard missed her shot, but she was fouled in the act of shooting. Barker proceeded to hit three consecutive free throws, pushing Portland’s lead to 34-30 with 8 minutes left.

The next Washington set had similar results, as Portland stole the ball at the 3/4 court mark, then set up a 3-on-1 fastbreak. Leite drove towards the paint, then dished to Engstler for an uncontested layup. At the next timeout, Portland led 38-32 with 5:53 remaining.

Soon, Washington rallied. Under three minutes to go, Mystics guard Sonia Citron posted up Barker, drawing a foul inside. After swishing a pair of free throws, Portland led by only two. At the two minute mark, Mystics forward Kiki Iriafen tied the game on a post-up jumper.

The tie wouldn’t last, as Megan Gustafson sniped a corner-trey on the next Fire set, and then Portland added two more points on a Barker pick & roll. Shortly before halftime, Bridget Carleton fired up a twenty-three footer. At the buzzer, the Rose City’s expansion team led 55-48.

Halfway through the action, Fire shooting numbers remained impressive. Portland hit 17 of 35 field goals (49%), with an outstanding 7 of 18 mark (39%) from distance. At the free throw line, they were perfect (14 of 14), while they also held the edge in rebounds (17 to 14) and steals (5 to 2). Thanks to her 50% field goal shooting percentage, Bridget Carleton led the Fire with 12 points.

Much like the second quarter, the third quarter featured a tug-of-war as each side went on runs. With five minutes gone, Washington held possession with a two point deficit, and could have snatched the lead without fiesty perimeter defense by Engstler, rookie Frieda Bühner, and others. Soon, a pair of free throws would tie the battle at 58-all with 4:45 left.

Late in the third, Portland’s second-team unit found its stride, with rookie center Serah Williams hauling several rebounds and forward Nyadiew Puoch hitting from long range. After three quarters, Portland held on 67-64.

The final ten minutes marked a bitter fight, with Portland carrying a narrow lead into crunch time. Coming out of a timeout with 3:19 remaining, the Washington second-year guard Citron hooked a jumper from the foul line, slashing the deficit to two.

On the next Portland set, an Engstler low-block post-up jumper was thunderously blocked out of bounds by the Mystics big Iriafen. Later, a pair of Citron free throws pushed the Mystics ahead with 1:34 to go.

Entering today’s game, Portland was 6-1 in “clutch time” games this season, meaning games that had five point margins in their final five minutes. That record was put to the test in the final minute, with Washington up 83-80. After Barker broke free thanks to a Gustafson pick, Portland only trailed by one.

In a scrum for a loose ball, Engstler fouled Mystics forward Michaela Onyenwere, sending the Nigerian six-footer to the free throw line. After the damage was done, Washington led by 3 with 27.5 to go. That margin held until the final seconds, as Gustafson heaved a perimeter prayer that caromed off the iron. After Citron recovered the rebound with 8.1 left, the game hung in the balance.

Miraculously, she missed both free throws, setting up Portland star guard Carla Leite for one of the most iconic moments of her career: after recovering the loose ball, Leite raced down the floor, faked out her defender and fired a fadeaway three that banked off the glass. As the ball swished through the netting, the buzzer sounded. Suddenly, Portland had new life.

Much like the fourth quarter, overtime was a slugfest, as very little separated the two foes. An Onyenwere three was matched by a Gustafson trey, and then another Onyenwere triple put Washington ahead by that amount. Moments later, Leite evened the score at 99 with a net-knocking triple from NBA range. With 18.3 on the clock, it was anybody’s ballgame. After Sonia Citron’s twenty-seven footer clang off the front of the rim, the first overtime period ended without a winner.

Hard, physical defense kept the two teams neck-and-neck throughout double overtime. Just under the two minute mark, a Carleton steal set up Portland with numbers in transition. Leite weaved inside the arc, only to be cut down by a Mystics defender. After an inbounds pass, Leite found Barker, who posted up her defender for a game-tying layup. On Portland’s next set, Leite and Barker connected again, putting the Fire ahead by two.

Washington tied it up on a late layup with 14.9 left, setting up more late-game magic. With the shot clock turned off, Leite calmly walked a dribble from left to right behind the arc, drove up court, kicked out to Carleton on the left wing of the arc, and the Canadian sharpshooter hit glass. When the buzzer sounded, somehow, someway this game went to triple overtime.

The third overtime period built on the tone that preceded it - tired legs, tough defending, and little to separate either side - culminating in a Bridget Carleton game-tying post-up with 3 seconds to spare. The next Washington miss crossed a milestone. For the first time since July 3rd 2001, a WNBA game went to quadruple-overtime.

Trailing once again with under a minute remaining, Portland’s engine Leite drove inside for a game-tying layup, drawing a hard foul. After recovering, the French standout hit one of two free throws. In the final seconds, she lobbed a prayer from the top of the paint, which clanged off the rim. Unfortunately - on a day where the second year star scored a career high 32 points - she would not earn the win. At the final buzzer, Washington won 124-123.

The loss moves Portland to 8-12 on the season. The Fire have several days off before facing the Seattle Storm on July 4th, with tip-off slated for 6 PM at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% advertisement-free sports journalism without a paywall. Instead, we choose to spotlight local charities at the end of each article.

Basic Rights Oregon envisions an Oregon where LGBTQ2SIA+ Oregonians live free from discrimination. To learn more about Basic Rights Oregon, click here.

Tonight, Chicago center Kamilla Cardoso made history. Entering tonight, Nneka Ogwumike held the record for consecutive made field goals without a miss. Thanks to Cardoso’s career-defining thirteen straight buckets, that record was shattered, and Chicago outpaced Portland 124-94.

With just over a minute remaining in the third quarter, the second-year pro caught a lob across the court, posted up mismatched Portland guard Teja Oblak, and swished her thirteenth basket of the night.

Already ahead eight points after that record-breaking shot, momentum swung fully behind the Windy City. Over the span of four minutes, Chicago went on a 17-0 run.

First, their lead expanded to double-digits. Midway through the period, an Azura Stevens triple lifted the margin to twenty-four. A minute later, Sydney Tayor’s corner three pushed the lead to thirty.

Like a deck of dominoes, Cardoso’s record preceded several other new records. Late in the fourth quarter, a Jacy Sheldon point-blank layup lifted Chicago’s point total to 116, their new franchise high in points. Their next score broke a franchise assist record. Moments later, Courtney Vandersloot found Gabriela Jaquez in transition. That play delivered the Sky their 38th assist of the night, a new WNBA record.

At the final buzzer, Chicago won 124-94. Bridget Carleton led Portland with 20 points in 29 minutes, while Cardoso’s record start positioned her above all: 30 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block.

The loss drops Portland’s record to 8-11, with a two game losing streak overall and a five game losing streak away from home.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% advertisement-free sports journalism without a paywall. Instead, we choose to spotlight local charities at the end of each article.

Basic Rights Oregon envisions an Oregon where LGBTQ2SIA+ Oregonians live free from discrimination. To learn about how you can volunteer time and/or donate money to Basic Rights Oregon, browse this link.

An early Megan Gustafson three point shot sparked hope for the visitors. With 8:55 to go in the opening period, Emily Engstler added another trey. Soon, the Sky found their groove. The first quarter featured Chicago guard Sydney Taylor’s 5 point effort, and saw Mali international Aicha Coulibaly haul back-to-back buckets inside. After the home team hailed a Natasha Cloud 23 footer with 29.5 left, they took a 22-21 lead into the next quarter.

From there, the game burst open. Chicago won the second, third, and fourth quarters convincingly. At halftime, the Sky led by 7. Following the third quarter, the deficit was 15.

In postgame comments, Fire head coach Alex Sarama quickly diagnosed what went wrong:

“We shot 16 of 41 in the paint, 16 of 31 at the rim. It’s great we’re getting to the rim, but we’ve got to convert. In the paint [we were] 2 of 13, lot of rim twos. [When] you miss those paint shots, it leads to those transition spills, they get an advantage in transition, and I think why they (Chicago) shot so well at the rim tonight is so many of those were 1-on-0 layups in transition.”

At the game’s conclusion, seven Chicago players reached double-digit point totals: Skylar Diggins led the home team with 15 points, while teammates Sydney Taylor and Jacy Sheldon each notched 14, Kamilla Cardoso delivered 13, Azurá Stevens got 11, and Aicha Coulibaly & rookie guard Gabriela Jaquez both earned 10. Megan Gustafson led the Fire with 17 points on 6-12 shooting, but the difference in team shooting proved insurmountable. Chicago out-shot Portland 52% to 38%, got to the free throw line more (23-29 compared to 16-20 for the Fire), won the battle of the boards 38 to 29, and crushed their visitors in the paint 56 to 30.

The loss drops Portland to 8-10, 6th in the Western Conference and 11th in the WNBA playoff race.

Friday evening at 4:30 PM PST, the two sides will rematch in Chicago.

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Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.

PortlandSupporter.com is 100% advertisement-free sports journalism without a paywall. Instead, we choose to spotlight local charities at the end of each article.

Basic Rights Oregon envisions an Oregon where LGBTQ2SIA+ Oregonians live free from discrimination. To learn about how you can volunteer time and/or donate money to Basic Rights Oregon, browse this link.