By: Jennifer Portee
5/28/2026
The expansion Fire are starting to look like a team that knows exactly who it is.
Carla Leite led the way with 20 points, Bridget Carleton added 13, and Portland stayed hot with a 71-61 win over the Connecticut Sun on Wednesday night, locking in its third straight victory.
This one wasn’t clean all the way through. Connecticut made things interesting in the fourth, trimming the lead to 55-50 and forcing Portland to answer under pressure. That’s when the Fire settled in. Teja Oblak came through with back-to-back baskets, Frieda Buhner gave them the lead right back with a layup, and Portland didn’t let go after that.
Buhner’s bucket to make it 58-55 gave the Fire the lead they needed, and from there they stayed in control.
The Sun had their chances, especially after battling back from a slow start. Aneesah Morrow put together a strong night with 13 points and 13 rebounds, but Connecticut spent too much time playing from behind after struggling to find a rhythm early. The Sun missed all 13 of their 3-point attempts in the first half, and that silence from deep made the climb even harder.
Morrow finally got Connecticut on the board from outside in the third, and the Sun briefly turned the game into a fight, tying it at 50 heading into the fourth. But Portland had more answers when it mattered most.
The Fire are now coming off road wins over Toronto and New York, and they’re starting to build something real. The Sun, meanwhile, are still searching for their second win of the season and trying to get it together after a tough five-game trip.
Connecticut was also without Brittney Griner, who remained sidelined with a right rib injury. Early in the game, the Sun lost Aaliyah Edwards after she took an accidental hit to the face and later exited with a nose injury.
Portland now turns around to host Atlanta on Friday, while Connecticut heads home to face Los Angeles on Saturday in Hartford.