What happened: Chennedy Carter misfired on a 24-foot jump shot from beyond the arc with 2:46 remaining in the first quarter, per ESPN's play-by-play feed. The miss came with the score sitting 13-22, leaving Carter's side trailing by nine points midway through the opening frame.

Why it matters: Early three-point variance shapes first-quarter totals and live spreads, and a nine-point hole this early forces the trailing offense to lean harder on its primary shot creators. Carter is one of the WNBA's most prolific perimeter scorers, so her shooting touch tends to swing both team totals and her own.

What to watch: Watch whether Carter gets back to the rim on her next touch to settle her rhythm, and track live-line movement on the first-quarter