Minnesota Lynx Defeat The Connecticut Sun On The Road (87-83)

Minnesota Lynx Defeat The Connecticut Sun On The Road (87-83)

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by | Jul 30, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Lynx, WNBA

The Minnesota Lynx came into this game against the Connecticut Sun on a two game winning streak. The Lynx knocked off the Liberty last game and look to repeat that against the Sun today.

The Minnesota Lynx were playing their second game in a row without Napheesa Collier in the lineup. Last game it was rookie Diamond Miller and Kayla McBride that led the charge. This game against the Sun we got a heavy dose of the versatility of Minnesota as the scoring came from everywhere. Today the player that started it off was Aerial Powers as she was playing with passion from the moment she hit the floor. Powers was able to establish herself early in this one getting to her spots while finishing at the rim whenever she wanted. Powers started 6/6 from the field but finished 6/8 with 14 points that came in crucial moments. Every time the Sun made a run in the 1st half it seemed like Powers made a huge bucket.

The Connecticut Sun kept sticking around in this game and part of that reason why is because of DeWanna Bonner. The Lynx were defending Bonner as good as you could with a hand in her face but she still was able to finish with 31 points. Bonner was able to get to the line with ease and she made some tough baskets. Bonner was able to get the scoring going but it was Alyssa Thomas who finished with a triple double in the game 17 points, 11 assists, and 14 rebounds. Both of the Sun’s best players were making it tough on the Lynx but Minnesota showed a lot of grit and fight in this game.

The Lynx turned this game around in the second half when Kayla McBride, Lindsey Allen, and Jessica Shepard all scored 6 points in that 3rd quarter. The way they came out of halftime it set the tone as they kept hitting big shot after shot heading into the 4th. The Minnesota Lynx made the Sun pay when it came to back door cuts because they must of hit on about 5 or 6 them for easy points. The Lynx made some big shots down the stretch and Kayla was the one that led the charge. Kayla McBride finished with 19 points today against the Sun and was able to execute on that 3 point jumper whenever she wanted. It does need to be noted that Dorka Juhasz made the play of the day when she partially blocked DeWanna Bonnet’s game winning shot attempt.

 

This Lynx team is showing a lot of passion and competitiveness as they continue to climb in the playoff standings. The Lynx will take on the Sun again on Tuesday and will be looking for the same results.

 

 

 

Photo Credit: (Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Jul 30, 2023 No Comments
Diamond’s Historic Performance Helps Minnesota Defeat The Washington Mystics (97-92)

Diamond’s Historic Performance Helps Minnesota Defeat The Washington Mystics (97-92)

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by | Jul 26, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Lynx, WNBA

The Minnesota Lynx had a lot of time to let that loss to the Aces sink in. Tonight they bounced back and were able to get back in the win column against a banged up Mystics that still was able to fight.

In the 1st quarter it was the Brittney Sykes show as she was able to get to the basket with ease. Tonight Sykes had 13 points in the 1st but finished the game with 17 points. The defense that the Lynx played on Sykes in that 2 quarter to the finish was impressive. The Lynx put some length on her and we’re able to limit her driving attempts as well. Once the Lynx shut down Sykes then it was time for Natasha Cloud to show up. Cloud was able to keep the Mystics in the game with her passing ability and her creative shot making ability. Some of the shots that Cloud made you just have to tip your hat but to the Lynx credit all the shots were contested. Natasha Cloud finished the game with 24 points and 6 assists. Cloud was the Mystics offense in the second half and she was able to keep them within distance at all times until late in the game. One thing the Mystics were mad about was the officiating and how they only had 4 free throws to the Lynx 23 attempts.

 

 

Overall the Lynx were able to take this game and never look back in that 2nd half. Diamond Miller became the 1st rookie WNBA player to score more than 20 points with 9 assists and 1 turnover. Diamond’s energy was contagious as she was able to score inside and outside tonight but brought it on the defensive end as well. The confidence that Diamond is playing with right now is unmatched and she’s playing like a sophomore now instead of a rookie. The growth that Diamond has been able to display will go a long way and she was able to showcase her playmaking ability as well. This team has been on a roll since she returned from injury and it’s going to have its moments but this was a special moment for Diamond Miller.

The captain Napheesa Collier got her game going too and she could have had a bigger game if she didn’t miss some easy looks in the paint. Collier finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds on the night. Collier was a problem for the Mystics on both sides of the floor as she commanded that ball in the paint scoring and rebounding. Kayla McBride bounced back in a major way scoring inside and outside as well. The buzzer beater she made at the half was the momentum shift that the Lynx needed and she didn’t look back finishing with 15 points and getting her shooting groove back.

The Lynx will be traveling to NYC to take on the Liberty in a game that should be challenging but they should be prepared enough to win it.

 

Photo Credit: (Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images)

Jul 26, 2023 No Comments
A’ja Wilson’s Big Game Helps The Aces Beat Minnesota (98-81)

A’ja Wilson’s Big Game Helps The Aces Beat Minnesota (98-81)

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by | Jul 22, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Lynx, WNBA

The Minnesota Lynx came into this game against the Las Vegas Aces ready for another win after beating Los Angeles on Thursday.

In order for them to do so they were going to have to try and stop A’ja Wilson or Kelsey Plum. Also if the Aces were going to win they would need to slow down the Lynx All-Star Napheesa Collier.

The Minnesota Lynx started the game off slow but that quickly turned into passion and intensity as Diamond Miller was able to get them going. Miller was all over the court whether it be her playmaking ability or her will to just get into the paint and score. The type of play that the rookie has shown since returning from her injury has been nothing short of spectacular.

The growth was on display against the Aces today as she took the challenge of guarding Chelsey Gray. Diamond is one of those players that can do it all and her positivity is contagious out there with the team. While the Lynx struggled to get some offensive possessions together Diamond shined just as bright as her name and it showed on the box score. Diamond was able to finish the game with 17 points, 3 assists, and 5 rebounds but it wasn’t enough to get the win against this historical Aces team.

Last time both teams met it was Kelsey Plum that had a huge night scoring 40 points. This time around the Lynx and Coach Reeve made adjustments putting Diamond/other players with length on her to make it tough. A’ja Wilson was the player that took this game over. A’ja is a special player and she was able to get to her spots and dominate in the paint tonight. She was very good at getting positioning and has shown a great improvement in that pick and pop jumper.

Every time A’ja got the ball she was able to pull up with space and execute. While the Lynx were able to slow down the others Wilson stepped her game up finishing with 35 points and 14 rebounds on 14/17 shots from the field. This Aces team is going to be tough to beat but the Lynx have shown moments where they can hang with the best team all season.

Chelsea Gray was able to showcase her passing skills with some crazy dimes that she dished tonight as well. She was able to finish with 11 points and 11 assists in this one. The game was close but once the Lynx started making costly mistakes with the turnovers the Aces made them pay for it.

Napheesa had an off game but was able to make up for it on the defensive side and while getting rebounds. Her jumper didn’t fall right away in that 1st half but she came out from halftime determined to change that. Napheesa had 16 points and 8 rebounds but this game doesn’t define how special she has been to the organization all season long. Look for Napheesa to bounce back against the Washington Mystics this Wednesday at home.

It was really good to see Kayla McBride get some jumpers to fall heading into the next game as well. It’s crazy because her defense doesn’t get talked about enough but she was able to get in the passing lanes against the Aces while having a monster block in this one too.

The Lynx will look to get back in the win column as they have the Mystics coming into town.

 

Jul 22, 2023 No Comments
Minnesota Lynx Beat The Sparks In A Thriller (73-70)

Minnesota Lynx Beat The Sparks In A Thriller (73-70)

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by | Jul 20, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Lynx, WNBA

The Minnesota Lynx came into this game against the LA Sparks with a bad taste in their mouths from the Atlanta lose. They came ready for this game at home and wanted to make sure that they set the tone early.

The 1st quarter belonged to Nneka Ogwumike as she scored 13 points in that quarter alone making it tough for the Lynx overall. The Lynx started off slow but then were able to get their offense going in that 2nd quarter. The scoring came from Dorka Juhász who was able to dominate inside and out in front of her parents for the 1st time professionally. Dorka was able to score 10 points alone in that quarter beating the Sparks off the dribble and making them pay from long range.

The LA Sparks found themselves in deep trouble as they trailed by 20 points and in that 3rd quarter it was Lexi Brown and Jordin Canada who helped them on the comeback trail. The Lynx kept making mistakes with turning that ball over and the guards for the Sparks made the most of every opportunity the Lynx gave them. The Sparks came out with a lot of aggressive drives and were able to get to the line which didn’t help the Lynx cause for winning at all. One of the things that worked for the Lynx was the emergence of Diamond Millers playmaking ability as she was able to find her teammates after turning the ball over and really locked in. Diamond finished with 13 points, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds but found her rhythm in that 3rd.

Heading into the 4th it was a close game but Dorka and Napheesa were right there to save the day. This was by far one of Dorka’s best games as the Sparks had no answer for her. She finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Dorka also made a huge impact on the defensive end down the stretch of this game. Napheesa Collier was special in this game as she struggled early but was able to bounce back for a 22 points and 8 rebounds performance. Napheesa went on a 6-0 run at the end to seal the deal. The All Star has been great all season long and will need to continue that as the Las Vegas Aces come to town on Saturday.

 

 

Photo Credit:David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images

Jul 20, 2023 No Comments
Kelsey Plum’s 40 Point Performance Puts A Halt To The Lynx Win Streak (113-89)

Kelsey Plum’s 40 Point Performance Puts A Halt To The Lynx Win Streak (113-89)

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by | Jul 9, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Lynx, WNBA

The Minnesota Lynx came into the game against the Las Vegas Aces on a 5 game winning streak. It was going to take a strong effort to keep that streak alive with the WNBA best Aces in town. The Lynx wanted to limit the inside drives knowing that Wilson and Stokes are in the paint. They got caught up heading to the paint and weren’t able to get away from that situation. The Lynx did have a bright spot as they shot 50% from the field.

 

The downside to that is they gave up a lot of second chance points and they couldn’t find Kelsey Plum to slow her down. Kelsey Plum finished with a career high 40 points in this game and looked unstoppable. It seemed like every time the Lynx got the game within 10 then Kelsey Plum hit a 3 pointer or floater to slow the momentum. Kelsey Plum was a tough matchup for the Lynx as she was able to roam within the offense and get lost leading to a wide open shot. When someone shoots 14/18 from the field they definitely have it going on and that’s exactly what happened with Plum. Tonight was her night as she made the Lynx pay inside and outside.

 

 

A’ja Wilson had a quiet night offensively but made her impact on the defensive end in this game. Wilson was a ball hawk and made it tough for the Lynx to find any opening to get easy looks to go in.

 

The Minnesota Lynx were able to fight in this game but it wasn’t good enough. Napheesa Collier finished with a team high 18 points but just wasn’t able to get the normal looks that she makes to get in. Collier played some heavy minutes in this game too but showed a lot of competitiveness never quitting on plays and putting her teammates in a great position every time she made a play. Collier had a quiet night and so did Diamond Miller but this was against the Aces.

 

The Lynx have turned that corner and have played with confidence and it showed on that 5 game winning streak. We talked about some positives that you could take into the next game against the Dallas Wings and it comes down to defense. When the Lynx have their defense turn into offense it helps them in a major way. Tonight the Aces had their way with the Lynx offense but they took the challenge head on and didn’t back down even being down by so much.

The Minnesota Lynx will look to bounce back against the Dallas Wings on Wednesday as they look to start a brand new winning streak.

 

 

 

Photo Credit: (AP Photo/Danny Karnik)

Jul 9, 2023 No Comments
Collier’s Career High 33 Points Propels The Lynx Past Seattle (104-93)

Collier’s Career High 33 Points Propels The Lynx Past Seattle (104-93)

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by | Jun 27, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Lynx, WNBA

This one the best game the Minnesota Lynx played all season. You can pick from anywhere you want whether it was Napheesa’s Career Night, Dorka’s 1st Career Double Double, or The Return of Diamond Miller. The Lynx needed this game in the worst way and made the best of playing in front of the home crowd tonight.

 

The Minnesota Lynx were down Aerial Powers, Tiffany Mitchell, and Jessica Shephard but that didn’t stop them at all. This was a huge step in the team coming back together healthy as Diamond Miller came back and made her presence known ASAP. From the top Diamond was able to bring that competitive edge and fire that this team truly needed.

 

Diamond was able to showcase her quickness and her defensive presence just like she didn’t miss a beat. The Lynx needed Diamond and she came back and gave her all as she finished with 18 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds.

Even with the return of Diamond Miller it was all about Napheesa Collier tonight. The captain came out and made it clear that she was the best player on the court tonight. It didn’t matter what the Storm did tonight while guarding Collier she was hitting fadeaway jumpers, one legged shots, and even the 3 point shot.

 

When Napheesa plays aggressive like she did tonight no one can stop her and her offense has only gotten better. Collier scored a career high 33 points with 10 rebounds. If it wasn’t known before tonight it should be that Napheesa Collier is a true leader and she can get buckets when she wants. Collier deserves to be on the All Star and let the whole WNBA know that tonight.

 

 

The Lynx were able to get the win in this game but it came with locking down Jewell Lloyd. This was a well balanced attack from the Lynx as they finished with all five starters in double figures. If the Lynx can keep this going while the other players are coming back from their injuries anything is possible.

 

 

 

Photo Credit:

(Abbie Parr / Associated Press)

Jun 27, 2023 No Comments