Can the Minnesota Lynx really win? ESPN's preseason rankings: No. 9 Although their winning percentage fell below 50% last year, they are currently ranked at the top of the league. WNBA The standings have won 11 of their last 12 games.
Minnesota (29-7) League-leading defense They were the W's most consistent three-point shooting team throughout the year, amassing winning records against all but one team that made the playoffs (the Connecticut Sun).
A big part of the Lynx's success has been their three-point shooting, as the team is the best in the league at 38.7% from three-point range, with four players shooting above 40% from the field. They also have the most assists of any team in the W-League at 23.3 per game, and have consistently been one of the league's top scoring teams. The best defense.
And yet, despite their incredible season, the Lynx have flown under the radar, receiving the occasional bouquet but largely ignored in a national discussion of this WNBA season that has revolved around Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese and last year's finals teams, the New York Liberty and the Las Vegas Aces.
And while that was fine for most of the year, coach Cheryl Reeve demanded that her team be given some credit after beating Liberty to clinch a midseason championship. Commissioner's Cup I'll be back in June.
“You have to talk about us now. You have no choice,” Reeve said. “We don't care what you think, except for this moment in time when we can say to you, 'You have to talk about us.'”
“We just beat a super team. Do you know how hard that is? Because you love super teams. You just want to talk about it. But we just beat a super team. Let's talk about it.”
So, let's talk about that.
There are many reasons why the Lynx have been successful this season, and Reeve, the leading candidate for Coach of the Year, deserves a lot of credit for successfully bringing so many pieces together, but it's still best to start with franchise player Napheesa Collier.
How Napheesa Collier became the head of the snake
The 27-year-old Collier has established herself as a bona fide superstar, averaging 20.4 points on 48.6 percent shooting, 9.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. She is one of the league's most efficient offensive players, but she is also a leading candidate for Defensive Player of the Year. Her impact on the court is undeniable; Collier has a plus-minus of +8.7, third-best in the league.
Plus, while the Lynx have had a phenomenal season so far, their 27-9 record would probably be even better if Collier hadn't been sidelined with a foot injury in July. The Lynx have lost three of five games since she went down against the Sun on July 4. If she'd avoided that injury, they might have had a shot at the best record in the WNBA (the Liberty is currently 32-6).
“I think the mentality I bring to the game has changed a lot over the last few years.” Collier told ESPN's Malika Andrews. Earlier this week, [Syliva Fowles] “I know that there will be a lot more time on my shoulders after I retire, but I take that responsibility seriously and know that I need to go out there every day and perform well in order for the team to do well.”
Four-time All-Star Kayla McBride has also been a key contributor this season as one of the league's best 3-point shooters. McBride is averaging 15.6 points per game and shooting 40.6% from 3-point range while having a plus-minus rating of +7.1, good for sixth in the league.
The key to the Lynx's success is depth
Collier and McBride are all-stars, but they are far from the sole reason for the Lynx's success.
“Everybody had some tough moments, but as a team, I think we're tough,” McBride said after the win over the Dream earlier this week.
Courtney Williams and Alanna Smith became unrestricted free agents fresh off losing seasons with the Chicago Sky, signed two-year contracts with the Lynx this winter and made an immediate impact.
Photo: Ben Brewer/Getty Images
Veteran guard Williams is averaging 11.2 points, 5.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds on 44.1 percent shooting from the field. She had a 20-point, 10-assist performance in the Lynx's win over the Aces last month, prompting guard Kelsey Plum to admit she “overwhelmed me.”
Smith provided Minnesota with great defense and scoring, averaging 10.4 points while shooting 48 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from three-point range.
Smith also has great defensive strengths, so much so that Collier told her she was the missing piece on the defensive end.
“I'm really fortunate that Fee and I work really well together defensively,” Smith said. “That's just kind of what's happened between us from the beginning. We read each other really well and work together really well defensively and get on without having to do much.”
The starting lineup is rounded out by Bridget Carlton, who is the team's best three-point shooter, hitting 43.2 percent and averaging 9.5 points per game.
The Lynx were in the midst of an already impressive season, but the addition of Myisha Hinds-Allen midseason made her even stronger. Hinds-Allen is averaging 6.7 points and 4.1 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game off the bench since being traded to Minnesota from Washington. She has done everything for the Lynx since her arrival and has earned praise from the coaching staff.
“That's why we made this deal,” Reeve said. According to the Star Tribune“She's perfect for what we do. She ticks all of our boxes because of who she is.”
Predicting the path to a WNBA championship
As things stand, the Lynx will face the Mercury in the first round of the playoffs. While basketball is naturally an unpredictable sport, the Lynx are 3-1 against the Mercury this season. Additionally, the Mercury has not been playing well recently, losing five of their last six games and not looking like they're going to pull off an upset.
If the Lynx make it out of the first round, they'll face the winner of the Sun Fever game in the semifinals. Minnesota will have to be in a good mood going into this matchup, having already beaten Indiana twice since the Olympic break. Connecticut, on the other hand, has dominated Minnesota in some ways, winning both games so far this season, but one loss came in overtime and the other came in a game where Collier missed time. The teams meet again on Tuesday.
In the finals, the Lynx will likely face the winner of the Liberty vs. Aces series (although either team could lose in the first round). The Lynx have beaten the Aces by double digits the last three times they've played each other, and they lead the Liberty 2-1 in their three games this season. Both the Liberty and the Aces will get more attention in the finals, but the Lynx wouldn't be a bad choice given their strong performance against other championship contenders in the league this season.
It's been years since the glory days when Minnesota won four championships from 2011-2017 under Maya Moore.
Collier believes they can get there again next month, and the Lynx's performance this season supports that belief.
“Our team is really special and I think we have a real chance this year,” Collier said. “The way we defend, the amount of offensive threats we have, the way our team has come together this year. It just feels like a perfect storm for us.”
