Minnesota 96 – 92 Atlanta Dream
The Minnesota Lynx were coming off a loss to the Washington Mystics. The Atlanta Dream, who trailed by eight points at the end of the first quarter, had a slow start. The second half was briefly delayed due to weather-related power issues, but the game was able to continue. The Lynx reached their largest lead in the second quarter, leading by 10 points, but by halftime, the Dream had cut the deficit to just five points.
The third quarter was filled with lead changes for the two teams. The Atlanta Dream returned with Brittney Griner‘s four-point run, and Brionna Jones made a two-point shot to give the team its first lead. Atlanta had a lead of six points during the game, but finished the quarter trailing by one. The two teams tightened their defenses in the fourth quarter, with each allowing fewer than 20 points and ending up in a tied score of 86 – 86 to lead into overtime.
In overtime, the Lynx scored four more points to secure the victory over Atlanta. This happened in the last seconds of the game, when Kayla McBride went 4-4 at the free-throw line in less than 17 seconds before the game ended.
Key Stats
Despite the loss, Jones came in strong for the Dream with 18 points and eight rebounds. The entire Atlanta starting team had a double-digit score, and off the bench, Naz Hillmon contributed 10 points and eight rebounds.
Other than Napheesa Collier, four other players posted double-digit scores: McBride (18), Courtney Williams (16), and Bridget Carleton (14).
Minnesota 102 – 63 Connecticut
The Lynx finished the weekend with a big win as they head into the Commissioner’s Cup Championship game. Connecticut had a low-scoring game, especially in the second quarter, when they only scored nine points. However, the Minnesota Lynx added 23 more points to their 10-point lead. That quarter was their lowest-scoring one, as they typically scored over 25 points each quarter. Aneesah Morrow’s double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds wasn’t enough to give the Sun a winning edge.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa was the second-highest scorer for the Sun with 10 points, while the rest of the team struggled with single-digit scores. Collier led the Lynx with 23 points and nine rebounds. Williams scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds. McBride had a strong weekend, finishing this game with 20 points. The team enters preparations for the Commissioner’s Cup in high spirits.
Next Game
The Lynx will play against the Indiana Fever on Tuesday in the Commissioner’s Cup Championship. It will be a home game for the Lynx, who will have the advantage of seeking a back-to-back win. They are the current titleholders of the tournament, with Napheesa as the MVP (2024).
