Breaking Down The Lynx's Record-Setting Regular Season




**Editor's Note: CLICK HERE for a full list of records set by the Minnesota Lynx and their opponents.

Alex Conover
Web Editorial Associate
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The 2012 season was more than just a successful campaign in the wins column for the Minnesota Lynx. The team and its players combined for more than 50 personal, team and WNBA records throughout the summer.

A year after the Lynx won their first WNBA championship and became the team to beat, Minnesota followed up with a 27-7 regular season that equaled the run they had a year ago. But along the way, the Lynx racked up enough accolades to distinguish the 2012 regular season as one of the more memorable runs in franchise history.

Two Lynx players, Seimone Augustus and Lindsay Whalen, passed Katie Smith as the team’s all-time scoring and assists leaders, respectively. Taj McWilliams-Franklin had a pair of WNBA rebounding milestones, making her officially one of the greatest players on the boards in league history, and Rebekkah Brunson continued to make her mark as one of the team’s best rebounders and defensive players.

Coach Cheryl Reeve became the winningest coach in franchise history, while the team set WNBA marks for the most assists, rebounding margin and most consecutive games shooting 50 percent or better.

LynxBasketball.com breaks down some of the biggest records that fell this season below.

  • Team Franchise Records: The Lynx tied a franchise record set a year ago for most wins in the regular season, matching last year’s win total of 27 wins. At home, however, they were nearly untouchable. Minnesota set a franchise record with a 16-1 regular season home record this season—its lone loss coming to Connecticut in early July. That home dominance included tying a record nine-game home winning streak from Sept. 8, 2011 to June 27, 2012. The Lynx also set a record for most consecutive road wins with 10 from Aug. 8, 2011 to June 15, 2012.

    They Lynx set a record for most points scored with 2,923 (86.0 ppg), highest field goal percentage (.473), highest 3-point field goal percentage (.400) and most field goals made (1,100). The team also set team marks for most rebounds (1,285), most defensive rebounds (905), most blocked shots (159) and largest scoring margin (+9.8 ppg).


  • In-Game Records: In what was perhaps the most exciting game of the regular season, Minnesota tied a WNBA record for the largest deficit overcome to win a game against Atlanta on Sept. 7, 2012. The double-overtime thriller saw the Dream winning 50-25 late in the second quarter, only to have the Lynx rally back and win after extra time, 97-93.

    Meanwhile, Rebekkah Brunson has been a rebounding machine this year. The record books will now reflect her efforts. She set a team record for most rebounds in a single game (20 against San Antonio on Aug. 28 and tied the mark for most offensive rebounds—10 against Atlanta on Sept. 7. In that same game against San Antonio, Brunson set the team record for defensive rebounds with 15.


  • League Records: Other WNBA-wide records set by the 2012 Lynx as a team include most assists in a season (706, 20.8 APG), largest rebound margin (+6.8 RPG), most consecutive games to shoot over 50% (5, from May 30-June 9) and highest field goal percentage in a single game (.695, at Tulsa on July 10). Maya Moore got in on the action with the most 3-pointers made in a quarter, hitting five in the Lynx’s win over Indiana on Sept. 17.

    Center Taj McWilliams-Franklin had two significant milestones during the season. She became the WNBA’s all-time leading offensive rebounder on Aug. 28 against San Antonio, passing Yolanda Griffith’s previous record of 1,049. Mama Taj finished the year with 1,062 offensive boards for her career. She also became the second player in WNBA history to reach the 5,000-point, 3,000-rebound club, joining Lisa Leslie in the exclusive group.


  • Personal Franchise Records: Two of the franchise’s most coveted individual records, both held by Katie Smith, fell this season. Seimone Augustus became the franchise’s all-time leading point scorer (3,684), and Lindsay Whalen claimed the all-time assist record with 561.


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