Lynx 78 (26-7) – Sky 69 (14-18)
MENZIE HENDERSON
Lynx Writer
Box ScoreHow it Happened
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But the 78-69 victory wasn’t easy to obtain for Cheryl Reeve’s squad who battled Sylvia Fowles and the Chicago Sky down to the wire before finally pulling ahead for good late in the fourth quarter.
The Lynx held a 13-point advantage early in the third, but Chicago charged back to keep the game close 52-50 heading into the final stanza.
The Sky narrowed the Lynx lead to just one with four minutes remaining after an Erin Thorn three-pointer. Then, Minnesota’s Big 3 of Lindsay Whalen, Seimone Augustus, and Maya Moore said enough is enough and reeled off a 12-3 run to regain the momentum and the double-digit lead to put the dagger in Chicago's hope for an upset.
Coach Reeve has stressed the importance of keeping her players focused heading into the playoffs and a tight fourth period might have been just what the team needed.
“We would have rather had the reserves playing 20-25 minutes and win by 20, but I think having a situation where you have to make plays in the balance of a game, I think it’s always good for a team to get that experience,” Reeve expressed. “So, this will be something with the playoffs being so close, could prove to be good for us.”
While there has not been an exact recipe for success with the Lynx who have strengths in multiple areas, the fast-break attack is something that Coach Reeve can always rely on.
With point guard Lindsay Whalen wanting to push the tempo on every outlet pass she received, the Lynx killed the Sky on the break 17-2. Whalen and the Lynx were up and running and weaved through Sky defenders to find open teammates or glide past for an easy layup in transition. The Lynx thrive on turning defense into offense and tonight they capitalized by scoring 15 points off Chicago’s 11 turnovers.
Chicago received 17 points each from Fowles and Thorn, but it wasn’t enough to compete with Whalen, Augustus, and Moore who exploded for a combined 58 Lynx points.
Leader of the Pack
Lindsay Whalen played her role as the floor general perfectly by getting her teammates involved early, while also getting her own. Whalen did A LOT of everything for the team tonight, finishing with 20 points, 10 assists, and 7 boards…without committing a single turnover. The MVP candidate's stellar outing places her in WNBA history as the first player in the league to record a 20-point, 10-assist, and zero turnover game. Whalen’s assist at the 2:46 mark of the first quarter was her 185th of the year, setting a new single-season career high and franchise record. Whalen also pushed her personal single-season record for points to 464 tonight. When asked of Whalen’s incredible performance, Seimone Augustus stated, “That’s an MVP candidate right there. That’s the leader of our team. That’s why we have the record we have. That’s why we’re so successful this year, because of the way she’s playing.”
Rookie Report
Down the stretch, the Lynx needed players to step up and rookie Maya Moore responded tremendously. Moore knocked down several big shots to score eight of her 16 points in the fourth.
Highlight to Remember
Lindsay Whalen intercepted an errant Chicago pass and immediately began to storm the other way. Using excellent body control in mid-air, Whalen weathered the contact from a Chicago defender to muscle her way in completing the emphatic and-1 layup. The highlight play lifted the crowd off their feet, which shifted the momentum back in Minnesota’s favor in the tight fourth quarter.
The Numbers Game
The Lynx tailed their 26th win of the season tonight and now are one of 12 teams in WNBA history to win 25+ games in a single season. Eight of those teams have went on to win the WNBA Championship.
Looking Ahead
The Lynx close out the regular season against the Phoenix Mercury at US Airways Center on Sunday evening at 5:00 PM. Minnesota also found out who their first round opponent will be in the WNBA playoffs tonight. The Lynx will start their postseason journey at Target Center against the San Antonio Silver Stars on Friday, September 16 at 8 PM. For more news and content leading up to the playoffs, check out Lynx 2011 Playoff Central.
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