The Minnesota Lynx faced a tough defeat Sunday, falling 84-71 to the Indiana Fever at the Target Center. Despite a solid defensive performance, the Lynx's offensive struggles were apparent, especially in the final quarter. The loss was marked by a fourth-quarter collapse, where the Lynx were outscored 28-14, overshadowing the largest regular-season crowd in Lynx history, with 18,978 fans in attendance.
Head coach Cheryl Reeve did not mince words about the reasons behind the defeat.
“I thought defensively, again, we played mostly well enough to win,” Reeve said, per Kent Youngblood of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “But our offense put so much pressure on our defense.”
Caitlin Clark, the No. 1 WNBA draft, played a large role in the Fever's victory. She scored 10 of her 17 points in the fourth quarter, leading a late surge that the Lynx could not counter. Kelsey Mitchell also contributed 21 points, including a pivotal three-pointer that shifted the game's momentum. Aliyah Boston added 17 points and 16 rebounds.
Despite holding a seven-point lead entering the fourth quarter, the Lynx's offense stagnated.
“We kind of got stagnant,” said Bridget Carleton, who scored 17 points, made five of 10 threes, and had seven rebounds and six assists. “We weren't getting in the paint, we weren't finding our shooters.”
Lynx struggle in the absence of Napheesa Collier
The Lynx, playing without star forward Napheesa Collier for the fourth consecutive game due to a left foot injury, have now lost two straight games and five of their last eight. This latest defeat drops them into a fourth-place tie with the Seattle Storm, with one game remaining before the Olympic break.
The offensive woes have been a recurring issue for the Lynx. Since winning the Commissioner's Cup championship in June, the team has struggled to find consistency, shooting below 40% in five of their last eight games. In the past two games alone, the Lynx have been outscored 47-21 in the fourth quarter.
“Indiana is not a team that's hung its hat on defense at this point,” Reeve said. “Our two-point field goal percentage [16-for-39 in the game, 0-for-4 in the fourth quarter] killed us. Some of our attempts, and turnovers at costly times, really hurt us.”
Reeve also highlighted the team's inability to get into the paint and put pressure on the rim, a factor exacerbated by a small lineup featuring the 6-foot-1 Carleton at power forward. The Lynx were outscored 40-20 in the paint.
Center Alanna Smith, who scored 13 of her 18 points in the first quarter, emphasized the need for better execution under pressure.
“When we make mistakes and they score, we have to be able to score to keep it competitive,” Smith said. “In the fourth quarter, it's high-pressure. When things go wrong, you feel that pressure. We have to work on playing the whole 40 minutes.”
The Lynx hope that the return of Collier after the Olympic break will provide a much-needed boost to their offensive capabilities.
The Lynx have one more game before the break on Wednesday against the Atlanta Dream.
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