Their eight-game winning streak is over, but the Minnesota Lynx will seek the form that sent them through a three-week run of victories as they return to action Monday against the expansion Portland Fire in Minneapolis.
Minnesota (10-3, 4-1 in the Commissioner’s Cup) has managed its impressive early-season run without standout scorer Napheesa Collier, who has yet to make her season debut following offseason surgery on both ankles. Rookie Olivia Miles has definitely aided that process. The second overall pick in April’s draft is averaging 18.6 points and 5.9 assists per game, each within the top 10 in the league.
In Saturday’s 100-97 defeat to the Las Vegas Aces, Miles scored 29 points on 11-of-20 shooting from the field. However, Minnesota struggled with Vegas’ star duo of A’ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray, who combined for 47 points.
The Lynx trailed by 10 with just under five minutes left before a late rally put them ahead. Miles gave Minnesota a 97-96 lead on a step-back 3-pointer with 24.5 seconds to play, but Wilson and Gray scored the game’s final four points at the foul line as Miles and Courtney Williams missed 3-pointers.
“We kept scratching and clawing, giving ourselves … a chance,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said after the game.
Portland (7-8, 1-4) comes in having ended a four-game losing streak with an 84-83 home win over the Dallas Wings on Saturday. Emily Engstler made a free throw with 1.7 seconds left to account for the margin of victory.
Neither team led by more than four in the fourth quarter, but Portland had to rally from down 80-76 with 1:25 to play. Four different players scored in the closing run.
Engstler had 11 points, but all five Portland starters scored in double figures, led by Bridget Carleton, who shot 6-of-10 from 3-point range and scored 20 points. The Fire posted a season-best 26 assists, with Carla Leite accounting for eight while also scoring 10 points.
“Even through this stretch of games, I felt like the signs are good,” Fire coach Alex Sarana said.
Acknowledging the test to come, Sarana said, “Taking all the things we’ve learned from these last few games and taking that into the (Minnesota) game, we’re excited. That’s a great test.”
–Field Level Media
