The Minnesota Lynx can clinch the No. 1 seed in the WNBA playoffs as soon as Monday.
That’s because they have a magic number of two — a five-game cushion over second with six games to go — and they are about to meet that second-place team for the final time in the regular season.
The Lynx (31-7) will lock up the top seed with any combination of two wins and two losses by the Golden State Valkyries (25-11). They can take care of it in one fell swoop if they beat Golden State on Monday in Minneapolis.
Minnesota has been close to unstoppable this season — it’s won six straight games and 16 of 17 — but especially since Napheesa Collier made her season debut July 22.
When Collier was still recovering from offseason surgery on both ankles, No. 2 overall draft pick Olivia Miles took control. So it was no surprise that when Collier was sat Friday at the Washington Mystics for rest, Miles did more than enough to guide the Lynx.
Her 24 points, seven assists, three rebounds and three steals powered a 94-84 Minnesota victory. Natasha Howard added 21 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three blocks.
“That greatness just kind of oozes out of (Miles) because she knows that those vets really, really believe in her, and that they’re going to be there for her at tough moments,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve told reporters postgame. “There’s times when Liv really, really needs that, and leans on them.”
Collier (19.0 points, 7.4 rebounds per game) is expected back for the game against Golden State to complement Miles (20.0 ppg, 6.2 apg) once more.
Courtney Williams tallied 13 points, eight assists and six rebounds at Washington but hurt her right foot in the final minute and has been ruled out for Monday.
When these teams met just last Wednesday in San Francisco, the Lynx shot 50% from the field and toughed out a 77-66 road win. Miles and Kayla McBride each scored 20 points and Collier added 18.
Golden State relied on Janelle Salaun (15 points) and Tiffany Hayes (12) off the bench in that game, and on Friday at Chicago, the Valkyries’ bench outscored their starting five 51-19 in a 73-70 loss. Laeticia Amihere had a team-high 16 off the bench as the team trailed by as many as 21.
Afterward, Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase was asked if she would consider changes to her starting lineup.
“No, it’s more to me I think something we could fix (with) more mental focus than anything,” Nakase said.
The Valkyries would maintain a longshot hope of capturing the top playoff seed if they can defeat Minnesota, which is 3-0 against Golden State this season. But the Valkyries would need to be near-perfect over the seven regular-season games that follow.
–Field Level Media
