The Minnesota Lynx do not need any reminders about how their first game of the season ended against the Atlanta Dream.
They remember it all too well.
The Lynx (4-2) will try to avenge their season-opening meltdown when they host a rematch against Atlanta (4-1) on Wednesday night in Minneapolis.
In the teams’ first meeting May 9, the Lynx squandered a 15-point halftime lead and lost 91-90 to the Dream. Atlanta outscored Minnesota 54-38 in the second half.
Angel Reese provided a final punctuation mark when she blocked Emese Hof’s shot at the buzzer to seal the win for Atlanta. It was a sign of things to come for the Dream, who have the best record in the WNBA through the first few weeks.
Reese will look to maintain her dominance in the paint on Wednesday. She leads Atlanta with 11.4 rebounds per game, including 5.8 offensive rebounds per game.
Allisha Gray is Atlanta’s top scorer with 21.8 points per game. Rhyne Howard ranks second with 18.8 ppg and is shooting 38.7% from 3-point range, and Reese rounds out the top three scorers with 12.8 points per contest.
Minnesota is led by Natasha Howard, who is averaging 17.0 points along with a team-high 8.3 rebounds. Courtney Williams (15.8 ppg), Kayla McBride (15.2) and rookie Olivia Miles (15.0) round out the Lynx’s double-digit scorers.
Howard will try to build upon a terrific performance against the Chicago Sky on Saturday. She finished with 26 points to match her season high, 14 rebounds to set a season best and contributed five assists while competing against Sky center Kamilla Cardoso.
“I felt like I was playing out of my body (against Chicago),” Howard said. “But I give it to our guards, just giving me the ball in the right spots.”
The Lynx will go for their first three-game winning streak of the season. They are coming off a 28-point win against the Toronto Tempo on Thursday and a 10-point win against the Sky on Saturday.
Minnesota has enjoyed a strong start to the season despite the absence of star forward Napheesa Collier, who remains sidelined as she recovers from surgery on her left ankle.
“We’re stacking days and building that chemistry,” Williams said. “We’ve got a great foundation.”
Reese feels the same way about her new team in Atlanta. She praised her teammates for providing a balanced attack in which a different player could lead on any given night.
“We try to dominate our matchups as best as we can,” Reese said. “We know anybody on this team can score. Shoutout to ‘Izzy’ (reserve guard Isobel Borlase). She came in off the bench and gave us some big shots (in the last game). …
“I think everybody contributes in their small little ways, and everybody just shows up as we are because that’s what Atlanta basketball looks like.”
The Lynx are 1-2 on their home court this season. The Dream are 2-0 on the road.
-Field Level Media
