At 16-2, the Minnesota Lynx are playing with calmness and confidence — and not a hint of controversy.
Well, except for one thing.
Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve smiled when she was asked about her top two players mock-debating about which one would shoot technical free throws.
Napheesa Collier wants to shoot them, and so does Kayla McBride.
“I’m not in it,” Reeve said with a grin. “I understand it. (McBride) walks away a lot, saying, ‘If she misses it, it’s my turn.’ I love that we have two great free-throw shooters.”
Both players will get a chance to make more shots when the Lynx tip off against the Chicago Sky (5-11) on Sunday evening in Minneapolis. The Lynx will play on short rest after holding on for an 82-71 win over the Golden State Valkyries on Saturday, and the Sky will play for the first time in a week.
Ariel Atkins leads the Sky with 14.6 points per game. Kamilla Cardoso is next with 12.7 points per game, and Angel Reese is third with 12.4 points to go along with a team-high 12.6 rebounds per contest.
Atkins said she wanted to continue to be aggressive on offense. She has done just that of late, and she is averaging more than 20 points over her past four games.
“I think it just gives us a better opportunity to open up the offense for everybody else,” Atkins said. “If I’m being passive, it allows people to guard us all one on one versus creating advantages.”
Collier, who is the Lynx’s top scorer, is coming off a 22-point performance in the win over Golden State. She made eight of 11 shots from the field, including her lone 3-point attempt, and she made all five of her free-throw attempts.
Jessica Shepard also will look to stay hot for the Lynx. She came off the bench Saturday to finish with eight points, 10 rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals.
Reeve said Shepard made a huge difference on the court.
“One of our coaches said her effort was otherworldly,” Reeve said. “She just willed us, flew around, (gave us) extra possessions, put her body on the line and was contagious in the best of ways.”
The Lynx might need to play without forward Alanna Smith on short rest. Smith left Saturday’s game because of a knee injury, and her status is uncertain for Sunday.
–Field Level Media
