The Minnesota Lynx and Golden State Valkyries are both playoff-bound, but only one side will enter the postseason on a winning note.
The Lynx (33-10) and Valkyries (23-20) will meet in the regular-season finale Thursday evening in Minneapolis. It will be the fourth and final regular-season contest between these teams.
Minnesota has already set a franchise record for victories in a single season. The Lynx have locked up the WNBA’s best record and the No. 1 overall seed in the playoffs.
Golden State also punched a ticket to the postseason in its inaugural season and could finish with the sixth or eighth playoff seed, depending on Thursday’s result.
Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said her team’s most recent game felt like a playoff matchup. Golden State lost 74-73 against the Seattle Storm on the road on Tuesday.
“Rhythm and rest to me is the biggest key right now going into the playoffs,” Nakase said. “And (we need to focus on) our lock-in factor of what it takes to play in a playoff game. (Against Seattle), it did feel like that — the physicality, the crowd.
“… (It comes down to) being connected. I think at times when we didn’t get the rebound, we were a little bit disconnected because now it’s almost like you’re playing transition defense off of an offensive rebound. So what we can control, we’ve got to take a look and get better at it.”
Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve also wants her players to be in top form heading into the playoffs. Minnesota clinched the No. 1 seed more than a week ago and rested star forward Napheesa Collier in its most recent game against the Indiana Fever.
The Lynx lost 83-72. With her team down, Reeve relied on a group of reserves, and she praised those players after the game.
“Silver lining,” Reeve said. “These are players that are there every day, expected to do things every day, and (they) don’t play. It’s a silver lining in this (defeat) in getting a chance to play players and coach them. They deserved us paying attention to what they were doing. They give us effort every day.”
Minnesota is 3-0 against Golden State this season and is looking to complete a four-game sweep. The Lynx won 86-75 on the road June 1, 82-71 at home July 5 and 78-72 on the road Sept. 6.
–Field Level Media
