Things seemed to be going well for the Minnesota Lynx entering the fourth quarter, but a massive collapse offensively resulted in a rare loss on Thursday.
Minnesota was up 71-66 over the Los Angeles Sparks with 10 minutes left in the game. The Sparks went on a 23-11 run in the fourth quarter to stun the Lynx 89-82.
As a team, the Lynx only shot 43% from the field and had 14 turnovers offensively. Minnesota rookie sensation Olivia Miles led the way with 23 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals, but also led with 5 turnovers. To say that their head coach, Cheryl Reeve, was not happy after the game would be an understatement.
Cheryl Reeve Slams Her Lynx Team’s Performance in Loss to the Sparks
GettyHead coach Cheryl Reeve of the Minnesota Lynx.
During her press conference, Reeve could not hide her anger with the Lynx breaking their 10-game losing streak. She started by sharing his disappointment in the team’s defensive performance.
“Every player, at every position, was terrible. Every player that played in the game, at every position.”
The Lynx allowed the Sparks to hit 50% of their field goals and 38% from the three-point line. Los Angeles showed more patience on offense, racking up 27 assists to the Lynx’s 17.
When the topic of the offense came up, Reeve was not having it. She fired off an expletive talking about the offense and the defense.
“Let’s talk about our offense… Is that what we’re gonna do?” “We lost our game because we don’t play any [expletive] defense. So if you wanna talk about offense, you sound like the players.”
This is the first loss the Lynx has had since exactly one month ago on July 6. Minnesota lost to the Connecticut Sun 90-89, and that had been their third loss in the five-game stretch.
Minnesota Lynx Must Show Resilience After Tough Loss
GettyMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – OCTOBER 18: Napheesa Collier #24 and Kayla McBride #21 of the Minnesota Lynx react during the first quarter against the New York Liberty in Game Four of the WNBA Finals at Target Center on October 18, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
The good news for the Lynx is that they still have the best record in the WNBA. They are currently 25-7 and 2.5 games ahead of the Las Vegas Aces for the top spot in the standings. Las Vegas is playing catch-up, though, after beating the Indiana Fever in overtime Thursday night.
Things have certainly changed with the Lynx’s mindset after riding the high waves of the winning streak. Now they must flip the switch and get themselves right for the next game.
Minnesota’s next week might be the most challenging part of their remaining schedule. They have a Saturday afternoon showdown against the Aces at home. The next day, they play the Dallas Wings at home. That’s followed by the Portland Fire and Aces on the road.
In fact, 10 of their last 12 games feature teams that would be in the playoffs if it started today. The Lynx better get things right and get ready for the biggest challenge of their season.
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