The Minnesota Lynx clinched the WNBA No. 1 seed for the playoffs, despite a 96-77 loss to the Indiana Fever on Tuesday night. The Fever’s victory, secured at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, saw Caitlin Clark contribute 27 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds, while Kelsey Mitchell added 20 points to her WNBA single-season scoring record.
Lynx Secure Playoff Berth Amidst Disappointment
Minnesota’s top seed was confirmed later in the evening when the Portland Fire secured a victory over the Golden State Valkyries. However, the Lynx played without standout rookie Olivia Miles, who was a late scratch due to an injured left calf. Miles, who recently broke Clark’s single-season scoring record by a rookie against Connecticut, had her absence keenly felt.
Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve expressed strong dissatisfaction with her team’s performance. According to The Guardian, Reeve said she almost held Miles out for the previous game and stated the team would approach her injury day by day as the playoffs loom. Minnesota forward Napheesa Collier told ESPN that the team’s showing was “embarrassing.” Collier added, “We should be disappointed and embarrassed about the product that we put on the floor tonight. Not proud of what we did.” Reeve also dismissed the importance of clinching home-court advantage, noting that the Lynx are a “damn good road team.”
Fever Dominate Early, Keep Playoff Hopes Alive
The Indiana Fever asserted control early in the game, closing the first quarter with a 14-2 run to establish a 31-16 lead. They extended this margin to 38-18 early in the second quarter, leading by as much as 29 points before halftime, with the score standing at 57-34. This significant lead led Reeve to pull most of her starters for the second half.
The Lynx mounted a comeback in the third quarter, scoring 11 unanswered points and outscoring the Fever 30-14 to cut the deficit to seven points heading into the final period. However, Bleacher Report highlighted that Clark quickly restored Indiana’s double-digit lead with a three-pointer. The Fever maintained their advantage, extending it to 16 points midway through the fourth quarter, ultimately preventing a Lynx comeback. The Fever’s strong defensive performance included 11 steals, generating 21 points off turnovers, compared to the Lynx’s five steals and nine points off turnovers. Sophie Cunningham also contributed three triples off the bench for Indiana.
The Fever have already secured their place in the playoffs, and this victory kept their faint hopes of earning the No. 4 seed and home-court advantage for the first round alive for another day. Clark expressed confidence, stating, “We’re scary when we’re clicking. Like, we’re the best offensive team in the league, and we’ve shown moments where we can be really good defensively.” The two teams are set to meet again in their regular-season finale on Thursday.
