clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Remember When...The Minnesota Lynx Won Their First Championship?

In 2011, the Lynx began a run the likes of which we haven’t seen in Minnesota.

By Eric in Madison
Minnesota Lynx v Atlanta Dream - Game Three

It was 2011. Maya Moore was a rookie. Seimone Augustus led the team in scoring. “Mama” Taj McWilliams-Franklin was the defensive backbone at center. Local hero Lindsay Whalen was in her second season with the Lynx after being acquired in a trade, as was Rebekkah Brunson.

It all came together that 2011 season, and the Lynx posted a league best 27-7 record. They beat the San Antonio Silver Stars in the first round of the playoffs, the Phoenix Mercury in the Western Finals, and then swept the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA Finals, winning the first two games at Target Center then closing it out in Atlanta.

The Lynx dominated the second halves of all three games in the series, and Augustus was the star, averaging 24.7 points per game (22 over all eight playoff games the Lynx played that year,) including 36 in game two as she dueled with Dream star Angel McCoughtry.

Here’s what it looked like:

This was Cheryl Reeve’s second year as head coach, and after finishing 13-21 the year before, this 2011 season and title were the beginning of a fantastic run of championship basketball.