Road Woes: Lynx Lose Again

After thumping the Dallas Wings last week, the Minnesota Lynx went into their Memorial Day road trip feeling pretty good about themselves. The team needed a frantic finish to win in New York and then blew winnable games in Washington DC and Atlanta. They will return to Minneapolis early Wednesday morning with disappointment, regret and some work to do.

Angel Hallelujah

Minnesota was in control for the majority of this game, leading by three at halftime and six after the third quarter. Fowles was seemingly unfazed by the sprained ankle that had her listed as ‘questionable’ until an hour before the game and found lots of open looks in the paint. The Lynx defense did well to prevent Dream three point shots and transition opportunities. Things were going according to plan and then Angel McCoughtry happened.

In order to let her body heal following a decade of year-round basketball, McCoughtry is back in the WNBA this summer after a 2017 sabbatical. She’s a WNBA legend with a knack for getting buckets when her team needs them the most. On Tuesday night McCoughtry reminded Atlanta fans what they were missing last season as she came through in the clutch. She scored 12 of her 18 points in the fourth quarter. The former league scoring champion capped off a game-closing 13-4 Dream run by hitting two cold blooded shots to win the game for Atlanta in the final minute. Notice to the rest of the WNBA: Angel’s back.

A High Bar

At 2-3 the Lynx now have their first sub-.500 record through five games since 2010. May and June have traditionally been full of wins in the Reeve era. Last season the Lynx didn’t lose their third game until August 6th!

Due to a number of factors (new roster, condensed schedule, older players) things could take a little longer to gel this summer. Panicked Lynx fans are the result of this dynasty run. The sustained excellence and the dizzying number of wins have set the bar incredibly high. This is new territory. The next few weeks will be interesting. How quickly can they address the challenges facing the team and make the regular season feel more familiar.

Notes

For the second time this season Danielle Robinson played more minutes than Lindsay Whalen. The PG rotation is something to keep an eye on this season.

It was fun to see former-Lynx Renee Montgomery. She played 26 minutes, had an efficient 10 points and five rebounds.

Next Up

The Lynx return home on Friday night to face the Phoenix Mercury. The game starts at 7pm. If you live in the twin cities you should consider attending. The matchup is great and everyone will receive a Maya Moore x Jordan Brand WINGS poster. The game can also be found on ESPN2 or BOB 106 FM.