Alanna Smith scored a career-high 26 points and tied a career-high with six blocks Tuesday night in Washington.

Jessica Shepard was solid in her first game back after missing four, with 12 points and 15 rebounds. But she and Smith didn’t get enough offensive help.

In scoring their fewest points this season, the Lynx lost 68-64 to the Mystics.

The blame can easily be directed at failing to hold on to the basketball. Minnesota committed 19 turnovers that the Mystics turned into 26 points.

Courtney Williams had 10 of Minnesota’s miscues, including one that Sug Sutton turned into a layup for a 66-64 Mystics lead with 27.2 seconds left.

Williams missed a jumper with 15.2 seconds left and Sonia Citron made two late free throws to seal the win.

Minnesota’s final basket came with 8:48 remaining, missing six shots and making six of 12 free throws the rest of the way. The Lynx scored just nine points in the final 10 minutes, a season-low for a quarter.

“We had chances, we couldn’t get the free throws to get enough separation,” said Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve. “Clearly our defense was good enough. We should be the team that gets the stop, and then gets the possession and then at least gets a shot out of it, and we couldn’t catch the basketball, then turn it over and give them two points. That was frustrating to watch.”

The Lynx (12-2) were playing their second straight game without Napheesa Collier (lower back), the league’s top scorer and the league’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

Shepard had the first four points and Smith scored the next 13 as Minnesota jumped out to a 17-6 lead. A 3-point play by McBride pushed the lead to 14. But, as part of a 23-4 run, the Mystics cut it to two by quarter’s end.

“Rebounding, turnovers, I think were our biggest problems in the first half. And then when push came to shove, probably free throws. But we need to be able to rebound the ball and take care of the ball a lot better,” Smith said.

Washington (7-8) had a 40-39 rebounding advantage.

Minnesota’s starting backcourt of Williams and Kayla McBride was a combined 3 for 20 as the Lynx shot just 37.9%.

“They outplayed, they out-physicaled us, they out-toughed us, they out-wanted us. They took the game. They took it. They were aggressive, they wanted it, and the guard play for us was just not good enough” Reeve said.

Shepard returned after missing four games to play for Slovenia in the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket tournament, where she was playing 30-plus minutes per game. In three starts there, she averaged 22.7 ppg and 11.3 rebounds.

Trailing by six with less than four minutes to play in the third quarter, Shepard scored five points in an 11-4 Lynx run — capped by putting back a Bridget Carleton miss a split-second before the third quarter expired — for a 55-54 Lynx lead.

It is the first time in 11 games the Lynx lost this season when leading or tied after three quarters.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz visited storm-wracked Bemidji on Tuesday morning to witness the destruction that befell the area last weekend.

After driving past the worst-hit spots in the city, Walz stopped to speak about the devastation and the swift recovery process at a home along East Avenue.

“This is an unprecedented storm that hit right in Beltrami (County) and its surrounding areas,” Walz said, “but I saw a lot of other things. I saw neighbors helping neighbors. I saw professionalism of crews that have restored power to almost every single person. I also saw the grace of God and a lot of preparation by the professionals … with no injuries or loss of life.”

Nearly immediately, state legislators were in contact with county and city officials following the storm, he said.

“We were watching as these storms were developing in North Dakota,” Walz said. “I think alerts were going out once that started to happen … our folks were already activated and calling. There were folks within hours up here starting to do this. This is a process that’s in place. These are the professionals. They extend beyond administration.”

Beltrami County officials have said a survey of the storm damage to buildings, trees and power lines found wind speeds may have reached 120 mph when the storms barreled through early Saturday. That’s equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane. The same weather system spawned tornadoes that were blamed for three deaths in eastern North Dakota.

Both Bemidji and Beltrami County have announced separate emergency declarations that were each extended during separate meetings Monday.

This allowed the state to put together a disaster assistance contingency account that will help the area fund some of the recovery process up to a 75% reimbursement. The state currently has $24 million within the fund and it will refill in October to continually aid the county as long as the emergency persists.

It’s unclear whether federal assistance will be forthcoming or, if it is, whether it will be sufficient.

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The NBA Board of Governors unanimously approved the majority sale of the Timberwolves and Lynx to Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez on Tuesday.

The sale is expected to be finalized this week, the NBA announced.

Longtime owners Glen and Becky Taylor issued a public farewell on Monday, and staff moves are already in swing with executives such as chief executive officer Ethan Casson and chief operating officer Ryan Tanke announcing their departures.

Lore and Rodriguez announced that Lore will serve as Governor of the Timberwolves, with Rodriguez operating in an alternate capacity. The roles will be reversed for the Lynx.

Lore and Rodriguez first entered into a purchase agreement with Glen Taylor four years ago. Since then, they’ve had their fingerprints all over the organization, from the hiring of president of basketball operations Tim Connelly to cosmetic changes throughout Target Center.

Now, after a tumultuous sale process that went through arbitration after Taylor attempted to retain control, Lore and Rodriguez officially have the reins.

“We are honored to lead the Timberwolves and Lynx into a bold and exciting new era,” Lore said in a statement. “Today marks a momentous milestone for us, and we fully recognize the great responsibility that comes with serving as stewards of these exceptional franchises. We are committed to building an organization that sets the standard for excellence, is universally admired, and rooted in pride that spans generations.”

Rodriguez, who had an illustrious pro baseball career, noted that his has “dedicated my entire life to the world of sports.”

“Not just as a game, but as a powerful force that unites people, uplifts communities, and changes lives,” Rodriguez said in a statement. “I’m incredibly honored and energized to roll up my sleeves and get to work. I know what it takes to be a champion, and I’m ready to bring that same commitment and drive to create a winning culture in Minnesota.”

The new majority owners are expected to pursue various options for future arena accommodations for the organization, which has rented Target Center for the past 35 years. This summer, Lore and Rodriguez will oversee an offseason in which Connelly and Co. will walk the line of attempting to improve the Timberwolves’ roster amid its current championship chase while not compiling an astronomic luxury tax bill that could hamper the franchise’s team building for years to come.

Step 1 in that process is Wednesday’s NBA Draft — fittingly, another new beginning.

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By LISA MASCARO and KEVIN FREKING

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says “NO ONE GOES ON VACATION” until the big, beautiful bill is on his desk by the Fourth of July deadline. And Republicans in Congress are staying put to get it done.

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The Senate is gearing up for weekend work, while House Speaker Mike Johnson told lawmakers Tuesday to keep their schedules “flexible” as they prepare for more votes.

“We are making good headway,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. He expects the Senate will get this “past the finish line” by the end of the week, sending it back to the House for swift action.

But Republicans who have majority control of the House and Senate are finding that their push to move fast and change things — namely cuts to federal government programs including Medicaid and SNAP food stamps used by millions of Americans — is easier said than done.

Not all GOP lawmakers are on board, and the Senate parliamentarian has advised that several key proposals violate procedural rules. With Democrats flatly opposed, it’s all leaving GOP leaders scrambling days before final votes.

Here’s the latest on what’s in, out and still up for debate as lawmakers work to finish the massive 1,000-page plus package.

What’s the goal of the big bill? Tax cuts.

The top priority for Republicans is preventing what they warn would be a massive tax hike, some $3.8 trillion, after December when the tax breaks they put in place during Trump’s first term, in 2017, expire.

The big bill seeks to make existing tax rates and brackets permanent, while also temporarily adding new ones Trump campaigned on — no taxes on tips, overtime pay or some automotive loans, along with a bigger $6,000 deduction in the Senate draft for seniors who earn no more than $75,000 a year.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., speaks with reporters about the process to advance President Donald Trump’s spending and tax bill, during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

The wealthiest households would see a $12,000 increase, while the bill would cost the poorest people $1,600 a year, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

Middle income taxpayers would see a tax break of $500 to $1,500, CBO said.

One provision for families would boost the $2,000 child tax credit to $2,200 under the Senate proposal or $2,500 in the House. But families at lower income levels won’t see the full amount, if any.

And one unresolved issue is the House’s proposed $40,000 cap on state and local deductions, called SALT, that GOP senators say is too high and want limited.

The bill also funds deportations, a border wall and Trump’s heroes garden

There’s also some $350 billion of new funding in the package for Trump’s border and national security agenda.

Trump promises the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history, and the package proposes money to hire 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, with $10,000 signing bonuses, and for 100,000 immigration detention beds with a goal of deporting some 1 million people a year.

Additionally, the House bill proposes $12 billion for the Homeland Security secretary to provide grants to states that help with federal immigration enforcement and deportation actions. The Senate package also provides the attorney general with $3.5 billion to create a similar state fund — called Bridging Immigration-related Deficits Experienced Nationwide, or Biden, referring to the former president.

Immigrants entering the U.S. would face stiff new fees, including $1,000 for those seeking asylum protections.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., talks about his discussions with Elon Musk this week as he meets with reporters to discuss work on President Donald Trump’s bill of tax breaks and spending cuts, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

There’s also money for the development of Trump’s “Golden Dome” missile defense system over the U.S., and quality of life measures for servicemen and women.

And there are extras: One provision from the Senate would provide $40 million to establish Trump’s long-sought “National Garden of American Heroes.”

How to pay for it? Cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and green energy programs

To help partly offset the lost tax revenue, Republicans are seeking to cut back some long-running government programs — Medicaid, food stamps and green energy incentives — basically unraveling the accomplishments of the past two Democratic presidents: Joe Biden and Barack Obama.

Republicans argue they are trying to right-size the safety net programs for the population they were initially designed to serve — mainly pregnant women and children — and root out waste, fraud and abuse.

The package includes new 80-hour-a-month work requirements for many adults receiving Medicaid and food stamps, including older people up to age 65. Parents of children older than 10 would have to work to qualify for food aid, and those with teens would have to comply with the work requirement for Medicaid.

“It’s wildly popular,” Johnson said Tuesday, noting people can work, volunteer or go to school or job training programs. “For heaven’s sake, do something constructive.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is joined by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., left, ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, and Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, as he talks to reporters about Senate Republicans’ efforts to pass President Donald Trump’s tax cut and spending agenda with deeper Medicaid cuts, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, June 18, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Some 80 million Americans rely on Medicaid, which expanded under Obama’s Affordable Care Act, and 40 million use the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, and most already work, according to analysts.

All told, the CBO estimates at least 10.9 million more people would go without health coverage, and 3 million more would not qualify for food stamps.

Deeper SNAP cuts that would shift cost-sharing to the states were called into question by the Senate parliamentarian and undergoing revisions. And more Medicaid changes are up for debate — including a Senate plan to reduce the so-called provider tax that most states impose on hospitals and other entities.

Key GOP senators and a coalition of House Republicans warn that lower Medicaid provider tax cuts will hurt rural hospitals. “We cannot support a final bill that threatens access to coverage,” said 16 House GOP lawmakers in a letter to leadership.

Senators are considering the creation of a new rural hospital fund, but the plan remains a work in progress. They’ve also had objections to the House’s proposed new $35 co-pay on Medicaid services.

Both the House and Senate bills propose a dramatic rollback of the Biden-era green energy tax breaks for electric vehicles and also the production and investment tax credits companies use to stand up wind, solar and other renewable energy projects.

FILE – Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., speaks during a confirmation hearing at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)

All told, the cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and green energy programs are expected to produce at least $1.5 trillion in savings.

What’s the final cost?

Altogether, keeping the existing tax breaks and adding the new ones is expected to cost $3.8 trillion over the decade, CBO says in its analysis of the House bill. The Senate draft is slightly higher.

The spending cuts tally at least $1.5 trillion.

The CBO estimates the package from the House would add $2.4 trillion to the nation’s deficits over the decade.

Or not, depending on how one does the math.

Senate Republicans are proposing a unique strategy of not counting the existing tax breaks as a new cost, because they’re already “current policy.” They argue the Budget Committee chairman has the authority to set the baseline for its preferred approach.

Under the Senate GOP view, the cost of tax provisions would be $441 billion, according to the congressional Joint Committee on Taxation.

Democrats and others argue this is “magic math” that obscures the costs of the GOP tax breaks. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget puts the Senate tally at $4.2 trillion over the decade.

“Current policy baseline’ is a budget gimmick,” said Sen. Jeff Merkley, the top Democrat on the Budget Committee. “This bill will add trillions upon trillions of dollars to the national debt to fund tax breaks for billionaires.”

Trump, en route to Europe for a NATO meeting, told senators to lock themselves in a room if needed, and “GET THE BILL DONE.”

Associated Press writesr Darlene Superville and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.