Playing far from their best basketball, the Lynx still found a way to win.
Shooting considerably below its norm from outside the arc, failing to score more than 18 points in any quarter and again giving up too many offensive rebounds, Minnesota won 70-62 at Chicago on Sunday afternoon.
“There’s no asterisk by what it says. I’m proud of how we stayed tough and gritty throughout the four quarters,” said Kayla McBride.
She led the Lynx with 16 points, including makes of all eight free-throw attempts in the final two and a half minutes.
Coach Cheryl Reeve was far more impressed with McBride’s defense, particularly getting under the basket and hustling for loose balls. “She really wanted to impose her will.”
That was especially true late in the game against Chicago’s top scorer Chennedy Carter.
“She made some huge plays, huge plays, on Carter, got the ball deflected, kept her from getting to her spots in ways we weren’t able to do before that,” said Reeve.
Minnesota held Chicago to five points in the fourth quarter on 2-of-23 shooting. Three of the points came in the final 40 seconds.
“I think we played personnel better in the fourth than any other quarter,” said Alanna Smith, who finished with 11 points, seven rebounds and four blocks.
McBride said the message before the final frame was for the 14-4 Lynx to stay mentally and physically engaged despite a less-than-ideal first three quarters.
“Who we are as a collective are winners and competitive and gritty and tough. When the hardest moments come, that’s what we rely on,” she said.
Minnesota shot 38.5% from the field, including 25% on 6-of-24 shooting from outside the arc. It entered the game shooting a league-high 40% from deep. The Lynx had 23 assists on their 25 field goals.
“This tested us; we were frustrated. I was imploring them to not play frustrated, but to play focused,” Reeve said. “It was an ugly duckling, but we’ll take it.”
McBride acknowledged that Thursday’s loss at four-win Dallas was in Minnesota’s mind.
“I think everybody kind of took that personal in different moments of the game. It’s a collective effort of resilience. No matter what’s happening on the offensive end, we’re all about winning and doing what it takes to win. And I think that’s what that fourth quarter was.”
Napheesa Collier, who was on Saturday’s preliminary injury report with a sprained right wrist but removed Sunday, struggled early with her shot. Yet she finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, four steals and three blocks.
She’s the third player in league history to finish a game with at least 10 points and rebounds, five rebounds, four steals and three blocks. Lisa Leslie and Candace Parker are the others.
Chicago (6-11) finished with 16 offensive rebounds, one off the season-high against the Lynx, and two more than Minnesota allowed in Dallas.
The Sky had 44 rebounds to Minnesota’s 40, and had a 36-24 points in the paint advantage. Just 10 of those Chicago points came in the second half.
Angel Reese led Chicago with 10 points and 16 rebounds, becoming the first player in league history to record 10 consecutive double-doubles in a single season.
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