The Minnesota Lynx enter the playoffs on a two-game losing streak that has head coach Cheryl Reeve angry, calling the performances “a complete lack of focus and intentionality.”
Against the 10th place Indiana Fever on Sunday, Minnesota held a one-point lead with just under seven-and-a-half minutes left in the game only to be outscored 18-2 while turning over the ball six times and shooting 0 of 9 from the field.
Minnesota had the chance to jump up to fifth place on the final day of the regular season thanks to Atlanta losing to Dallas, but the loss to Indiana cemented Minnesota’s sixth-place position and set the stage for a best-of-three first round playoff series starting Wednesday against the Connecticut Sun.
- Game 1: Wednesday, 7 p.m. at Connecticut
- Game 2: Sunday, 12 p.m. at Connecticut
- Game 3 (if necessary): Wednesday, 7 p.m. at Minnesota
“And for us competing for a playoff spot? It’s not about learning,” Reeve continued. “That’s not doing what you’re told, what your job is. [Indiana] played like they had more to play for than we did. Awfully disappointing.”
The Lynx played Connecticut four times in the regular season, winning just once and losing three times while being outscored 340-308 in the four matchups.
Connecticut (27-13) is favored in the series, boasting the fourth best offense in the league (82.7 points per game). Minnesota finished with the ninth best offense (80.2) in the WBNA this season.
Defensively, the first round series is a complete mismatch with the Sun owning the best defense in the league, allowing 79.0 points per game, while the Lynx have the second-worst defense at 85.0 points per game.
“We have no clue,” Reeve said. “The team we’re about to play in the playoffs has a big-time clue.”
