Practice Report: Friday, June 8
Andrea Allis
Web Editorial Associate
With the Minnesota Lynx's 8-0 start to the season, Saturday's game against the Tulsa Shock presents an opportunity for the Lynx to tie the WNBA record for the best start to a season, a record set by the 2001 Sparks and shared with the 2003 Sparks squad as each team started out 9-0. But coach Cheryl Reeve said she and her players aren't thinking about records. They're taking the season one game at a time and focusing on each individual contest that lies ahead.
Before hitting the road for their ninth game of the regular season on Saturday, the Lynx practiced Friday at the LifeTime Fitness Training Center to prepare for a Tulsa team known for its defense and ability to force turnovers.
"We're planning for chaos," said coach Cheryl Reeve. "That's what they do to teams and they turn teams over. They're scoring 23 points a game off their turnovers, so we're planning for that."
The Lynx's most recent win came Wednesday against the Storm, a 79-55 outcome at Target Center in which five Lynx players scored in double digits, including 8-for-8 shooting from Taj McWilliams-Franklin. The Lynx collectively stepped up in the absence of leading scorer Seimone Augustus, who was sidelined with a strained right quadriceps. She is questionable for Saturday's game against the Shock.
One of the few rough spots in the team's play on Wednesday was a four and a half minute span in the first and second quarters when the Lynx committed eight turnovers.
"Turnovers in the first half were an issue," said Reeve, "but I thought we cleaned it up in the second half and finished the game with just 15, so that's not a bad number."
"I think we just kind of were trying to make a couple too many passes rather than shooting it," said guard Lindsay Whalen of their first-half turnovers. "I thought we should have taken some open shots and we didn't, and we kind of passed up the ball a little too much. But turnovers will be key, to keep those low tomorrow, for sure."
If Augustus's absence is a factor Saturday, Whalen says it's important for every person on the team to step up and play cohesively like they did against the Storm.
"Everybody just has to play their game," said Whalen. "Like against Seattle when she was out, it's just, everybody do a little more, but nothing crazy or nothing you can't do. No one tries to do it by themselves and we try to just work even more as a team."
For more news and notes on the team follow the Minnesota Lynx on Twitter.