Scouting Report | Lynx at Wings

Mitchell Hansen
Web Editorial Associate
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3:30 p.m., College Park Center
Where to Watch: Fox Sports North Plus
Where to Listen: 106.1 BOB FM

The Minnesota Lynx look to remain undefeated on the season when they take on the Dallas Wings on Sunday in Arlington.

The Lynx come in at a perfect 8-0 overall and are the top team in the Western Conference. The Wings enter at 4-5 overall and are in fifth place in the Western Conference.

Here are a few tidbits before Sunday’s contest:

  • Minnesota’s current eight-game winning streak to start the season is its longest since going 13-0 to start 2016.
  • The Lynx hold a three-game lead over the Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm for second in the Western Conference and hold a 2.5-game lead over the Washington Mystics for the best overall record in the WNBA.
  • Lindsay Whalen became the WNBA’s all-time winningest player with Minnesota’s victory over Washington on Friday night. Whalen has recorded 295 wins in her career so far.

Coming Off Of… 

Minnesota is coming off of a 98-73 victory over the Washington Mystics on Friday in the nation’s capital.

Sylvia Fowles led the way for the Lynx with 21 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Rebekkah Brunson had 17 points and six rebounds, Maya Moore had 17 points and six assists, Seimone Augustus had 14 points, Renee Montgomery had 13 points and five assists, Plenette Pierson had seven points and Whalen had two points and six assists.

Dallas is coming off of a 96-90 win over the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday in Arlington.

Glory Johnson led the Wings with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Skylar Diggins-Smith had 13 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, Kayla Thornton had 13 points and four rebounds, Theresa Plaisance had 11 points and Kaela David added 10 points off the bench.

Last Matchup

Minnesota holds a 1-0 season series advantage over Dallas this season. The last matchup came on May 20 in Arlington, with the Lynx winning 89-87.

In that game, Seimone Augustus hit a go-ahead shot late in the game to push Minnesota past Dallas. Augustus finished with 18 points and three rebounds, Fowles had 27 points and 13 rebounds, Moore had 21 points and five assists, Brunson had seven points and 11 rebounds and Whalen added four points and six assists.

For the Wings, Diggins-Smith led the way with 22 points, eight assists and five rebounds. Allisha Gray had 15 points, Thorton had nine points and Johnson added eight points and seven rebounds.

Sunday’s game is the second of three meetings between Minnesota and Dallas this season. The third and final matchup will come on June 19 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

Key Matchup: Sylvia Fowles vs. Theresa Plaisance 

One key matchup to watch for on Sunday afternoon will come between Minnesota’s Sylvia Fowles and Dallas’ Theresa Plaisance.

Plaisance will be dealt with the task of trying to slow down Fowles, one of the top players in the WNBA right now.

Fowles is averaging 20.9 points (3rd in the WNBA) 10.3 rebounds (2nd in WNBA), 2.1 steals (2nd in WNBA), two blocks (tied for 2nd in WNBA) and 1.8 assists per game this season. She is also shooting 64.6 percent from the field, which ranks third in the WNBA.

Plaisance is averaging nine points, 3.1 rebounds and just under one block per game this season.

Injuries

Dallas: Aerial Powers (hip) and Courtney Paris (knee) are out.

Minnesota: No injuries to report.

Projected Starters

Dallas: PG – Diggins-Smith, SG – Gray, SF – Christmas-Kelly, PF – Johnson, C – Plaisance

Minnesota: PG – Whalen, SG – Augustus, SF – Moore, PF – Brunson, C – Fowles