20th Season Memories: The First Of Many Playoff Wins

The Lynx have plenty of good playoff memories, but it all began on August 28, 2003, when the Lynx earned their first-ever playoff victory in a gutsy win over the Los Angeles Sparks.

Finishing the regular season with a record of 18-16 and the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference, the Lynx, led by Katie Smith, made their playoff debut in Minnesota. The playoff format in 2003 was such that the lower seed hosted the first game of the series, and the two remaining games were played on the road.

Minnesota’s first playoff game was a classic. Down by three with 41 seconds left, Katie Smith hit a three to tie the game at 72 apiece. On the ensuing Sparks possession, Teresa Edwards kicked the ball out of bounds, forcing the Sparks to inbound the ball with 9.8 seconds remaining.

Then Tamika Williams stepped up. Seeing an opening, she took a gamble and picked on the Sparks’ entry pass. She sprinted down the court and scored to put the Lynx up by two with 7.4 seconds remaining. Williams was fouled on the play as well, but she missed the shot.

Out of timeouts, Los Angeles tried to find an open three-pointer to win it, but they couldn’t get it done. The Lynx swarmed the ball and put pressure on the Sparks all the way down the court, finally stripping Mwadi Mabika as the seconds ticked down.

When the buzzer sounded, the Lynx had earned a major milestone—a playoff win. Though the Sparks would end up winning the series, the Lynx got a taste for the postseason. Today, the Lynx have reached the playoffs nine times and won four WNBA championships.