Alexander Shun

Web Editor Associate | @alexpshun

Winning cures everything.

After beating the Phoenix Mercury 71-61 on Sunday night, the Minnesota Lynx moved three games ahead of the Mercury in the tough Western Conference with just four games remaining; much better situation than losing to Phoenix and only being a game up with four games remaining. There was a lot of good and a lot of bad from Sunday night’s game and, by random selection, we’ll start with the bad.

Lynx guard Lindsay Whalen, who entered Sunday night’s contest battling bursitis and a hurt achilles, suffered an ankle injury midway through the second quarter. Whalen went to the locker room and did not return. Such an injury to a key leader on the team could be devastating before the start of the playoffs, despite having already clinched and achieved homecourt advantage. With All-Star guard Seimone Augustus already missing time to heal an injury of her own, the Lynx cannot afford to lose Whalen as well. Whalen facilitates and runs an offense like few players in the league can and everyone both with and around the team know just how important a player like Whalen is come playoff time.

Now for the good news (because it is always best to find a silver lining in such situations). The injury Whalen suffered does not appear to be all that serious and Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve says she is hopeful, but also expects both Whalen and Augustus to be ready for the playoffs.

“It’s one of those things that’s kind of dangerous to go down the road when something is two weeks away to say where they’re going to be, but hopeful is probably the best word for both of them.”

More good news for Lynx fans: The Lynx can manage in the short-term without Augustus and Whalen, and players like guards Anna Cruz and Renee Montgomery proved that on Sunday night. Cruz played tenacious, full-court press defense and really set the defensive tone in the game early on. Montgomery then stepped in when Whalen got hurt and had a huge game for the Lynx, finishing with 15 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals in 28 minutes off the bench.

“A lot of opportunities came my way and that’s the thing, when you get minutes, you want to try and make the most of them and that was my mindset the whole time,” said Montgomery. “I feel like this is the time where I need to step up, my team needs me.”

“She’s a natural offensive player and I know that from playing with her in college,” said forward Maya Moore. “She’s going to be able to contribute offensively if she just keeps it simple and does her game.”

Injuries may have hit Minnesota, but the Lynx can be thankful that the injuries are not too severe and that they now have the opportunity to get players like Cruz and Montgomery additional minutes to continue to acclimate to the offense, as well as improve their play before Augustus and Whalen get healthy.

“We’ve got the lemons, let’s make some lemonade,” said Reeve. “Getting Renee in it, entrenched into Lynx basketball is really good as opposed to her just filling in here and there. I think she’s going to feel much better about the way we when we do things when she’s doing them.”

“I think it’s good for Tricia as only a second-year player to continue to try and grow,” continued Reeve. “It would be nice to get her finishing out her second-year strong.”

With so many players getting additional playing time and experience, it can only be assumed that, when Augustus and Whalen return from injury, the Lynx are going to be a deeper team than ever before and they will be more than prepared to make a deep playoff run.