The Game

The Lynx have a tough test ahead of them on Sunday as they travel to Las Vegas to face the Aces. Minnesota has struggled to remain consistent lately, beating the Mercury but losing to the Dream and the Storm by big margins in the last week.

Minnesota is 10-6, in sixth place in the WNBA. They have the the same record as the Sparks and the Sky. The Aces are 11-6. A win would give the Lynx a serious boost in the standings as they are still just two games back from the No. 1 seed.

In order to beat Las Vegas, Minnesota will have to contend not only with Liz Cambage but the talented wing duo of Kelsey Plum and Kayla McBride. While A’Ja Wilson will miss the game due to a sprained ankle, the Aces are still deep and talented. Minnesota’s defense and rebounding have been slipping a little in the last few games and they will need to make sure both of those are tightened up heading into Sunday.

What: Lynx at Aces
When: 5 p.m.
Where: Mandalay Bay Events Center
Watch: League Pass
Listen: BOB FM 106.1

Dantas Returning

Damiris Dantas will be back in the starting lineup on Sunday. The timing couldn’t be better for Minnesota; the last time the Lynx played the Aces, Dantas scored 22 points and had six assists. Dantas’ passing and floor spacing will help the Lynx right away but the team will also get a boost from being able to move Steph Talbot back to the bench and from shifting Napheesa Collier back to the small forward position.

Talbot has been playing extremely well as a starter, but the Lynx have not been getting as much production from their bench as they would like. If the hot-shooting Australian can keep her play up as a reserve it could do wonders for Minnesota’s play.

Shaking The Slump

Lynx fans will probably be keeping a close eye on Lexie Brown on Sunday. Brown went 11 games without scoring in double figures after opening the season strong but dropped 20 on the Storm on Wednesday. If Brown really has worked her way out of what was a long and difficult slump, that would be big for Minnesota.

When Brown is shooting the ball well it addresses two of Minnesota’s biggest needs: floor spacing and bench scoring. Brown is a threat to strike from long range at any given moment so teams can’t leave her alone to help on Sylvia Fowles or Odyssey Sims. Even if she isn’t making her shots she is a threat, but if she is, teams guard her very aggressively which helps the Lynx offense flow better.

Injury Report:

Lynx: Seimone Augustus (knee), Karima Christmas-Kelly (knee) and Jessica Shepard (ACL) are out.
Aces: A’Ja Wilson (ankle) .

Probable Starters: 

Lynx: PG—Robinson, SG—Sims, SF—Talbot, PF—Collier, C—Fowles
Aces: PG—Plum, SG—Young, SF—McBride, PF—Hamby, C—Cambage