Alexander Shun

Web Editor Associate | @alexpshun 

Minnesota Lynx (19-9) at New York Liberty (18-8) | 6:30 P.M. CT

WHERE TO WATCH: NBATV

WHERE TO LISTEN: 106.1 BOB FM

Bright lights, big city!

The Minnesota Lynx are in the Big Apple and they’re ready to conquer the city (although, let’s be honest, they probably won’t have a lot of time for that) and its basketball team.

The New York Liberty enter tonight’s game just percentage points ahead of the Lynx for the best record in the WNBA; however, with a win tonight, Minnesota can reclaim such a title for themselves and extend their lead in the Western Conference.

Coming off a tough loss to the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday night, the Lynx will look to regain their winning ways against a tough Liberty team.

Allowing the fewest points per game (70.3) as well the fewest points in the paint, the Liberty have won a lot of games this year because of their defense; the Lynx know that.

“It’s a system that is very, very persistent to not allow penetration, to crowd the paint for the bigs and, it’s one of those things I think is really important, but certain angles are better than others,” said Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve.

“They’re having a great year,” said Lynx guard Lindsay Whalen. “They hang their hat defensively – so do we – we’re always kind of 1-2 on the defensive side of the ball, so we have to just be ready to go and execute our offense and also get things done on the defensive end.”

Whalen is right, the Lynx can definitely handle the defensive end.

The Lynx sit third in the league in points allowed per game (71.9) and have, in some ways like the Liberty, made their living in the paint. In the last three games, the Lynx have allowed just 27.3 points per game in the paint, while outscoring their opponents 84-82 inside.

“We’ve got to do a better job of protecting the paint than what we have,” said Reeve, speaking about her team’s recent interior defense. “I think New York does a better job of that, they’re more committed to it.”

Having played 7-of-10 games in August on the road, the Lynx are familiar with the struggles that road games can cause.

“It has been a long month of August on the road and we get another crack at a road game tomorrow night and then we come home for awhile,” said Whalen.

Currently just 9-6 on the road this season, the Lynx will look to finish this road trip on a positive note, but doing so will not be an easy task, especially facing Liberty center Tina Charles.

Charles sits fourth in the league in scoring this season and is averaging 17.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists this season and has been a huge reason (literally, she’s 6’4) for New York’s success both scoring in the paint and defending it. Stopping, or at the very least slowing down, Charles, is going to be key for Minnesota, especially if they hope to leave New York with a win.

So how do you slow down a player like Charles? You hope you have a 6’6 center who is a two-time defensive player of the year winner to guard her. Oh that’s right, the Lynx have that in Sylvia Fowles.

Fowles has played great of late, averaging 15 points, 9.6 rebounds and, on the defensive side, has notched a block and a steal through her last three games as well.

It will be great to watch two bigs like Charles and Fowles battle it out in the paint in a contest between the league’s two-best teams.

LAST MEETING

So these two teams technically last met this season…well, this preseason in June. The Lynx knocked off the Liberty here in Minnesota 85-80. Maya Moore scored 19 points to lead the Lynx…but that doesn’t count. C’mon now, it was preseason, and those games don’t mean anything.

The last time they actually met was last season on July 6 at Madison Square Garden. The Liberty emerged victorious in the contest, defeating the Lynx 87-80.

It was a close contest almost the entire way, but the Liberty, who were trailing 59-53 midway through the third quarter, launched a 20-6 run to take a 73-65 lead. But the Lynx would not go quietly. Forward Maya Moore poured in nine straight points for Minnesota and tied the game at 76 with just over five minutes to go in the game, but that was where the run ended. The Liberty then closed the game on an 11-4 run and grabbed the victory.

Center Tina Charles scored a game-high and career-high 32 points to go with her 10 rebounds and two steals for New York, while Liberty guard Cappie Pondexter notched a double-double of her own adding 18 points and 11 rebounds. The Liberty also got 10 points off the bench from forward Plenette Pierson.

Maya Moore led Minnesota, pouring in 25 points while adding eight rebounds and three steals. Guard Lindsay Whalen added 13 points, five rebounds and five assists in the loss.

KEY MATCH-UP: SYLVIA FOWLES VS. TINA CHARLES

Another Lynx game, another match-up against a tough front-court.

Tonight, the Lynx will have to face the league’s fourth-leading scorer in Liberty center Tina Charles.

Charles has been doing it all for New York and has led the Liberty to a league-best 18-8 record. Charles is averaging 17.9 points and 8.7 rebounds this season, both are best on the team. Charles will face possibly her toughest test of the season tonight when she goes head-to-head with Lynx center Sylvia Fowles.

Fowles has been great for Minnesota of late. Though the Lynx have lost three of their last four games, Fowles has been carrying quite a load and has arguably been the leader of the team in its past week, averaging  15 points and 9.6 rebounds in the team’s last three games.

There is absolutely no question that these two players are going to dominate the game on both sides of the ball and will have a definite impact on the outcome of this game. For all fans out there, they shoukl simply sit back and watch these two great players play a heck of a game.

PROJECTED STARTERS

Lynx: PG – Whalen, SG – Cruz, SF – Moore, PF – Brunson, C – Fowles

Liberty: PG – Wright, SG – Prince, SF – Cash, PF – Swords, C – Charles