Alexander Shun

Web Editor Associate | @alexpshun 

Minnesota Lynx (19-8) vs Phoenix Mercury (15-11) | 5:00 P.M. CT

WHERE TO WATCH: NBATV, FS North

WHERE TO LISTEN: 106.1 BOB FM

Winning fixes everything.

After last Wednesday night’s 79-61 loss to the Washington Mystics, the sky was falling and the Minnesota Lynx were surrounded with questions of inconsistency and doubt. After Minnesota’s 78-61 win Friday night against the San Antonio Stars, those questions are starting to fade.

With a win tonight against the Phoenix Mercury, the Lynx can make those questions disappear.

“Clinching is one thing, but playing at home is highly coveted in our league with just a three game series for those first two rounds,” said Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve. “Our mindset is trying to make sure that we’re playing at home.”

Sitting three and-a-half games ahead of Phoenix in the Western Conference, the Lynx can clinch home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs with a win tonight.

More importantly for the Lynx though, they want to be playing well as a team. After shooting a season-low 34 percent against the Mystics, Minnesota returned to form on Friday night shooting 49 percent against the Stars. The Lynx also had fantastic ball movement on offense, showcased by the team’s 25 assists. The Lynx will look to continue that offensive success tonight in Phoenix.

“We want to get playing really well. We don’t think we’ve peaked,” said Reeve. “We want to make sure that when the regular season is over, that we’ve been tested in a lot of ways and that we responded and playing the best basketball by the time the playoffs start.”

The Phoenix Mercury enter tonight’s game on a three-game losing streak and having lost four of their last five games.

While still leading the Mercury averaging 16.5 points per game this season, guard DeWanna Bonner has averaged only 11.6 points in her last three games while the Mercury as a team, who have averaged 42 percent shooting this season, have only managed to shoot 38 percent collectively in their last three games.

Despite the recent struggles, Bonner has played well against the Lynx in three match-ups this season, averaging 18.3 points and 5.6 rebounds; one can only assume that such success will continue again tonight.

If Minnesota can slow down Bonner and continue their hot shooting and solid defense, they could leave Phoenix with a four and-a-half game lead in the Western Conference and put themselves back in the running for the best record in the WNBA.

The Lynx will look to manage a split of the season-series, having lost two of the three contests this season.

LAST MEETING

The Lynx and Mercury last met a little over two weeks ago back in Phoenix and, despite a solid performance from the Lynx, the Mercury emerged victorious, defeating the Lynx 73-66.

Mercury guard DeWanna Bonner led Phoenix with 15 points, three rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots while center Brittney Griner notched a double-double adding 13 points, 12 rebounds and a game-high six blocked shots. Guard Marta Xargay Casademont added 15 points in 19 minutes off the bench for Phoenix.

Forward Maya Moore led Minnesota with 17 points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots. Center Sylvia Fowles chipped in 11 points and five rebounds for Minnesota in the loss.

Despite the loss, the Lynx shot well, finishing 30-of-67 (44.8 percent) while the Mercury shot 27-of-66 (40.9 percent) including 5-of-17 (29.4 percent) from beyond the arc.

KEY MATCH-UP: SYLVIA FOWLES VS. BRITTNEY GRINER

This is a match-up of two of the best centers in the WNBA.

Fowles enters tonight’s contest averaging 14.1 points and 6.9 rebounds, good for second on the Lynx in both categories. Griner enters tonight’s game averaging 15.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.3 blocks.

Both players are dominant forces in the paint and both seek to control the pace of the game with their respective post play. In their last meeting, Fowles notched 11 points and five rebounds while Griner notched 13 points and 12 rebounds. Griner also had a key blocked shot of Lynx guard Lindsay Whalen’s lay-up with just 1:20 left in the game.

Both players have won Defensive Player of the Year honors in their career and both can impact a game in multiple different ways. Whichever of these two can control the paint and shut the other down will be the one to lead their team to victory.

PROJECTED STARTERS

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

Mercury: PG – Bonner, SG – Mitchell, SF – Currie, PF – Dupree, C – Griner