Alexander Shun

Web Editor Associate | @alexpshun 

Minnesota Lynx (20-10) vs. Indiana Fever (18-12) | 7:00 P.M. CT

WHERE TO WATCH: No TV

WHERE TO LISTEN: 106.1 BOB FM

Playoff berths have been clinched, but there is still plenty left to play for.

The Minnesota Lynx have clinched a playoff berth and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs while the Indiana Fever have clinched a playoff berth of their own. Upon first glance, many fans would see a meaningless game, but there are many playoff implications hanging in the balance of this game.

The Lynx are looking to take another step towards locking up the Western Conference with a win over the Fever (and a little help from the San Antonio Stars against the Phoenix Mercury). Meanwhile, the Fever are trapped in a battle for second-place in the Eastern Conference with the Chicago Sky, currently sitting just a half-game behind the Sky. A win for Indiana would move them into a tie for second place in the conference as well as keep their slim hopes of winning the Eastern Conference alive.

To grab a road win tonight, the Fever will need big performances from forward Tamika Catchings and guard Shenise Johnson.

The top two scorers on the team, Catchings and Johnson average 13.6 and 11.4 points, respectively. The Lynx are well aware of the matchup problems that such players present and recognize the challenges Minnesota will face entering tonight’s contest.

“As long as you have Tamika Catchings and Briann January, you’re always going to have that as an identity,” said Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve. “Other than Shenise Johnson, I think Marissa Coleman is going to do what she’s always done…They’re a very talented team.”

Despite all their talent, the Fever have lost three of their last four games and struggled of late to score points; struggled until they played the Connecticut Sun that is. Coming off a huge 81-51 dismantling of the Sun, the Fever will look to ride that momentum to a win tonight.

Tonight’s game will be the second game of a four-game homestand for the Lynx and will seek to continue their incredible home success. Sitting at 11-3 at home on the season, the Lynx are coming off a solid team win over their Western Conference rival Phoenix Mercury on Sunday night. Forward Maya Moore poured in a game-high 28 points and steered the Lynx to a win.

With injuries to guards Seimone Augustus and Lindsay Whalen still hampering Minnesota, the Lynx will look to their deep bench as well as newly-acquired guard Kalana Greene to help carry some of the scoring responsibilities until Augustus and Whalen are healthy once again.

It is going to be a tough game between two playoff-bound teams and the fans that pack in to Target Center tonight will need to provide the Lynx a raucous environment in which to play. Though both teams are extremely talented, this one could come down to just how much energy Minnesota’s great fans can provide the team.

LAST MEETING

The Lynx and the Fever have met only one other time this season and it was way back in early June; it was just Minnesota’s second game of the year. The Lynx emerged victorious, knocking off the Fever in Indiana 78-69.

Minnesota jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter and held that lead the whole game through. The Fever cut Minnesota’s lead to 60-57 after a Shenise Johnson 3-pointer with just over seven minutes left in the game, but they would come no closer.

Lynx guard Lindsay Whalen scored a game high 17 points, while forwards Maya Moore and Rebekkah Brunson both added 16 points and 10 rebounds to guide the Lynx to a victory and a 2-0 start to their season.

Fever guard Marisa Coleman led Indiana with 16 points, three rebounds and three assists. Forward Natalie Achonwa dropped in 14 points and five rebounds while guard Shenise Johnson added 15 points and five rebounds off the bench for the Fever.

KEY MATCH-UP: LAYSHIA CLARENDON VS. RENEE MONTGOMERY

This is not the match-up that many fans were expecting, this much I am sure of; however, this is the match-up that will have the biggest impact on deciding the outcome of tonight’s game.

With guard Lindsay Whalen out after suffering an ankle injury in Sunday night’s win over the Mercury, guard Renee Montgomery has been thrust into a starting role and will assumedly be making her second start for the Lynx this season tonight against Indiana. Montgomery is only averaging over four points a game for Minnesota this year, but is coming off a huge 15 point game against Phoenix on Sunday night and with the increase in playing time, will see her scoring average go up. Having desired more minutes since arriving in Minnesota and, although it may not be under the circumstances that she hoped for, Montgomery is going to receive such a boost in playing time. Tasked with helping to orchestrate and facilitate the offense, Montgomery will look to prove tonight that she is worthy of increased minutes and will aim to do so against a tough Fever team.

Layshia Clarendon is a third year guard out of the University of California-Berkeley and has been a solid player for the Fever thus far this season. Entering tonight’s contest Clarendon is averaging just 6.2 points for Indiana this season but will now face a tough task in scoring against a scrappy and up-tempo Lynx frontcourt. Montgomery, along with fellow guard Anna Cruz, proved Sunday night that they can cause real problems for opposing guards and Clarendon will be dealing with such problems all night long.

These two guards are not the flashiest or highest-scoring players on their respective teams, but, given their situations, both will have a chance to make a huge impact on tonight’s game. The only question of course being, which guard will make the bigger one?

PROJECTED STARTERS

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

Fever: PG – Clarendon, SG – Johnon, SF – Catchings, PF –  Larkins, C – Achonwa