The Lynx put up a heck of a fight on Friday night but eventually fell to the Washington Mystics 86-79 at Target Center. The main takeaway? The Mystics are very, very good. The Lynx played well but came up a little short in a few areas. Against a team like the Mystics, that’s enough. Here’s what worked and didn’t work on Friday…

Worked: Getting To The Line 

The Lynx got to the line 21 times, converting 20 of those attempts. Minnesota was the aggressive team for much of the night and it was relentless in getting into the paint. Danielle Robinson and Sylvia Fowles stood out in particular—each shot a perfect 6-of-6 from the line. The free-throw line is a fickle thing because it’s dependent on how the refs are calling each game, but when the Lynx play physically and force the issue, good things happen.

Didn’t Work: Defending Ball Screen Threes

In the second half, the Mystics got loose from beyond the arc. In particular, the Lynx had a hard time getting over the top of screens and getting their hands in the faces of shooters. Ariel Atkins and Emma Meesseman were particularly deadly. This is something the Lynx will have to watch on tape and correct before they play the Storm.

Worked: Napheesa Collier’s Focus

Collier had a bad first half. She only attempted one field goal and looked out of rhythm defensively. Of course, it’s difficult when you’re spending a lot of your night guarding Elena Delle-Donne, but the Lynx need Collier to deliver. In the second half, she did. Collier sensed that the team needed her (head coach Cheryl Reeve might have said something) and finished with a great line of 13 points, nine rebounds and two assists. She ended up going 5-for-7 from the floor.

Didn’t Work: Late-Game Offense

Whether it was the Mystics locking up on defense or the Lynx tightening up under pressure (probably it was both), there was something about the way the Lynx offense looked in the fourth quarter that wasn’t quite right. Of course, the Mystics’ improved offense didn’t help because the Lynx didn’t get as many transition opportunities. The transition game and speed of the Lynx’s offensive execution was great in the first half, and that went away late.

Worked: The Bench

The Lynx have really found something in their new-and-improved bench unit led by Robinson. The entire unit played well. Steph Talbot didn’t shoot the ball but plays with a contagious intensity that has really become an important factor of the way the second unit plays. Additionally, Temi Fagbenle gives the Lynx a much different look in the post and Lexie Brown’s spacing is critical even though her volume has been down lately. Though Robinson’s excellence is the main story—she finished with 14 points and five assists in just over 25 minutes—she’s doing a great job of making everyone around her better.

The Lynx next play on Sunday in Seattle in a game with enormous playoff implications. The Lynx are chasing the Storm for the No. 6 seed and the right to host a first-round contest.