MINNEAPOLIS — The Indiana Fever dropped its rematch to the Minnesota Lynx, 90-80, on the Goal Heart on Saturday evening, breaking Indiana’s two-game win streak.
The Lynx clinched a playoff spot with the win, whereas the Fever dropped to 13-16 on the season. Indiana continues to be in seventh place within the WNBA standings, forward of the Sky, who’re 11-17.
‘Tempo and passing’:Lynx coach reveals Caitlin Clark’s largest belongings for Fever
Listed below are three observations:
Fever cannot match MVP candidate Napheesa Collier
The primary time the Fever have been within the Goal Heart, they acquired a commanding victory over one of many top-3 groups within the league. It was a part of the turnaround for the Fever, who are actually firmly in playoff place.
It was a superb win for the Fever — a shocking one which rejuvenated them. Nevertheless it additionally got here because the Lynx’s greatest participant and league MVP candidate, Napheesa Collier, was out with a foot harm.
This time round, she was totally wholesome — and it did not even appear like it was her third sport in 4 days. Collier was coming off of a 23-point, 18-rebound effort to steer the Lynx to a win over the Las Vegas Aces, and he or she had extra to provide on Saturday.
Collier stymied the Fever’s protection, with the teaching employees placing a number of gamers on the Lynx star. Nobody might maintain her at bay, as she scored 31 factors on 12-of-18 taking pictures in 35 minutes to steer Minnesota to a 10-point win.
Temi Fagbenle returns to rotation
Fever ahead Temi Fagbenle began the season with quite a lot of potential to start out the season — she impressed as a coaching camp invitee, incomes a spot on the roster after which cracked the beginning lineup early within the season.
Then, she injured her foot, placing her out for a month. Proper after she recovered from her foot harm, she suffered an harm to her thumb and was shut down simply three video games later. In all, heading into Saturday, Fagbenle had performed simply 11 video games.
Lastly, she might make it 12.
She had a wrap round her proper thumb, however that did not cease her from instantly making an impression defensively. The Fever’s protection was noticeably higher when Fagbenle, in addition to backup heart Damiris Dantas, was on the ground. They erased a 12-point first-quarter deficit to enter halftime trailing by only one level.
Fagbenle, who took over NaLyssa Smith’s beginning spot earlier than her harm, shortly minimize into Smith’s time on the court docket. Smith nonetheless began the sport, however she ended up enjoying simply 10 minutes. Fagbenle performed 16 in her return from harm, going 2-of-4 from the sector and grabbing 5 rebounds.
Lexie Hull will get vital minutes off the bench
Fever guard Lexie Hull has at all times been often known as the Fever’s defensive maestro, usually taking the hardest defensive task. However Hull made a reputation for herself final Sunday on the offensive finish, pulling down 6-of-7 3-pointers for a career-high 22 factors in a win towards the Storm.
Practically every week later, that has translated into elevated minutes for the third-year guard.
Hull ended up enjoying 25 minutes Saturday on the 3 towards the Lynx; it took some minutes from starter Katie Lou Samuelson, who performed simply 14.
Hull continued to get a defensive menace, ensuring her palms have been in opponents faces and primarily taking over the job of guarding Collier and Lynx guard Kayla McBride. A number of individuals, together with Smith and Fagbenle, had the job of guarding Collier on Saturday evening, as effectively.
What number of factors did Caitlin Clark rating towards Lynx?
Clark turned the primary rookie and the quickest participant in WNBA historical past to get to 500+ factors and 200+ assists in her profession on Saturday evening.
Clark ended the sport with 23 factors (8-of-18 taking pictures), eight assists, 5 rebounds and 7 turnovers.