Minnesota Lynx Beat The Sparks In A Thriller (73-70)

Minnesota Lynx Beat The Sparks In A Thriller (73-70)

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by | Jul 20, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Lynx, WNBA

The Minnesota Lynx came into this game against the LA Sparks with a bad taste in their mouths from the Atlanta lose. They came ready for this game at home and wanted to make sure that they set the tone early.

The 1st quarter belonged to Nneka Ogwumike as she scored 13 points in that quarter alone making it tough for the Lynx overall. The Lynx started off slow but then were able to get their offense going in that 2nd quarter. The scoring came from Dorka Juhász who was able to dominate inside and out in front of her parents for the 1st time professionally. Dorka was able to score 10 points alone in that quarter beating the Sparks off the dribble and making them pay from long range.

The LA Sparks found themselves in deep trouble as they trailed by 20 points and in that 3rd quarter it was Lexi Brown and Jordin Canada who helped them on the comeback trail. The Lynx kept making mistakes with turning that ball over and the guards for the Sparks made the most of every opportunity the Lynx gave them. The Sparks came out with a lot of aggressive drives and were able to get to the line which didn’t help the Lynx cause for winning at all. One of the things that worked for the Lynx was the emergence of Diamond Millers playmaking ability as she was able to find her teammates after turning the ball over and really locked in. Diamond finished with 13 points, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds but found her rhythm in that 3rd.

Heading into the 4th it was a close game but Dorka and Napheesa were right there to save the day. This was by far one of Dorka’s best games as the Sparks had no answer for her. She finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Dorka also made a huge impact on the defensive end down the stretch of this game. Napheesa Collier was special in this game as she struggled early but was able to bounce back for a 22 points and 8 rebounds performance. Napheesa went on a 6-0 run at the end to seal the deal. The All Star has been great all season long and will need to continue that as the Las Vegas Aces come to town on Saturday.

 

 

Photo Credit:David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images

Jul 20, 2023 No Comments
Kelsey Plum’s 40 Point Performance Puts A Halt To The Lynx Win Streak (113-89)

Kelsey Plum’s 40 Point Performance Puts A Halt To The Lynx Win Streak (113-89)

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by | Jul 9, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Lynx, WNBA

The Minnesota Lynx came into the game against the Las Vegas Aces on a 5 game winning streak. It was going to take a strong effort to keep that streak alive with the WNBA best Aces in town. The Lynx wanted to limit the inside drives knowing that Wilson and Stokes are in the paint. They got caught up heading to the paint and weren’t able to get away from that situation. The Lynx did have a bright spot as they shot 50% from the field.

 

The downside to that is they gave up a lot of second chance points and they couldn’t find Kelsey Plum to slow her down. Kelsey Plum finished with a career high 40 points in this game and looked unstoppable. It seemed like every time the Lynx got the game within 10 then Kelsey Plum hit a 3 pointer or floater to slow the momentum. Kelsey Plum was a tough matchup for the Lynx as she was able to roam within the offense and get lost leading to a wide open shot. When someone shoots 14/18 from the field they definitely have it going on and that’s exactly what happened with Plum. Tonight was her night as she made the Lynx pay inside and outside.

 

 

A’ja Wilson had a quiet night offensively but made her impact on the defensive end in this game. Wilson was a ball hawk and made it tough for the Lynx to find any opening to get easy looks to go in.

 

The Minnesota Lynx were able to fight in this game but it wasn’t good enough. Napheesa Collier finished with a team high 18 points but just wasn’t able to get the normal looks that she makes to get in. Collier played some heavy minutes in this game too but showed a lot of competitiveness never quitting on plays and putting her teammates in a great position every time she made a play. Collier had a quiet night and so did Diamond Miller but this was against the Aces.

 

The Lynx have turned that corner and have played with confidence and it showed on that 5 game winning streak. We talked about some positives that you could take into the next game against the Dallas Wings and it comes down to defense. When the Lynx have their defense turn into offense it helps them in a major way. Tonight the Aces had their way with the Lynx offense but they took the challenge head on and didn’t back down even being down by so much.

The Minnesota Lynx will look to bounce back against the Dallas Wings on Wednesday as they look to start a brand new winning streak.

 

 

 

Photo Credit: (AP Photo/Danny Karnik)

Jul 9, 2023 No Comments
Collier’s Career High 33 Points Propels The Lynx Past Seattle (104-93)

Collier’s Career High 33 Points Propels The Lynx Past Seattle (104-93)

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by | Jun 27, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Lynx, WNBA

This one the best game the Minnesota Lynx played all season. You can pick from anywhere you want whether it was Napheesa’s Career Night, Dorka’s 1st Career Double Double, or The Return of Diamond Miller. The Lynx needed this game in the worst way and made the best of playing in front of the home crowd tonight.

 

The Minnesota Lynx were down Aerial Powers, Tiffany Mitchell, and Jessica Shephard but that didn’t stop them at all. This was a huge step in the team coming back together healthy as Diamond Miller came back and made her presence known ASAP. From the top Diamond was able to bring that competitive edge and fire that this team truly needed.

 

Diamond was able to showcase her quickness and her defensive presence just like she didn’t miss a beat. The Lynx needed Diamond and she came back and gave her all as she finished with 18 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds.

Even with the return of Diamond Miller it was all about Napheesa Collier tonight. The captain came out and made it clear that she was the best player on the court tonight. It didn’t matter what the Storm did tonight while guarding Collier she was hitting fadeaway jumpers, one legged shots, and even the 3 point shot.

 

When Napheesa plays aggressive like she did tonight no one can stop her and her offense has only gotten better. Collier scored a career high 33 points with 10 rebounds. If it wasn’t known before tonight it should be that Napheesa Collier is a true leader and she can get buckets when she wants. Collier deserves to be on the All Star and let the whole WNBA know that tonight.

 

 

The Lynx were able to get the win in this game but it came with locking down Jewell Lloyd. This was a well balanced attack from the Lynx as they finished with all five starters in double figures. If the Lynx can keep this going while the other players are coming back from their injuries anything is possible.

 

 

 

Photo Credit:

(Abbie Parr / Associated Press)

Jun 27, 2023 No Comments
The Minnesota Lynx Rally Late But Come Up Short To The Sun (89-84)

The Minnesota Lynx Rally Late But Come Up Short To The Sun (89-84)

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by | Jun 1, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Lynx, WNBA

The Minnesota Lynx came into this game against the Connecticut Sun without Diamond Miller as she injured her ankle in Dallas.

This would be a tall task as the Lynx are still trying to find their 1st win of the season. With Miller out and on crutches that leaves a lot of extra minutes on the vets on the team like Collier/McBride.

The Lynx came out with that competitive fire and were able to get things going their way early. They were able to get Brionna Jones in foul trouble and they were able to slow down Alyssa Thomas. The spark for the Sun came from Natisha Hiedeman as she was able to create and generate offense. A lot of Natisha’s buckets were attacking or if she was left alone on a blown coverage. She finished with 19 points and 6 assists on the night as she gave them a huge lift. Alyssa Thomas was sensational to the point that her game just looks effortless. One minute she’s struggling and the next minute you look up and she has a double-double working on a triple double. Thomas was able to make some big plays and buckets for the Sun. Thomas put the team on her back and carried them to the win as it started in the 3rd quarter with that 12-0 run. Thomas finished the game with 16 points, 16 assists, and 9 rebounds on the night. She was all over the court and the stat sheet as the Lynx didn’t have an answer.

The bright spot for the Lynx came in the middle of the 3rd quarter heading into the 4th as Napheesa Collier started to get her offense going. Once Collier saw one go down she kept it going as she had the hot hand for the Lynx. She was able to space the floor and capitalize on some open looks because of poor defense. Her 3 point shot was on tonight and Collier was able to finish with 30 points, 4 assists, and 2 rebounds. Collier admitted she has to get in the paint more for rebounds and the Lynx will need that to happen too. You can’t win the game when the opposite team has too many 2nd chance points. The Lynx had this game in reach and let it slip away.

The Lynx go against the Washington Mystics on Saturday as they look to get into the win column.

Jun 1, 2023 No Comments
SneakerReporter: 2023 NBA Finals Preview & Prediction

SneakerReporter: 2023 NBA Finals Preview & Prediction

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by | Jun 1, 2023 | Featured, NBA

No. 1  Denver Nuggets Vs No. 8 Miami Heat

This is one of the most anticipated NBA Finals in a long time because it wasn’t expected. Both the Nuggets and Heat were underdogs for their own respective reasons. The 1st seeded Nuggets felt disrespected all season long as they were the best in the West. Nikola Jokic continued to showcase greatness but it wasn’t good enough because Joel Embiid was able to take the MVP crown. Nothing would make Joker happier than to win the Finals MVP since he got snubbed for the regular season award.

 

Jamal Murray has been on a mission to show everyone that he’s back and he’s not going anywhere. This playoffs Jamal Murray put anything to rest about he was only good in the NBA Bubble. This postseason Joker and Murray both have been playing at an elite level that very few would be able to reach. They will need to continue that pace as they have the 8th seeded Miami Heat coming into town trying to take the NBA Championship away from them.

 

Just like the Denver Nuggets the Miami Heat are huge underdogs aside from their seed. This Miami Heat team just beat the NBA Finals favorites Boston Celtics in seven games. The Heat have a lot of rough riders and a lot of undrafted players on the roster. They will need to continue to play at a high level if they want to shock the world.

 

If the Heat are going to shock the world it will be on the shoulders of Jimmy Butler who’s played lights out. The Heat will need Jimmy to be all over the court and there might even be a couple games he will need to play the whole game. This postseason Butler has gotten help from Caleb Martin who’s been playing out of his mind. Last season he was on a two way contract and didn’t play much in the playoffs but now he’s one of the most effective players on this team. It was arguable that Martin could have won the Eastern Conference MVP over Butler but the way he’s playing has gained a lot of recognition across the league.

 

This series will come down to whose role players will show up and show out. If Miami can get Vincent, Robinson, and Strus hitting shots they will be successful. If the Nuggets can get some impressive play from Porter Jr, Brown, KCP, and Gordon this could be a quick series. The Nuggets have a lot of talent and they’re deeper than the Heat but if Tyler Herro comes back from his injury in Game 2 this could make thing’s interesting adding their 20 point scorer back into the mix.

 

With that being said I’m going to go with the Nuggets in 5 games. I think they have too much fire power and everyone knows how to execute their roles. Joker & Murray are going to be too much for Jimmy Butler to try and keep up with so this will be the year of the Nuggets winning their 1st championship.

 

Series Prediction: Denver Win in 5 games (4-1)

Jun 1, 2023 No Comments