The Minnesota Lynx looked on course for another routine win after taking an eight-point lead into halftime against a Los Angeles Sparks team playing without Kelsey Plum. Instead, the WNBA’s hottest team walked off its home floor searching for answers after a stunning late collapse snapped its 10-game winning streak and delayed a chance to become the league’s first team to clinch a playoff spot.
“Every player at every position was terrible. Every player that played in the game, at every position,” said Reeve in a video posted by Andrew Dukowitz.
Los Angeles did more than end Minnesota’s 10-game winning streak. The Sparks picked up their first win over the Lynx this season, outscored them 23-11 in the fourth quarter and held them scoreless over the final 4:53 to complete one of their biggest wins of the year.
Nothing suggested Minnesota was headed for this result early on. The Lynx led by as many as 11 points in the opening quarter before taking a 48-40 advantage into halftime, seemingly in control against a Sparks team still adjusting after trading Kelsey Plum just days earlier.
That control disappeared down the stretch. Minnesota managed just 11 points in the fourth quarter, went scoreless over the final 4:53 and missed its final seven shots as Los Angeles closed on an 8-0 run. Cameron Brink’s rim protection, Erica Wheeler’s late bucket and Monique Akoa Makani’s jumper helped seal an 89-82 upset that left Target Center stunned.
Olivia Miles finished with 23 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while Napheesa Collier added 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists. But afterward, Collier admitted the Lynx simply failed to match the Sparks’ aggression on the defensive end.
“They were getting into the paint and then spraying it out. So we weren’t really stopping either one. And so that’s, I mean, that’s what it felt like when we were out there,” Collier said. She added, “They just had an aggression that we didn’t match on our defensive end.”
Los Angeles won with balance. Rae Burrell led the way with 17 points, Dearica Hamby added 16 points and nine rebounds, Nneka Ogwumike chipped in 16 points and seven rebounds, while Erica Wheeler finished with 12 points and nine assists. Brink’s 12-point, eight-rebound, five-assist, three-block performance proved just as important, with her late defense changing the game.
Cheryl Reeve Saw a Bigger Problem
One loss is unlikely to change Minnesota’s place among the WNBA’s title favorites, but Reeve made it clear afterward that Thursday’s defeat wasn’t just about one bad night. The veteran coach pointed to defensive habits she believes have been slipping for weeks rather than focusing on the late offensive drought.
Minnesota built its success earlier this season around its defense, but Reeve said that identity has faded since early July. After leading the league defensively through the opening months, the Lynx have seen a noticeable drop-off, something Reeve referenced when she said, “It’s not who we are now,” while calling for more “player-led defense” instead of relying on coaches to demand energy every night.
Thursday’s finish reflected exactly what frustrated Reeve. The Sparks repeatedly got into the paint before kicking the ball back out, finishing with a 46-28 advantage inside while Minnesota’s defense struggled to stop dribble penetration or protect the rim. Those breakdowns mattered far more to Reeve than the Lynx going scoreless over the final 4:53.
Collier struck a similar tone. Rather than dwelling on the scoreless finish, she said the Lynx needed to learn from the defensive breakdowns before quickly turning their attention to the next game.
Minnesota won’t have much time to dwell on the defeat, with another tough test waiting. But if Reeve’s postgame remarks were any indication, fixing the defensive identity that carried the Lynx through the first half of the season will be a far bigger priority than anything they did offensively against Los Angeles.