Minnesota Lynx vs Seattle Storm: Injury Report, Starting 5, Prediction and More on Tonight’s WNBA Preview

If toppling Indiana were the litmus test, the Lynx would already have the upper hand. They are fresh off a win against the Fever, while Seattle stumbled against the very same squad. But Indiana is fickle, their form as unpredictable as Midwest weather, so that’s no true yardstick. The real measure sits in the standings. Minnesota, steady and sure, holds the mountaintop at No. 1. Seattle, meanwhile, is clinging to the cliff’s edge at eighth. They are grasping tight to the last playoff spot with nothing left to spare.

So, the stage is set for a high-stakes showdown, so let us break it down for you…

Where to Watch the Minnesota Lynx vs Seattle Storm?

• Date: Thursday, 28th August
• Time: 8:00 PM Eastern Time (ET)
• Venue: Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Streaming services: WNBA League Pass, FUBO, YouTube TV
• Cable services: CBS Sports Network, WTHR Channel 13, Spectrum SportsNet

Injury Report

No recent injuries are hampering either roster.

Minnesota Lynx:

No injured players, healthy squad.

Seattle Storm:

Katie Lou Samuelson: Out (Right knee, ACL)

After mutually parting ways with the Indiana Fever in February 2025, she signed with the Storm. However, the season-ending ACL injury occurred during her first stint back with the team. It happened on May 1st and she is sitting out since then. 

Predicted Starting Lineup

With no fresh injuries on either side, head coaches Cheryl Reeve and Noelle Quinn can rely on a full-strength roster and stick to their planned rotations moving forward.

Minnesota Lynx:

• Bridget Carleton: 28.2 MIN, 6.8 PTS, 3.7 REB, 2.2 AST, 0.9 STL, 0.3 BLK
• Alanna Smith: 27.3 MIN, 9.7 PTS, 5.4 REB, 2.9 AST, 1.4 STL, 2.0 BLK
• Napheesa Collier: 32.8 MIN, 23.9 PTS, 7.6 REB, 3.4 AST, 1.8 STL, 1.6 BLK
• Kayla McBride: 31.6 MIN, 14.9 PTS, 2.4 REB, 3.5 AST, 1.2 STL, 0.1 BLK
• Courtney Williams: 28.5 MIN, 13.8 PTS, 4.8 REB, 6.2 AST, 1.3 STL, 0.4 BLK

Seattle Storm:

• Nneka Ogwumike: 30.8 MIN, 18.3 PTS, 7.0 REB, 2.4 AST, 1.1 STL, 0.4 BLK
• Gabby Williams: 31.8 MIN, 11.9 PTS, 4.3 REB, 4.3 AST, 2.3 STL, 0.5 BLK
• Ezi Magbegor: 26.9 MIN, 8.0 PTS, 6.1 REB, 2.1 AST, 0.7 STL, 2.1 BLK
• Skylar Diggins: 31.3 MIN, 15.4 PTS, 2.5 REB, 6.0 AST, 1.1 STL, 0.8 BLK
• Brittney Sykes: 30.4 MIN, 12.7 PTS, 2.6 REB, 3.4 AST, 1.2 STL, 0.6 BLK

How the Minnesota Lynx vs Seattle Storm Might Go Down…

The Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm are on different tracks heading into this late-season clash. Minnesota sits atop the standings at 30-7. They are thriving with the best differential in the league (+10.1) and riding a two-game win streak. Napheesa Collier is coming off a monster 32-point showing, and she remains the steady anchor at 23.9 PPG, while her team has gone 8-2 over their last 10. The Lynx are bullying opponents with a suffocating defense, they are allowing just 76.6 points per game, that’s second stingiest in the league.

Seattle, meanwhile, is clinging to playoff life at 20-19. They are eighth in the standings and just barely keeping above water with a 4-6 skid over their last 10. Nneka Ogwumike has been efficient (18.3 PPG, 52.9% FG), but her supporting cast has struggled to match up with elite defenses like Minnesota’s. Their last five games tell the story: two tough road losses sandwiched between gritty wins, but the stumble against Indiana shows just how fragile their margin of error is.

The regular-season series leans Minnesota’s way, 2-1, with the Lynx taking the most recent matchup 91-87. At home, where they’ve been nearly untouchable (18-1), Minnesota’s depth and defensive rotations should be too much for Seattle’s inconsistent offense to crack. Unless Ogwumike drops a career night and the Storm rediscover their defensive edge, this has all the makings of another Lynx statement win.

Final Word (ESPN Predictor): Minnesota 74.5%, Seattle 25.6%. The Lynx should roll at home, strengthening their grip as the league’s team to beat.