The Minnesota Lynx will try to extend their season-best winning streak to five games by beating the visiting Phoenix Mercury for the second time in less than a week on Friday in Minneapolis.
The Lynx (8-9) knocked off the host Mercury 86-76 on Saturday before opening their four-game homestand with a 90-83 victory over the Indiana Fever on Wednesday. The Mercury (3-13) followed their setback against the Lynx with a 99-95 loss at the New York Liberty on Wednesday for their eighth defeat in nine games.
In the teams’ last meeting, the Mercury took a 55-51 lead on Sug Sutton’s 3-pointer with 4:25 left in the third quarter, but the Lynx ended the period on a 10-2 run to take 61-57 advantage they wouldn’t relinquish.
Diamond Miller, who was the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, finished with a season-high 25 points and five steals, while Napheesa Collier had 16 points and nine rebounds. Rachel Banham scored a season-high 13 points off the bench.
The Mercury were paced by Brittney Griner’s 23 points and five rebounds, while Moriah Jefferson chipped in 14 points, a team-high seven assists and four rebounds. Michaela Onyenwere had 10 points and Brianna Turner grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.
But Phoenix was undone by 24 turnovers, which the Lynx converted into 18 points.
“Twenty-four turnovers are rough,” Phoenix interim coach Nikki Blue said.
“We just have to be more intentional with what we are trying to get. Our passes and our cuts and the illegal screens are things we have to really clean up. So, 24 turnovers is not feel-good but a lot of those were on us. And the good thing though is a lot of those are correctable.”
The Lynx have won eight of their past 11 games after starting the season 0-6.
“We’re just going along in our journey, figuring it out. We’re OK with that; we’re OK being exactly who we are,” said Lynx guard Kayla McBride, who scored 21 points against Indiana. “We’re just enjoying the process. We never get down on ourselves, it’s, ‘OK, next up, next up.’ That’s a testament to who we are right now.”
Collier has scored more than 30 points in three of her past four games, including 32 against the Fever.
Minnesota fell to the host Mercury 90-81 in the first meeting between the teams, who conclude their season series on Sept. 3 in Minneapolis.
–Field Level Media
