Coming out of the WNBA All-Star Break in the thick of a very tight playoff race, the Minnesota Lynx have struggled.
Minnesota entered Tuesday having lost three straight games, dropping from the No. 3 seed in the WNBA standings to No. 7 in a matter of days.
After falling to three of the top teams in the WNBA in the Los Angeles Sparks, Seattle Storm and Atlanta Dream, the Lynx bounced back into the win column on Tuesday night against the Chicago Sky.
Entering the game short-handed with Rebekkah Brunson missing time with a nose injury and Lindsay Whalen sitting out due to rest, Minnesota breezed past Chicago for an 85-64 victory at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. The win was Minnesota’s largest margin of victory in Chicago in franchise history.
The Lynx fell behind early on in the game, trailing the Sky 26-17 after the first quarter. After that point, Minnesota was able to quickly regain the lead and run away with the game.
The Lynx bounced back from the nine-point deficit in the opening frame to outscore the Sky 22-12 to close out the half, carrying a 39-38 lead into the break.
In the third quarter, Minnesota blew the game open. The Lynx started the quarter on a 10-0 run out of halftime and cruised to take a 68-53 after three quarters on the road. From that point on, Minnesota was able to coast to a win for the first time since before the All-Star Break.
After struggling the last handful of games for the Lynx, Maya Moore responded in a big way on Tuesday night to lead Minnesota. She finished with a game-high 31 points — her third 30-point game of the season and 23rd of her career — along with six rebounds and two steals.
Sylvia Fowles finished with yet another double-double of 15 points, 11 rebounds, four steals, three assists and two blocks. The 2017 WNBA MVP leads the league with 18 double-doubles this season.
Cecilia Zandalasini and Danielle Robinson, two of Minnesota’s primary second unit threats, stepped up big while moving into the starting lineup for the Lynx. Zandalasini finished with 11 points and two steals, while Robinson had a nice all-around game with 12 points, 11 assists, four rebounds and four steals. Robinson recorded her first double-double of the season and the fourth of her WNBA career.
Outside of Chicago sharpshooter Allie Quigley, the Lynx held the Sky in check for most of the game. Quigley finished with 22 of Chicago’s 64 total points, making four 3-pointers along the way.
Although the offense was clicking, Minnesota’s defense was a big factor in the Lynx coming away with the much-needed win. The Lynx forced the Sky into 20 turnovers while holding them to just 34.3 percent shooting from the field. Minnesota shot 53.1 percent along with assisting on 22 of its 34 field goals.
With the win, the Lynx improved to 16-13 overall and avoided falling even further in the WNBA standings. Minnesota moved into sixth place in the league standings, just 1 1/2 games back of the No. 3 seed and also just 1 1/2 games ahead of the No. 8 seed.
After the last three games, Minnesota couldn’t afford to lose another game while in the heart of one of the tightest WNBA playoffs pictures in the last few years. The Lynx, led by Moore, certainly bounced back in a big way on Tuesday in Chicago.
Minnesota will remain on the road when it takes on the Las Vegas Aces at 9 p.m. Thursday in Las Vegas.
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