The Minnesota Lynx have hit an absolute wall, stumbling to a 93-81 loss against the New York Liberty on Friday, extending their losing streak to three straight games. This is a team that’s led the standings all season, but this brutal skid is their first three-game losing streak since they started 0-6 way back in 2023. You just do not expect this kind of collapse from a squad fighting for the top spot.
Where Did the Offense Go?
Man, the Lynx had a disastrous night from beyond the arc. They shot a pathetic 6-of-22 from three, which is just not gonna cut it against any team, let alone one like the Liberty. Coach Cheryl Reeve admitted it was rough, telling reporters, “They made shots, and obviously we did not, not as many as we needed to.” She even pointed out some easy opportunities got missed, adding, “I think our confidence in the paint has to grow. It doesn’t feel very good for sure. We’re not satisfied with that remotely, but tonight New York was better than us offensively for sure.” On top of that, the defense just wasn’t there, and frequent turnovers absolutely killed their momentum. This isn’t the team we’ve watched dominate all season.
Collier and Miles Are Cratering
It’s tough to watch Napheesa Collier and Olivia Miles right now. They just can’t seem to get on the same page, struggling in tandem against the Liberty’s defense. Collier put up 14 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, but she went 0-of-2 from three, 0-of-1 from the free-throw line, and committed a game-high six turnovers. That turnover number is rough! The stats even show a near 10% drop in win rate when Collier is on the court: they’re 22-6 without her, but only 9-4 with her. Miles led the Lynx with 20 points, but ten of those came from the charity stripe. She had her own shooting woes, going 5-of-18 from the field and 0-of-3 from deep, plus five turnovers. Meanwhile, New York’s Breanna Stewart just went off for 24 points and 10 rebounds. The Lynx needed their stars to shine, and it didn’t happen.
This three-game slide has put the Lynx’s No. 1 spot in serious jeopardy. The Golden State Valkyries are now only one game back, and they’re riding a five-game winning streak. The Lynx have just three games left: a road trip against the Connecticut Sun on Sunday, another road game against the Indiana Fever, and then they finish at home against the Fever. They need two wins to lock up that top spot. The Valkyries? They’ve got a much easier schedule coming up, facing Seattle, Portland, and Los Angeles. If the Lynx can’t regroup and grab those crucial wins, that No. 1 seed is gone, and the Emerald City might just be watching Golden State coast right past us.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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