Napheesa Collier was clearly upset following her team’s disappointing defeat. The Minnesota Lynx suffered a heavy 96-77 loss to the Indiana Fever on Tuesday night, marking their final road game of the season with a thoroughly embarrassing performance.
From the outset, Minnesota struggled, falling behind 31-16 in the first quarter and trailing by as much as 29 points before halftime. The Lynx couldn’t gain any momentum until the third quarter, by which time the game was effectively out of reach.
After the game, Lynx forward Collier openly expressed her displeasure during a media interview.
“It’s embarrassing. We should be disappointed and embarrassed about the product that we put on the floor tonight. Not proud of what we did,” she said.
Sports commentator Jason Whitlock also condemned the team’s display, criticizing Minnesota for seemingly giving up the game without a serious effort.
“The WNBA made a fool of itself tonight. Difficult to take this league serious. Amazing what the league allowed tonight,” he tweeted.
Whitlock implied that Minnesota might have conceded the match by resting their starters through the entire second half. Adding to the team’s issues, rookie standout Olivia Miles was sidelined late with a calf injury.
This move sparked rumors suggesting Minnesota was deliberately trying to avoid facing Breanna Stewart and the New York Liberty in the first playoff round. Although Minnesota’s record against New York this season stands at 1-2, their struggles in these matchups raised speculation that the Lynx were aiming to secure the No. 2 seed for a potentially easier playoff path.
Securing the No. 2 seed could have pitted them against the No. 7-seeded Dallas Wings, whom Minnesota swept 4-0 during the season. But this scenario depended on the Golden State Valkyries winning their last two games—a prospect that quickly diminished after Golden State fell 90-82 in overtime to the Portland Fire.
Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve addressed the team’s decision to rest starters in a postgame press conference, emphasizing the priority of preserving energy for the playoffs while giving bench players more time on the court.
“It was apparent that maybe rest was a better option, with playoffs starting on Sunday. We thought that first group would be better served [by] saving legs and not chasing a win that wasn’t going to happen,” Reeve explained.
When questioned about playoff seeding, Reeve downplayed its importance.
“We really couldn’t care less about seeding. Wherever it lands, it lands. Whatever it is, it will be what we deserve, however that’s going to shake out,” she said.
Reeve’s remarks suggest the team is not overly concerned about this loss. While outcomes often hold significance, sometimes teams prioritize their long-term goals. The Lynx will have a chance to rebound quickly in their final regular-season game at home when the Fever visit.
Fan Take: This news highlights the tricky balance WNBA teams must strike between competitive integrity and strategic playoff positioning. For fans, it raises important questions about how much teams should push in games late in the season, potentially impacting the league’s reputation and fan engagement moving forward.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
