The Minnesota Lynx (18-4, 13-2 Western Conference) are set to face the Chicago Sky (7-13, 1-8 Eastern Conference) in Chicago on Monday at 8pm EDT. Recently, the Lynx claimed victory over the Sky with Nafeesa Collier leading the way by scoring 26 points in an 87-81 win.
The Sky hold a 4-4 record at home and have struggled in games decided by 10 or more points, standing at 4-8. On the road, the Lynx have a 7-4 record and rank seventh in the WNBA for defensive rebounds, averaging 5.7 per game out of 25.4, with Collier being a key contributor.
Chicago has a 42.7% field goal percentage this season, allowing opponents to score 1.5 points more than Minnesota’s 41.2%. Conversely, Minnesota shoots 45.9%, slightly outperforming Chicago’s 44.3% field goal defense. This game marks their third encounter this season; in their last meeting on July 12th, Ariel Atkins scored 27 points for Chicago, while Collier again contributed 26 points for Minnesota.
Top players include Angel Reese, shooting 43.4% and averaging 13.6 points for the Sky, and Atkins, with a 16.1-point average over the past 10 games. Collier averages 23.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.6 blocks for the Lynx, while Kayla McBride has averaged 13.5 points over her last 10 games.
Over their last 10 games, the Sky have gone 4-6, averaging 83.3 points, 37.1 rebounds, 20.3 assists, 7.4 steals, 4.8 blocks, and shooting 45.0% from the field, while allowing 85.1 points per game. The Lynx have a 7-3 record in their last 10 games, averaging 84.1 points, 33.4 rebounds, 23.0 assists, 8.0 steals, 5.6 blocks, and a 45.1% shooting percentage, with opponents scoring just 75.8 points on average.
In terms of injuries, the Sky will be without Courtney Vandersloot for the season due to an ACL injury, and the Lynx are missing Karlie Samuelson for the season with a foot injury.
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Fan Take: This matchup highlights the rising dominance of the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA, showcasing top-tier talent like Nafeesa Collier. For fans, it’s an exciting display of skill and competition that could shift power dynamics and increase visibility for the league overall.
