Lynx fall to Fever, 74-59, in Commissioner's Cup title game

Kent Youngblood, Star Tribune on Jul 1, 2025

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MINNEAPOLIS — The good news is that Tuesday’s game, despite its national broadcast, significant hype and rather large purse, won’t count in the WNBA standings.

The bad news: The Lynx chose the Commissioner’s Cup championship game against a .500 Indiana team playing without Caitlin Clark to play some of the worst basketball seen at Target Center in a long, long time.

In a 74-59 loss to the Fever, the Lynx held a 13-point lead with more than 8 minutes left in the first half. They didn’t score another point before halftime. An 18-0 run to end the first half became a 24-2 Indiana run early in the third, and the Fever were in control for good.

Because it never got better for the Lynx.

Minnesota made six of 29 field goals while being outscored 40-22 over the second and third quarters. They set season lows in points, shooting (34.9%), assists (13), 3-pointers attempted (16) and tied a season low with 22 made field goals.

Courtney Williams made four of 14 shots and turned the ball over six times. Napheesa Collier scored 12 points on 6-for-18 shooting with five turnovers, her frustration perhaps showing when she got in a jawing match with Aliyah Boston late in the game. Moments later, after she had scored again, Boston raised her arms to the crowd.

Indiana? Even without Clark, the Fever dominated. Natasha Howard scored 16 points with 12 rebounds. Boston scored 12 with 11 boards. Aari McDonald and Kelsey Mitchell each had 12. Off the bench, Sophie Cunningham (13 points) became the fifth Fever player in double figures.

A year ago, the Lynx won this game in New York, a victory that showed the Lynx they could be a great team. In failing to defend that title, after a game like this, the Lynx will move forward with a jam-packed homestand with some issues to work through.

The Lynx trailed by three early in the first quarter. That changed in a hurry. Williams hit a mid-range shot and a 3 to start a 12-0 run that ended with Alanna Smith hitting a 3 and a driving layup.

By the time the quarter ended, the Lynx, up 20-12, had outscored the Fever over the last 7 1/2 minutes of the quarter and held Indiana to 5-for-18 shooting and turning their five turnovers into seven points.

A 7-2 start to the second put the Lynx up 27-14 on Shepard’s post-move.

And then the bottom fell out on the Minnesota offense. The Lynx did not score a point over the final 8:13 of the half, going 0 for 11 with five turnovers.

The Fever, meanwhile, scored the next 18 points — Cunningham had two 3s and Mitchell four points — to take a 32-27 halftime lead. Outscored 20-7, it was Minnesota’s lowest-scoring second quarter and first half of the season.

By the time the third quarter ended, the Fever’s lead had grown to 52-42, with three Indiana players in double figures and Howard already with a double-double.