One home-and-home sweep down, one more to go.
That’s the hope for the Minnesota Lynx entering Wednesday’s visit to the two-time defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces, who are also set to play the Lynx on Friday in Minneapolis.
Why shouldn’t Minnesota have confidence? The Lynx (19-8) have won five of seven, including separate home and road wins against the Washington Mystics since returning from the break for the Paris Olympics.
Napheesa Collier led the Lynx in scoring in both contests. Her 30-point effort during a 99-83 road victory against the Mystics on Saturday featured a 13-for-16 showing from the floor.
“Phee is the type of player (where) that can happen whenever she plays,” said teammate Bridget Carleton, who scored 16 points. “She makes it easier for everyone on the court.”
Collier contributed 15 points in the third quarter, helping Minnesota outscore Washington 33-17 over that span. Collier had 17 points and 12 rebounds in the previous game against the Mystics.
It’s an encouraging sign for Minnesota. While Collier ultimately helped Team USA to a gold medal in Paris, she missed the last five games before the Olympics with an injured foot.
Las Vegas (17-9) will aim to secure a winning record in a three-game homestand coming out of the break.
The Aces regrouped from Saturday’s 79-67 loss to New York in a WNBA Finals rematch by topping Los Angeles 87-71 on Sunday.
A’ja Wilson continued her dominant season with 34 points and 13 rebounds against the Sparks. That marked the 17th game this season in which the two-time MVP contributed at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, surpassing the league record she set in 2023.
Another ongoing record: Wilson has met the 20-point, 10-rebound plateau in eight successive games.
“I want to win really bad,” Wilson said, “and I like to show that through my game. I like people to feel the passion that not only I play with, but with my team. Because it’s hard. It’s really hard in this league to win. So when I get going, I just go literally to a whole other phase in my mind where I’m like, ‘By any means necessary, we’re going to win.'”
She leads the WNBA through Monday with 27.3 points and 2.8 blocks per game, is second in averaging 12.0 rebounds and is tied for third with 2.0 steals per game.
Minnesota and Las Vegas split the first two meetings of the season, with each side prevailing by 14 points on the other’s home floor. The teams haven’t faced off since June 11, when the visiting Lynx won 100-86.
On Tuesday, the Washington Mystics dealt forward Myisha Hines-Allen to the Lynx in exchange for guard Olivia Epoupa, forward Sika Kone and a second-round pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft.
The Mystics waived Epoupa and guard DiDi Richards after the trade.
–Field Level Media