The Lynx beat the Mystics 94-84 in Washington on Friday night, Olivia Miles played 29 minutes on the ankle that had been the entire story for 48 hours, and Napheesa Collier never took off her warmups.
That answers Thursday’s preview, in reverse order.
Miles was listed probable and cleared pregame, with Cheryl Reeve saying, “Haven’t heard anything that would keep her [out] … I think I would know by now if there was concern about her competing tonight.” Then Miles took 22 shots, more than anyone in the building, and made 10 of them for 24 points with seven assists, three steals and a plus-15. She is at 20.0 points and 6.2 assists per game across 35 appearances entering the night.
https://x.com/WNBA/status/2090998528956919831
Collier was ruled out on that same injury report, for rest, her first missed game since July 20.
Natasha Howard handled the efficiency: 21 points on 10-of-12 shooting with seven rebounds, five assists and three blocks. Kayla McBride added 18 and finished the argument, hitting back-to-back 3s down the stretch, the second banked in from the left wing for a 92-82 lead with 1:20 to go.
Washington had everyone available, at home, with a playoff seed on the table. It produced a 9-0 run and a 76-75 lead with eight minutes left. Howard answered with a pullup, Miles answered with a 3, and Minnesota led the rest of the way.
The Mystics won the glass 36-26 and lost by 10. Kiki Iriafen went for 19 and 13, Shakira Austin 17 and eight, Michaela Onyenwere 14. Sonia Citron scored 11 on eight shots; she had 21 when these teams met in Minneapolis on June 21. Washington turned it over 14 times, nine of those in the first half, and Minnesota shot 52.9 percent.
My mother texted a single emoji at halftime: a shrug. Right call.
I said Lynx by 6. It was Lynx by 10: right winner, undersold margin. The pattern I built the preview on — this Washington team plays Minnesota to the possession — survived about 32 minutes.
The other half of that prediction landed exactly as written. Courtney Williams had 13 points, eight assists and six rebounds, then limped off with an apparent lower-body injury in the final seconds of a decided game. Nobody exhaled. Different name, same held breath.
Minnesota is 31-7, winner of six straight and 16 of its last 17, with six games left. Golden State lost to Chicago 73-70 the same evening and sits 25-11. The magic number for the No. 1 overall seed is three. Washington fell to 21-15 and seventh, and starts a six-game road trip Sunday in Portland.
Washington was whole. Minnesota sat Napheesa Collier and won by 10.
