Minnesota Lynx rout Phoenix Mercury 96-80; Improve to a 13-1 record - WNBA Recap
Minnesota Lynx continued to shine on Tuesday and improved to a 13-1 record, after handing over a 96-80 defeat to the shorthanded Phoenix Mercury.
Lynx, playing on their turf the Target Center, were cheered by a crowd of 9,674. They had 6 players hitting double-index and they kept the crowd on their toes.
Forward Rebekkah Brunson recorded a double-double with 16 points and 13 boards while Seimone Augustus also netted 16 points.
“This team has a lot of fight and a lot of competitors, so we understand what they bring to the table even if they don't have their top scorers,'' said Augustus after the game. ``It's the new Lynx. In previous years, it was, `Stop
Seimone and you stop the team,' but there are so many weapons on this team.''
Maya Moore scored 15 points, and Taj McWilliams-Franklin chipped in with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks. Monica Wright collected 13 points coming off the bench and reserve Amber Harris recorded 10 points as Lynx rolled on
to a 3 game winning streak.
The injury riddled Mercury were playing without their 4 key players. DeWanna Bonner marshalled all players with 23 points and 7 boards; Samantha Prahalis scored 20 points; Reserve Alexis Gray-Lawson poured in 13 points and forward
Charde Houston chipped in with 11 points as Mercury rolled down to a 2 game losing streak.
Alexis Hornbuckle opened Phoenix account with a long ranger but Minnesota replied with an 11-nothing burst and claimed an 11-3 lead. Mercury came back with a 9-1 spurt and tied the sores at 12 apiece.
Lynx pulled off a 10-5 run and chiselled their way out of the stalemate, taking a 22-17 advantage. The frame ended with Minnesota holding on to their fragile 24-23 lead.
A stalemate prevailed through most of the 2nd frame and with 2:40 in hand Minnesota were having a slender 41-40 lead. They created some breathing space with a 10-5 run and concluded the 1st half at 51-45.
Lynx opened the third with a huge 13-4 burst and widened the gap to 64-49. Phoenix however responded with a 13-4 run of their own to make 62-68. McWilliams-Franklin came up with a layup at the end of stanza, as the game entered
into its last 10 minutes Minnesota were on the top with 70-62.
Mercury couldn’t keep up with Minnesota in the fourth and the gap started to widen up. Lynx reeled off a 10-4 spurt early and ballooned their advantage to 80-66. They stretched it to 89-74 conveniently and as the time expired Phoenix
could only reduce the margin of their defeat to 96-80.
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