Heading into the post-season the Minnesota Lynx are one of the hottest teams in the WNBA having won their last seven games prior to losing Thursday night in the regular season finale against LA. The Lynx rested their big stars, Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride with the game meaningless in the WNBA standings.
That seven game win streak includes Bridget Carlton's eventual game winning three on Tuesday. It helps to have one of the league's best players in Napheesa Collier, but it was Collier who passed in the last seconds of the game to Carlton for the game-winner, showing once again it is "team" over "individual" for these Lynx.
"It looked phenomenal, like as soon as it has her hand, she let it go, there was no hesitation, it was perfect," says teammate Myisha Hines-Allen.
The win over Connecticut helped secure the number two seed heading into the playoffs. Connecticut is the number three team in the WNBA with New York first.
So what's been the key to success for this year's Lynx team, a team that most fans and pundits didn't expect to be at the top of the standings?
"The vibes, and everyone knows what they need to do for the team to be successful," Hines-Allen explained.
They feel they can make a deep postseason run too.
Absolutely, I think we knew that from the get go, like training camp," says center Alanna Smith. "We were like, this team could win a championship."
Chemistry matters. And Smith says this team is just as close off the court as they are on it.
"I just think we're a bunch of weirdos," laughs the Australian Smith. "You know, we've just thrown a group of weirdos together and we all click."
That group of weirdos could spell trouble for opposing teams. The first round of the playoffs start Sunday against Phoenix.
No. 2 Minnesota vs. No. 7 Phoenix
Sunday, Sept. 22: Phoenix at Minnesota, 4 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 25: Phoenix at Minnesota, 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 26: Minnesota at Phoenix, TBD (if necessary)