Sunday was more than just another Lynx win. Head coach Cheryl Reeve tied the WNBA record for career coaching wins as Minnesota beat the Dallas Wings 85-77.
Natasha Howard had 21 points and 14 rebounds, Olivia Miles added 21 points and eight assists.
Reeve, who already owns the WNBA’s record for playoff wins, tied Mike Thibault for the most regular-season wins in league history at 379. She can break the record when Minnesota takes on the Liberty in New York on Friday.
Reeve was inducted Saturday night into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Howard went 9 for 17 from the field and added three steals for Minnesota (15-4), which improved to 9-1 on the road and 3-0 against Dallas this season. Miles went 8 for 8 from the free-throw line and has 64 points over the last three games.
"She's been terrific for us," said Reeve after the win. "She's been the recipient of a tremendous pick and roll game with Courtney and with Liv. She puts herself in such great position because she gets out of screen so fast, great finisher, great timing, and, you know, she continues to be aggressive on the glass. Just kind of making her own breaks, and so she's been extremely valuable to us for sure."
Kayla McBride scored 17 points and made four 3-pointers, and Courtney Williams added 12 points for the Lynx.
Minnesota led 28-16 after the first quarter, then stretched the lead to 45-29 at halftime after holding Dallas to 11-for-37 shooting with eight turnovers before the break.
"It's ebbs and flows of the game, you can't get too high or too low," says Miles. "We were up 20, can't get too high. Only up six, can't get too low. So, you gotta ride the waves of the game, really just staying present in what you're doing and trusting in what your schemes and knowing what works and what doesn't. At the end of the game it should turn out in your favor."
Hopkins, Minnesota-native Paige Bueckers led Dallas (11-8) with 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting. Azzi Fudd, drafted number one overall one pick ahead of Miles, had 21 points and made 12 of her first 14 shots in the third quarter. Former Lynx center Jessica Shepard had 16 rebounds for Dallas.
Up next
Lynx: Travel to the New York Liberty on Friday.
