The world was getting geeked for a showdown between Napheesa Collier and Caitlin Clark, but a nagging injury harshens the vibe.
Just over one year ago, the Minnesota Lynx hoisted the (uncreatively named) Commissioner’s Cup Trophy over their heads in Elmont, New York. They upset the home town New York Liberty in what turned out to be a preview of the heavyweight 2025 WNBA Finals.
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The Lynx are now looking to make history by becoming the first back-to-back champions of the Commissioner’s Cup tonight. They face a fan favorite Indiana Fever team that is missing one of their best players in Caitlin Clark.
Let’s preview what to expect.
Game Info
- Who: Minnesota Lynx (14-2) vs. Indiana Fever (8-8)
- When: Tuesday, July 1 at 7:00 PM CT
- Where: Target Center — Minneapolis, MN
- National TV: Amazon Prime
What to Watch For
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Contain Kelsey Mitchell
With Clark out of the picture today, the player at the top of the scouting report has to be Kelsey Mitchell. In the two games without Clark, the two-time All-Star is averaging a whopping 26 points on pristine .545/.533/.800 shooting splits from the field. That’s a significant increase from her season averages of 18.9 points on .451/.354/.727.
Kayla McBride and Bridget Carleton are no slouches as wing stoppers, but it’s going to take a total team effort to slow Mitchell down. She’s been firing away from deep, converting on 4 out of 7.5 three pointers in these last couple games. Rotations must be crisp.
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Limit Careless Fouls
The Fever have been leading the league in free throw attempts since Clark’s injury, coming in at 25 attempts per game. Their parade to the charity stripe has been led by Clark’s replacement in the starting lineup, former number three pick, Aari McDonald.
The 5’6” point guard has squirreled her way into the paint at will. This has helped her averaging 13.5 points per game, along with 2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists with minimal turnovers. Don’t let her size fool you. McDonald is a gamer.
Prediction
On paper, the Minnesota is the heavy favorites. They’re bigger and more talented. They have more chemistry and experience. All the numbers are skewed heavily in Minnesota’s favor. If they can avoid an avalanche of turnovers, which has been an issue all season for them, then it should be smooth sailing.
Lynx win easily, 88-72.