Mystics 68, Lynx 64: Sloppy Turnovers Cause Lynx Second Loss

Alanna Smith’s career-high 26 points not enough to overcome ball security issues.

After a dominant 4th quarter highlighted by a Kayla McBride hot streak, the Lynx improved to a league-best 12-1 with the 9th-place Washington Mystics on the docket for a Tuesday night matchup.

The Lynx will be without their MVP front runner, Napheesa Collier, for this one as they look to pick up another win while giving her rest coming off a back injury. A 29-point barrage was in store for the Sparks on Saturday, so who will be the one to step up tonight?

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Jessica Shepherd started the game strong after her four-game absence for Eurobasket, finishing the quarter with four points, six rebounds, and three assists. After a close start, Minnesota was loose with the ball and had a couple of unforced turnovers, but cleaned it up to blitz the Mystics with a 16-2 run during the first quarter.

After building a large lead on the back of a strong start from the front court (Smith and Shepherd combining for 17 of the 22 Lynx points), the Mystics fought their way back. After leading by as much as 14, Washington got the lead down to two by the end of the frame.

Mystics started the second how they closed the first and took their first lead of the game off the back of some great passing and aggressive defense. They led 29-24 with just under 8 minutes left. The two teams were neck and neck throughout much of the rest of the quarter as the Mystics used their 15 points off turnovers to take a small 39-37 lead into halftime. Alanna Smith led the way for the Lynx with 18 points as Shakira Austin flanked her on the other side with 13 of her own.

Alanna Smith continued her proficient scoring into the third quarter, and the Lynx needed every bit of it. Minnesota used that to continue to claw back into the game, but the Mystics seemed to respond to every punch.

The Lynx used their defense to keep pace as Washington greatly struggled to score over the last few minutes of the third quarter. Despite keeping it close, Minnesota still needed an extra boost to gain the lead back, and Jess Shepherd provided that with a strong offensive rebound and put back to take a one-point lead into the 4th, 55-54.

The 4th quarter began back and forth with neither team able to gain any kind of separation. As the period wore on, it was a war of attrition as both squads struggled to put the ball in the basket.

The Lynx used gritty defense to cling to a two-point lead for what seemed like forever despite not making a field goal for over 8 minutes of game time in the fourth quarter. The Mystics were finally able to tie the game at 64 off of an offensive rebound put back with 32 seconds left. That is when disaster struck.

The Lynx tried to inbound the ball with a chance to take the lead, and the ball slipped right through Courtney Williams’ hands for a Washington fast break layup. Minnesota missed a shot to tie the game, and Sonia Citron iced it with a couple of free throws to secure the 68-64 victory.

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Key Takeaways

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Not Enough Offense

Whenever you’re missing your leading scorer, it is tough to replicate what they bring on the offensive end. Napheesa Collier averages 24.4 points per game, and her sheer gravity of being on the floor makes things flow easier for her teammates. Not having such a momentous part of your team is extremely tough to overcome in any game.

The Lynx put up 64 points, their lowest of the season, and only had two players score in double digits were the front court starters in Alanna Smith and Jess Shepherd.

Points off Turnovers

The Lynx let up 26 points off turnovers, which was easily the story of the game. Whenever they forced the Mystics to play in the half court, Washington wasn’t getting anything easy. But, as it goes sometimes, Minnesota shot themselves in the foot with 19 turnovers and 26 points off those TOs.

Nearly 40% of the points the Mystics scored were from defense to offense, including the most pivotal moment of the game when Courtney Williams lost the ball in a tie game and Washington finished a layup to go up by two points with minimal time left on the clock.

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Alanna Smith’s Career-High

Despite the loss, Alanna Smith was special in this one. She nearly willed the Lynx to victory, and it would have been the top story had they been able to pull this one out.

She scored a career-high 26 points on 9/17 shooting, and her activity on the offensive end was some of the best all game for the Lynx. On top of being the leading scorer, she added 6 blocks on the defensive end and helped to keep Minnesota close as they struggled to put the ball in the hoop.

While it didn’t end up in a win, Smith deserves a shout-out for her performance in this game.

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Up Next:

The Lynx travel to Atlanta to take on the 10-4 Dream with Allisha Gray leading the charge as they embark on a stretch where they have six games in ten days, including the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup against the Indiana Fever.

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Game Highlights