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WNBA playoffs: Minnesota Lynx dominate Golden State Valkyries in Game 1

It took the Minnesota Lynx just over a quarter to adjust to what was at stake in Sunday’s WNBA playoff game against the Golden State Valkyries.

After clinching homecourt advantage at the end of August, the Lynx spent the last few weeks of the regular season fine-tuning for a playoff run, sometimes resting Napheesa Collier and Alanna Smith in the waning games. The Lynx, with only eight losses at that point, went 3-2 leading into Game 1.

The Lynx surely hope that the first 10 minutes of their best-of-three series with the Valkyries are their worst of the series. Golden State jumped out to a seven-point lead after one quarter at Target Center, scoring 28 points and making 5 of 8 3-pointers. Then, as great teams tend to do, rust was quickly shaken off. Minnesota’s defense stiffened. Its offense came alive.

“They still go through being disappointed in themselves, but it doesn’t last long,” coach Cheryl Reeve said. “I think that wisdom that the crew has gained along the way applies there.”

Minnesota won 101-72, leading by as many as 36 points in the second half. Sans the first quarter, the Lynx’s performance reminded spectators why they have been the league’s best team all season.

The Lynx demonstrated why the Valkyries, who are playing in their first playoffs as an expansion team, have a tough road ahead against the championship contender. Collier, an MVP candidate, scored the first basket in each half en route to a game-high 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting. She was one of five Lynx players to score in double digits, including 17 points from Kayla McBride, and 18 points from Natisha Hiedeman off the bench to help settle her teammates.

“She changed the game today,” Reeve said of Hiedeman. “She’s just playing her best basketball of the season. She’s confident. Her decision-making in their pick-and-roll coverages, she’s doing a nice job freezing the post-player about where to go. She seeks the paint well. Her play particularly in the first half was vital to us getting through that little bit of a slower first quarter.”

There wasn’t much not to like from the Lynx’s performance, again, once you throw out the first 10 minutes. They outrebounded the Valkyries 24-17 in the final three quarters and allowed only three more 3-pointers. Golden State never shot above 25 percent in any of the game’s final three frames. The Lynx’s bench outscored the Valkyries’ reserves 42-17

Game 2 will be on the road Wednesday in San Jose, Calif., notably not in San Francisco where the Valkyries normally play, due to an arena scheduling conflict. The Lynx have little reason for concern despite needing to travel halfway across the country.

“We were really locked in on some of the schemes we were trying to get done,” Reeve said.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Minnesota Lynx, Golden State Valkyries, WNBA

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