Balanced Lynx thump Las Vegas for sixth consecutive victory

So how good was the Lynx defense Friday night in Las Vegas?

Good enough to hold the Aces starters — a group Liz Cambage was not a part of — to just 34 points on 13-for-41 shooting.

Good enough to lead the game from start to finish despite stretches when Minnesota found it tough to score.

Good enough that the Lynx — the WNBA's hottest team — was able to win 77-67 despite becoming just the second team in league history to not attempt a free throw in a game.

Let that sink in.

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, as you might imagine, was not pleased.

"They had two more fouls [eight] than Layshia Clarendon [six]," said Reeve, who was particularly angered by what appeared to be a moving screen by A'ja Wilson that Lynx point guard Crystal Dangerfield crashed into in the third quarter, injuring her right shoulder. Last year's WNBA Rookie of the Year did not return to the game.

"An illegal screen injures a player," Reeve said. "We're too nice. Maybe we need to get a little more animated with the officials, not settle. Maybe we'll start complaining about everything. Then maybe we'll get some calls."

The WNBA is in its 25th season, and this is the second time that one team didn't go to the free-throw line at all. The first since Washington did it in a loss back in 2003.

But the Lynx, never trailing, still won their sixth straight game overall, their fourth straight on the road.

The reason: defense. Without Cambage — already with her Australian Olympic team — the Aces shot 35.8%, made just three of 15 three-pointers and never found a rhythm. The Aces (14-6) had a 16-0 edge on free throws and still lost by double figures.

Well, defense and Clarendon. On a night when the Aces made it clear they were going to double Napheesa Collier (seven points on 3-for-11 shooting) and Sylvia Fowles (14 points, nine boards), Clarendon made them pay, hitting nine of 16 shots, dominating the midrange, scoring 18 points with nine assists and five rebounds.

Clarendon now has 38 points in two games vs. the Aces.

BOXSCORE: Lynx 77, Las Vegas 67

The Lynx, who started the season with four losses, are now 11-3 with Clarendon on the roster. "This team has a lot of good pieces, and they needed a little bit of glue," Clarendon said.

"The calm, and the points, picking when to score, when to get the ball where it needs to go."

Kayla McBride, who had 10 points in her first game in Vegas playing against her former team, went a little further:

"I don't think they had an answer for that pick and roll," she said. "[Clarendon] was able to be really physical and make them adjust."

All that said, it was the first quarter that set the tone. With Damiris Dantas hitting all five of her shots — and all four of her three-pointers — and scoring all 14 of her points, the Lynx burst out of the gate to a 33-18 first-quarter lead.

And then the Lynx did enough the rest of the way to make that hold up.

Dantas didn't score again, but she helped hold A'ja Wilson to 13 points on 4-for-15 shooting.

She was the only Aces starter in double figures; Kelsey Plum (18 points) and Dearica Hamby (12) combined for 30 points off the bench.

Up by 12 at the half and 15 after three, the Lynx still led by 17 with 2:29 left.

Just imagine if the Lynx had gotten a free throw or two?

"It shows toughness and resilience," Clarendon said. "This team is learning to win on the road. It was ugly at times, but we just found a way to win. That's what this league is, learning how to win no matter what."

The Star Tribune did not travel for this game. This article was written using the streamed broadcast and video interviews before and/or after the game.