Home win string reaches nine for Lynx as reserves pitch in

This was the type of game Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve could be happy with.

Everybody on the team played. Everybody scored at least two points. And the Lynx won by 17 points with the bench contributing 29 points. It was the six consecutive win and ninth victory in a row at home.

"I was happy with our second team," said Reeve, after the Lynx beat the Washington Mystics 73-56 on Tuesday night. ""They came in and got some good burn and played quality minutes. I thought they played together and that is what we are looking for -- trying to get that second team going. In the second half they were pretty solid.

Backup center Jessica Adair scored a career-high 10 points and had four rebounds to lead the reserves. Guard Monica Wright added nine points and three rebounds.

"They were all big for us," Reeve said. "Amber [Harris] and Jess give us something different than what we have in our starting group. I can throw it to Amber on the block. I can throw it to Jess on the block and good things happen."

Adair is a 6-4 second-year player who played in the season finale last season when the Lynx needed a post quickly. This season she survived the training camp cuts and was averaging 3.8 points and 2.2 rebounds going into the Mystics game.

Harris, a 6-5 forward, was the Lynx's second pick in the 2011 WNBA draft. They took the Xavier product with the No. 4 overall pick. She was averaging 3.0 points into Tuesday's game and like Adair 2.2 rebounds. She had four points and two rebounds against the Mystics.

"Jess is a good offensive rebounder," Reeve said. ""Amber is getting there. They like playing together. We kind of found something with those two.

"Monica [Wright] in the first half was a little disappointed with what she did. She came out in the second half and was herself. She gave us good stuff on the defensive end. She just loves to get out and go in transition. That gives us a different element with that second group."

Wright, besides making three of five shots and both her free throws, had three rebounds, one assist and one steal.

"All three of those guys were important," Reeve said. "Wiggins is going to make some shots, but that group, those four, I just think are solid players and are getting more and more confidence."

Once the Lynx clinch home-court advantage for the playoffs -- one victory in the final four games would do it or one more Indiana loss -- than Reeve said she will play her bench more.

"We did that a fair amount [Tuesday].," Reeve said. "When it is a nip and tuck kind of game, I am the type with a great deal of trust in [Rebekkah] Brunson and Taj [McWilliams-Franklin]. We will ride them as tough as we have to, to get a win. But as we go down the stretch here, if we can clinch the best overall record,you will see that second group playing a lot more and hopefully get them some confidence."

The Lynx led only 36-33 at halftime, but outscored the Mystics 17-6 in the third quarter to open a 14-point lead.

"In the third quarter, their depth really showed," Mystics coach Trudi Lacey said. "We played a really good first half and they really almost have two teams. They're very deep and very talented.

"In the third, Adair in particular I think got three offensive rebounds. We didn't do a good job of boxing out as we had done in the first half. But again, I just think their depth, their size and their athleticism just took over."