Lynx fall into monstrous hole, can't claw back in 82-73 loss at Atlanta

The Lynx started the second half of their season Tuesday in Atlanta.

The first half looked like a repeat, the second a reset. So while the bottom line was another loss — this time 82-73 to a Dream team that has now won seven straight — coach Cheryl Reeve was somewhat encouraged.

"We cleaned some things up,'' Reeve said. "In the second half we gave ourselves a chance.''

The Dream (12-8) couldn't miss in the first half, struggled to score in the second. The Lynx (9-12), down 22 points late in the second quarter, drew within a point on Napheesa Collier's three-pointer with 5:11 left.

But the Lynx went 0-for-2 with four turnovers during an 11-0 Dream run that put Atlanta up 80-68 with 1:18 left.

It was Minnesota's third straight loss.

And it came despite another strong game from Collier, who scored 35 points on 13-for-24 shooting, with nine rebounds, three blocks and three assists. Kayla McBride (12) was the only other Minnesota player in double figures.

Rhyne Howard scored 21 for Atlanta, with Nia Coffey and Asia Durr each scoring 13.

It was a remarkably Jekyll and Hyde performance for the Minnesota defense. The Lynx were down 13 halfway through the first quarter and were down 22 with 2:49 left in the half, which ended with Atlanta up 54-37, marking the fifth straight half in which the Lynx had allowed an opponent 50 or more points.

According to Reeve, the plan was to bring some help into the post to stop scoring in the paint. But that helper wasn't getting back out to challenge shots on the perimeter.

"It was the way we worked on gap helping,'' Reeve said. "We tried to point out that gap help is not a double team. It's help and recovering. That's a fundamental difference. … We didn't come out to play in the first five minutes. They punched us up and down.''

Things changed.

Atlanta shot 20-for-37 (54.1%) overall and made a whopping 12 of 19 threes (63.2) in the first half. In the second? 9-for-35 (25.7) and 1-for-14 (7.1).

And, slowly, the Lynx fought back. They ended the first half on an 8-3 run. Then they outscored Atlanta 22-11 in the third quarter to draw within six entering the fourth. Then Collier scored seven points in a 9-4 start to the third that had with Lynx within four.

Then things broke down offensively.

"We weren't executing,'' said Collier, who scored 13 points in the first quarter, 12 in the fourth; she had all but two Lynx points in the final 10 minutes. "I had a turnover. We weren't running the plays correctly. Execution got sloppy.'

Reeve was more to the point: "We needed more than Phee scoring the ball,'' said Reeve. "We have to get Diamond (Miller) going a little bit. She's a player who can help Phee. As we get players back, we'll figure it out again.''

Tiffany Mitchell returned after missing seven games with a wrist injury, but Minnesota was without Rachel Banham, whose thumb injury could keep her out for a while. It would appear that both Jessica Shepard (non-COVID illness) and Aerial Powers (ankle) could be close to returning.

Both Collier and Reeve were encouraged by what happened defensively in the second half.

"We played good defense,'' Collier said. "We were almost there. I felt this was a winnable game, but we couldn't close.''

The Star Tribune did not send the writer of this article to the game. This was written using a broadcast, interviews and other material.