In Minneapolis, the absence of Caitlin Clark did not prove to be a setback for the Indiana Fever, as they were propelled to victory by Natasha Howard against the Minnesota Lynx. On Tuesday night, Howard showcased her prowess with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists, guiding the Fever to a 74-59 triumph in the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final.
Despite missing Clark, their All-Star guard, sidelined since June 24 due to a strained groin, Indiana put on an impressive performance. The team overcame an early 13-point deficit by displaying balanced scoring and a robust defense against the league’s leading team. “You’ve got to have the confidence in yourself and the confidence in your teammates to allow someone else to step up in those moments, and I think that this group is learning that,” Fever coach Stephanie White commented on her side’s resilient spirit as they evened their record to 8-8.
Throughout the matchup, Howard, recognized as the 2019 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, managed to contain Lynx’s All-Star Napheesa Collier, restricting her to just 12 points on 6-for-18 shooting while forcing five of Minnesota’s turnovers. “Phee’s a great player, but my thing was, make her take hard shots, and that’s what I did tonight,” remarked Howard, who was crowned the game’s MVP.
Minnesota’s offensive struggles were apparent, marked by their worst performance of the season. The Lynx shot a mere 34.9% from the floor and connected on only 4 of 16 three-point attempts, significantly below their season’s average of 9.4 three-pointers. Coach Cheryl Reeve acknowledged the team’s haste, stating, “We have a tendency sometimes to get impatient, and I didn’t think that our commitment to moving the basketball and creating advantages — we had a hard time getting that done.”
Sophie Cunningham took the spotlight for Indiana, contributing 13 points, while Aliyah Boston, Aari McDonald, and Kelsey Mitchell also played pivotal roles, each adding 12 points. Reflecting on the game, Mitchell expressed, “I described this entire experience as a gut-check experience, and I mean it intentionally. I mean, physically, mentally, psychologically. We did an unbelievable job of just staying together and weathering the storm.”
On the Minnesota side, Alanna Smith led with 15 points, while Courtney Williams chipped in 11 points but was also accountable for six turnovers. The Lynx had a commanding start as Smith’s 3-pointer and an impressive layup concluded a 12-0 run, granting them an 18-9 lead. They extended their advantage to 27-14 early in the second quarter, but ultimately faltered.
In a significant turnaround, the Fever silenced the Lynx, who were scoreless for the final 8:17 of the half, missing all ten attempts during this stretch. Cunningham’s two 3-pointers fueled Indiana’s 18-0 run to seize a 32-27 lead by halftime. With Howard scoring 10 points in the third, the Fever fortified their position, maintaining a double-digit lead. When Minnesota attempted to close in, reducing the gap to 60-51 in the fourth quarter, Cunningham sealed the game with her third critical 3-pointer, quieting the home crowd.
Last season, the Lynx emerged victorious over the New York Liberty in the Commissioner’s Cup final. This year’s home-court advantage, earned by their 14-2 league-best record, did not prevent their first home defeat of the season. Determined to grow from the loss, Smith stated, “We always want to play our best basketball. So we have to take this game to heart and … learn from the mistakes that we made in this game, the way we showed up, the way that we prepared, and just make sure that we don’t do it again.”