The Indiana Fever faced a setback against the Minnesota Lynx, losing 90-80 at the Target Center on Saturday night. This defeat ended Indiana’s two-game winning streak and put them at 13-16 for the season, keeping them in seventh place in the WNBA standings, just ahead of the Sky, who have a record of 11-17. With this victory, the Lynx secured a playoff spot.
The game was significantly influenced by the performance of Lynx star Napheesa Collier, a candidate for league MVP. Unlike their previous encounter when Collier was sidelined due to injury, she returned in top form, scoring 31 points on 12-of-18 shooting in 35 minutes. Her offensive prowess overwhelmed the Fever’s defense, which struggled to contain her, despite deploying multiple defenders against her.
On a positive note for the Fever, forward Temi Fagbenle made her return to the lineup after dealing with a foot injury and subsequent thumb injury that limited her playing time this season. Despite playing with a bandage on her thumb, she made her presence felt defensively, contributing to a significant improvement in the Fever’s defense. The Fever rallied from a 12-point deficit in the first quarter to close the gap by halftime, trailing by just one point. Fagbenle recorded two points and grabbed five rebounds in her 16 minutes of play.
Guard Lexie Hull also stepped up, receiving increased playing time after her standout performance last week where she scored a career-high 22 points. On Saturday, Hull logged 25 minutes and focused on defensive assignments, including guarding Collier and Kayla McBride.
Additionally, Caitlin Clark made history by becoming the fastest player and first rookie in WNBA history to reach over 500 points and 200 assists during the game. Clark finished with 23 points, eight assists, five rebounds, and seven turnovers.