Minnesota fell hard to Indiana on Tuesday, but a late-night twist from Golden State handed the Lynx the top seed anyway. Here’s the full breakdown.
A Rough Night in Indianapolis
The Minnesota Lynx walked into Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Tuesday with a chance to lock up the No. 1 seed in the WNBA playoffs outright. Instead, they turned in one of their ugliest performances of the season, falling behind by as many as 29 points before head coach Cheryl Reeve pulled the plug on her starting lineup at halftime.
By the time the final buzzer sounded, Indiana had walked away with a 96-77 win, exposing a Minnesota team that looked nothing like a top seed for the better part of two quarters.
Reeve Waves the White Flag
Minnesota trailed 31-16 after the first quarter and 23 points at the break. Rather than risk her core players chasing a game that was already out of reach, Reeve kept All-Stars Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams on the bench for the entire second half, along with Napheesa Collier and Natasha Howard.
The decision left the Lynx’s reserves to soak up the final 25 minutes. To their credit, the bench group clawed the deficit down significantly before the final margin settled at 19 points.
Collier didn’t mince words afterward, calling the effort embarrassing and saying the team should be disappointed in itself.
Olivia Miles Held Out Late
Adding to the drama, rookie standout Olivia Miles — the Lynx’s leader in points and assists and a favorite for Rookie of the Year — was scratched roughly 90 minutes before tipoff. Miles had been dealing with a left calf issue and was tested by trainers, but the team ultimately opted to sit her rather than risk aggravating the injury. Reeve indicated Miles will likely be a game-time call again for Thursday’s rematch.
The Twist: Minnesota Still Grabs the No. 1 Seed
Despite the lopsided loss, Minnesota’s night ended on a high note. Hours after the final horn, the Portland Fire upset the Golden State Valkyries in overtime, 90-82. That result was all Minnesota needed — it clinched the No. 1 overall seed and home-court advantage throughout the 2026 WNBA playoffs, regardless of how Thursday’s regular-season finale goes.
The Lynx sit at 32-11 with one game left, while the Valkyries drop to 31-12. Even in a tie, Minnesota holds the tiebreaker after winning the season series.
What’s Next
The two teams will meet again Thursday in Minneapolis to close out the regular season. With the top seed already secured, the stakes are lower, giving Reeve room to manage Miles’ recovery and get her rotation right before the playoffs tip off Sunday. Minnesota’s first-round opponent will be one of the Washington Mystics, Dallas Wings, or New York Liberty.
For a team that’s now dropped four of its last five games, Thursday offers a chance to shake off the rust — and restore some confidence — before the games start mattering for real.
