Takeaways: Fired up Fever stun red-hot Lynx

MINNEAPOLIS – Screams of jubilation punctuated the atmosphere at Target Center Tuesday night…if you were an Indiana Fever player.

They earned every last cheer in a 71-59 win over the Minnesota Lynx, and the Fever’s exuberance was evident all the way to the locker room.

“We were screaming because we held the Minnesota Lynx to 59 points,” said Indiana center Natalie Achonwa. “We won that because we played great defense. They didn’t give it to us, we took it.”

Indiana’s (2-16) reaction to their surprising victory is justifiable. Entering Tuesday’s game, they ranked 11th in scoring and field goal percentage, and held a halftime lead only twice. Add up the data points, and it results in multiple thrashings for the Fever. A playoff spot is unlikely for this team, but a win on the road against the reigning champions can lead to a more optimistic outlook.

“It should give us motivation and more concentration to finish it out,” said Indiana forward Victoria Vivians.

Even as a rookie, Vivians can speak authoritatively on those subjects. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Fever’s 61-57 lead was in danger of evaporating. Kelsey Mitchell went for a layup, but failed to hit rim. Achonwa batted the ball to Vivians with the shot clock winding down, and the rookie responded with a 29-foot three-point dagger.

“I was comfortable taking the shot because it was just like a regular shot for me. My teammate found me on the rebound and with the shot clock going down there’s nothing else you can do but shoot it,” she said.

Vivians finished with 13 points, and the Mississippi State product can take pride in snapping Minnesota’s (10-7) seven-game winning streak.

Fizzling fireworks

It’s often said in sports that struggling teams are better than their record suggests, but they still need some things to go their way. Minnesota could never find their stroke, shooting just 32.8 percent from the floor, giving Indiana an opportunity for victory on the eve of Independence Day.

Neither of Minnesota’s cornerstone players were effective. Maya Moore was scoreless until a three-pointer at the end of the second quarter, and she finished with nine points on 3-of-15 shooting. Sylvia Fowles had eight points and eight rebounds. Making just 4 of 12 shots, last year’s MVP was held in check by a Fever team that was slightly quicker.

“She’s dominant, so that was my focus,” Achonwa said. “Just making sure I could contain her and not letting her go off and make somebody else win the game.”

There were moments when it seemed like someone else would win the game for the Lynx, but they were fleeting. The perimeter players clanked too many shots, the interior unit couldn’t string enough plays together, and a few unforced errors led to 13 turnovers. Rebekkah Brunson kept Minnesota in contention with 13 points and 12 rebounds, but her first double-double of the season was overshadowed by almost everything else.

Achonwa was one of the upstaging figures, with 17 points and nine rebounds. 10 of Achonwa’s points came in the first quarter, and her early contributions drew praise from head coach Pokey Chatman.

“She’s been performing at an efficient clip all year,” Chatman said. “Sometimes it’s not even the final stats, it’s her ability to screen the right person and make the right cut.”

Pondexter’s return

Cappie Pondexter’s release from Los Angeles last week was a shocker, but it gave Indiana a chance to add another veteran on a roster with few of them. She put on a Fever uniform for the first time Tuesday. In 20 minutes off the bench, Pondexter had 13 points on 4-of-13 shooting. It was a pedestrian showing for one of the league’s greats, but Chatman is hopeful Pondexter can be a guiding force in Indiana’s quest for a new identity.

“I think it brings comfort and calm to the babies in allowing them to grow up,” she said.