Coming off a ten-game winning streak, you could expect the Lynx to be pretty happy with where they are, but after a streak-ending surprise loss to the Sparks, Cheryl Reeve was not. The legendary coach did not pull punches discussing her team in the postgame press conference.
“Every player at every position was terrible,” she said of her team's defense.
Despite the Lynx’s winning streak, their defense has been rough for the last month. Reeve was quick to identify July 3rd as the turning point for the defense, which was formerly the league’s best. Since this date, the Lynx lost two games, won ten, and then lost this last game against the Sparks.
In comparison to a time when Minnesota had the best defensive rating, Reeve said, “May and June (were) so long ago. That’s not who we are now.” While she acknowledged the Lynx, who did not score for the final five minutes of the game, “weren’t very smart on offense,” she generally dismissed the offensive struggles in comparison to the defensive issues.
These comments might seem harsh to some fans considering the Lynx still hold the best record by a safe margin and had just won ten consecutive games, but this is what a good coach does. Reeve is holding her team to a very high standard and not allowing mediocrity. She’s nipping issues in the bud before they snowball and become their downfall come playoffs. She’s a coach who expects constant effort and high performance for a team that is definitely capable of it. Throughout July, the Lynx played weak defense and narrowly won games by outshooting their opponents. The Sparks game showed what happens when the shots don’t fall and they lack the defense to fall back on.
Lynx have enough time to get back on track
Despite defensive regression, Minnesota remains one of the best teams in the league. They have not strayed too far from righting the ship as we head into the final stretch of the season. The key identified by Reeve going forward was player-led defense.
In the players’ presser, Olivia Miles added that it was a matter of a “will and a want to” and that an “every possession mindset” will be needed to fix their future struggles.
This loss could come as a necessary kick to get the Lynx going, not unlike the 53-point blowout they delivered to the Aces that prompted a winning streak and successful title run. With Reeve wisely fueling the flame under the team’s feet, it’s now up to the players to respond in their next meeting with the Aces on Sunday.
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