The Minnesota Lynx came into the DMV in search of win No. 13. What they found was a tenacious and energetic Washington Mystics team looking to climb closer to .500.
For the first 6.5 minutes, it appeared as though Minnesota might run away with the game, opening up a 14 point lead. Washington had had enough, and clawed their way back to a deficit of two points by the end of the quarter. From that point, things soured for the Lynx, who quickly found themselves playing catch-up and back and forth basketball again.
Without the game of Alanna Smith, the Lynx might not have kept it as close as they did. Smith scored 26 points, had six blocks and went 2 – 6 from the arc. Jessica Shepard had 12 points, the only other Lynx player in double figures. Except for one point from Natisha Hiedeman, the only other bench points were the nine points from Maria Kliundikova. Washington was led by Shakira Austin with 19 points, Sug Sutton with 12, and Kiki Iriafen with 11. The Washington bench scored 12 points.
Minnesota’s woes were evident in their 19 turnovers which resulted in 26 points for the Mystics. Neither team shot well, with the Lynx going 22 – 58 and Washington 27 – 73. Minnesota had a terrible night from the stripe, only going 17 – 25. They scored 16 points off of Washington’s 16 turnovers. But it was the cold shooting that put the Lynx behind the 8-ball for a large portion of the game.
A Low-Scoring Affair Between the Lynx and Mystics
After giving up their first quarter lead, they never were able to build a head of steam. Washington also never broke out with a commanding lead, their biggest only being seven points. The difference was that Minnesota looked disjointed while the Mystics played more like a unit. Another night of poor three point shooting for Minnesota plus the lackluster play of Kayla McBride, Courtney Williams, and Bridget Carleton kept Minnesota from reclaiming their early first quarter energy.
The Lynx without Napheesa Collier and the Mystics without Brittney Sykes made it a game of who steps up. At this point in the season, it is becoming clear what each team can do. Washington has exceeded pre-season expectations, and Minnesota, who now sit 12 – 2, are still atop the league. This was a good win for the Mystics, not a great win. The shooting woes for the Lynx plus the 40 turnovers in the last two games must be addressed and corrected immediately if they are to sustain their position in the standings.
— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) June 25, 2025
But looking across the league, in fact looking at last night, teams have a way of righting the ship. The 3 – 12 Dallas Wings beat the surging Atlanta Dream, the problem-laced Chicago Sky beat the Los Angeles Sparks, and the Indiana Fever, who had lost three of their last five games, beat the Seattle Storm. So teams win and teams lose. Minnesota can certainly right the ship. They’ve shown that before. The goal is to not let the ship teeter any more. Right now, the Mystics would make the playoffs, but there is still work to do.
What’s Next For Minnesota and Washington
Up next for Washington is a trip to Las Vegas to meet the Aces on Thursday. Minnesota travels to Atlanta to take on the Dream on Friday. With each team looking to bounce back, and with the Lynx hoping to get Collier back, it should be a good one.
And that, my friends, as they say, is that.’ — Martin Ruben.
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