Lynx clinch spot in Commissioner’s Cup final vs. New York

The Lynx are headed to the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final June 25 against the Liberty in New York.

The Commissioner’s Cup is an in-season tournament designed to add some excitement to regular season games while providing the opportunity for players to earn some extra cash. Each team has five designated games against teams within its own conference that qualify as Commissioner’s Cup games. The team with the best record in each conference plays in the final.

The Lynx went 4-1 in those games and entered Thursday with both Phoenix and Seattle right behind at 3-1. Minnesota qualified for the final after Seattle’s 92-84 victory at Dallas on Thursday night, which rendered Phoenix’s game with Las Vegas moot because the Lynx would win the tie-breaker in case of a three-way tie and because the Lynx are 3-0 vs. Seattle this season.

Each player on the winning team in the Commissioner’s Cup final receives about $45,000. The MVP of the game gets an additional $5,000 while players on the losing team each earn about $10,000.