Wednesday night at Target Center so much of what has made the Lynx one of the WNBA’s biggest surprises this season was missing.
The best-shooting team in the WNBA shot just 35.5-percent, struggled mightily to make a layup. The best three-point shooting team so far this season, the Lynx went 7-for-22.
And still the Lynx beat Atlanta, 68-55. Minnesota (12-3) pushed itself into a tie with New York for the second-best record in the league, won for the fifth straight time and for the eighth time in nine games.
Because: Defense.
Minnesota’s point total was the second-lowest this season, by far the lowest total in a win. But even though the shots weren’t falling, the Minnesota defense wasn’t failing.
The Lynx held the Dream (6-7) shot 27-for-76, just 31.8-percent. Their point total was the lowest by a Lynx opponent this season, their shooting the second-worst.
Atlanta struggled throughout, but they’re job got harder when star Rhyne Howard was helped off the court after suffering an injury midway through the third quarter.
Napheesa Collier scored 16 points with eight rebounds, but made just six of 17 shots. Bridget Carleton made four of five three-pointers – the rest of the Lynx were 3-for-17 from behind the arc – and scored 14. Dorka Juhász had a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double off the bench.
Tina Charles had 14 points for Atlanta. Nia Coffey and Haley Jones had 11 each.
Both teams struggled to make shots in the first quarter, but the Dream struggled more. The Lynx led 18-12 after the first quarter despite shooting 7-for-18 because they held the Dream to 4-for-17 shooting.
Still, Atlanta led 12-11 on two free throws by Howard with 3:11 left in the first quarter.
But Collier scored three points in a 7-0 Lynx run to end the quarter.
First Natisha Hiedeman fed Dorka Juhász for a layup. Bridget Carleton’s steal turned into a basket by Cecilia Zandalasini. After Charles missed Collier hit a free throw after a defensive 3-second call on the Dream. On the ensuing possession Hiedeman fed Collier for a basket and an 18-12 lead.
With Hiedeman again leading the way, the Lynx came out and scored twice in a 6-0 run to the second quarter that put the Lynx up 24-12 on Hiedeman’s basket with 7:41 left in the half.
But, over the next 7½ minutes the Lynx shot just 4-for-18 and were outscored 18-8.
Coffey, actually, seemed like the only players able to make a second-quarter shot. She was 3-for-3 – all three-pointers – and made two free throws with 5.2 seconds left to draw the Dream within 32-30.
But Williams was fouled on a three-pointer and made all three free throws with 0.6 seconds left to put the Lynx up five.
Other than Coffey, the Dream shot 2-for-14 in the second quarter.
Collier warmed up in the third quarter, making all three of her shots and both of her free throws in the third quarter, as the Lynx – despite missing layup after layup, pushed their five-point halftime lead to nine, 56-47, entering the fourth quarter.
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