The 2018 Minnesota Lynx season was the 20th season for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association, and the 9th season under head coach Cheryl Reeve.

The Lynx finished last season with a record of 27–7, finishing first in the Western Conference (and the league as a whole) and qualifying for the playoffs, before ultimately beating Los Angeles in the WNBA Finals to win their league-tying best fourth championship.

The Lynx returned to the home arena, Target Center, for the 2018 season, following a year playing at the Xcel Energy Center and Williams Arena due to renovations.

The season started out shakily for the Lynx, going 2–3 in May. The Lynx lost their season opener in a re-match of last years finals to Los Angeles. They also lost on the road to the eventual #2 and #3 playoff seeds, Atlanta and Washington. However, the Lynx turned it around in June, posting a 7–3 record. This included a 6-game winning streak, which included wins over 4 eventual playoff teams. Momentum slowed in July, with the Lynx going 6–4. Three of their four losses in July came versus teams that ended up missing the playoffs. The Lynx finished the season on a cold note, going 3–6 in August. A two-game winning streak separated two three game losing streaks. However, the team won their last game of the season to secure the 7th seed in the playoffs.

The Lynx first-round playoff matchup saw them play in Los Angeles versus the Los Angeles Sparks. This match-up was a re-match of the past 3 WNBA Finals. The Lynx lost the game 68–75.

Transactions

WNBA draft Round Pick Player Nationality School/Team/Country 2 17 Park Ji-su Cheongju KB Stars (South Korea) 2 24 Kahlia Lawrence Mercer 3 36 Carlie Wagner Minnesota

WNBA Draft Trades The Lynx traded the drafts rights to Park Si-Ju and Kahlia Lawrence to the Las Vegas Aces in exchange for the draft rights to Jill Barta and the rights to the Aces's 2nd Round Pick in the 2019 Draft.

Trades and Roster Changes DateTradeFebruary 1, 2018Re-Signed F Rebekkah BrunsonFebruary 7, 2018Traded F Natasha Howard to the Seattle Storm for a 2018 2nd Round Pick and the ability to swap 2019 1st Round Picks February 7, 2018Re-Signed F Cecilia Zandalasini and Signed F Lynetta Kizer and F Endy MiyemFebruary 28, 2018Signed F Breanna RichardsonMarch 6, 2018Acquired G Danielle Robinson via trade from the Phoenix Mercury and a 2nd Round Pick in 2019 in exchange for the 12th Pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft March 13, 2018Signed G Tanisha WrightApril 17, 2018Signed 3rd Round Picks F Jill Barta and G Carlie Wagner, F G'mrice Davis, F Camille Zimmerman, and C Vionise Pierre-Louis May 4, 2018Waived F G'mrice Davis May 5, 2018Signed F Jillian AlleyneMay 9, 2018Waived F Jill Barta, F Breanna Richardson, and C Vionise Pierre-Louis May 15, 2018Waived F Jillian Alleyne and G Carlie Wagner May 17, 2018Waived F Endy Miyem June 6, 2018Re-signed F Endy Miyem June 30, 2018Waived F Lynetta KizerJuly 5, 2018Signed F Lynetta Kizer to a 7-Day ContractJuly 12, 2018Signed F Erlana Larkins to a 7-Day Contract July 19, 2018Signed F Erlana Larkins to a 2nd 7-Day ContractJuly 30, 2018Signed F Erlana Larkins to Rest-Of-Season ContractAugust 13, 2018Waived F Endy MiyemAugust 14, 2018Signed G Sydney Colson to Rest-Of-Season Contract

Additions Player Date Former Team Lynetta Kizer February 7, 2018 Connecticut Sun Danielle Robinson March 6, 2018 Phoenix Mercury Tanisha Wright March 13, 2018 New York Liberty Endy Miyem June 6, 2018 PF Schio (Italy)

Subtractions Player Date New Team Plenette Pierson August 21, 2017 Retired Renee Montgomery February 1, 2018 Atlanta Dream Jia Perkins February 1, 2018 Retired Natasha Howard February 7, 2018 Seattle Storm

Roster

Schedule

Preseason

|- style="background:#fcc;" | 1 | May 6 | vs. Washington | L 85–90 | Danielle Robinson (18) | Lynetta Kizer (6) | Tanisha Wright (4) | Wells Fargo Arena4,203 | 0–1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 2 | May 12 | Chicago | W 87–58 | Sylvia Fowles (17) | Sylvia Fowles (9) | Maya MooreDanielle Robinson (5) | Target Center5,024 | 1–1

Regular season

|- style="background:#fcc;" | 1 | May 20 | Los Angeles

| Lindsay Whalen (17) | Sylvia Fowles (12) | Lindsay Whalen (9) | Target Center13,032 | 0–1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 2 | May 23 | Dallas

| Sylvia Fowles (23) | Sylvia Fowles (20) | Lindsay Whalen (8) | Target Center7,834 | 1–1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 3 | May 25 | @ New York

| Seimone Augustus (21) | Sylvia Fowles (11) | Danielle Robinson (5) | Westchester County Center2,315 | 2–1 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 4 | May 27 | @ Washington

| Maya Moore (18) | Sylvia Fowles (8) | Tied (4) | Capital One Arena5,723 | 2–2 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 5 | May 29 | @ Atlanta

| Maya Moore (18) | Sylvia Fowles (13) | Danielle Robinson (6) | McCamish Pavilion3,785 | 2–3

|- style="background:#fcc;" | 6 | June 1 | Phoenix

| Maya Moore (25) | Sylvia Fowles (11) | Tanisha Wright (4) | Target Center8,830 | 2–4 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 7 | June 3 | @ Los Angeles

| Maya Moore (18) | Sylvia Fowles (8) | Sylvia Fowles (5) | Staples Center13,500 | 2–5 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 8 | June 7 | @ Washington

| Sylvia Fowles (21) | Sylvia Fowles (12) | Danielle Robinson (5) | Capital One Arena8,587 | 3–5 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 9 | June 9 | @ Connecticut

| Sylvia Fowles (20) | Sylvia Fowles (14) | Alexis Jones (4) | Mohegan Sun Arena6,771 | 3–6 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 10 | June 16 | New York

| Sylvia Fowles (25) | Sylvia Fowles (9) | Danielle Robinson (8) | Target Center9,114 | 4–6 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 11 | June 19 | Dallas

| Maya Moore (21) | Sylvia Fowles (17) | Maya Moore (7) | Target Center8,023 | 5–6 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 12 | June 22 | @ Phoenix

| Maya Moore (23) | Rebekkah Brunson (11) | Maya Moore (5) | Talking Stick Resort Arena11,349 | 6–6 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 13 | June 24 | @ Las Vegas

| Maya Moore (23) | Sylvia Fowles (10) | Lindsay Whalen (9) | Mandalay Bay Arena4,814 | 7–6 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 14 | June 26 | Seattle

| Maya Moore (32) | Sylvia Fowles (17) | Rebekkah Brunson (6) | Target Center8,634 | 8–6 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 15 | June 29 | Atlanta

| Maya Moore (24) | Sylvia Fowles (15) | Lindsay Whalen (7) | Target Center9,209 | 9–6

|- style="background:#cfc;" | 16 | July 1 | @ Dallas

| Maya Moore (26) | Sylvia Fowles (9) | Lindsay Whalen (6) | College Park Center4,448 | 10–6 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 17 | July 3 | Indiana

| Rebekkah Brunson (13) | Rebekkah Brunson (12) | Rebekkah Brunson (6) | Target Center8,632 | 10–7 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 18 | July 5 | Los Angeles

| Sylvia Fowles (27) | Rebekkah Brunson (12) | Sylvia Fowles (7) | Target Center9,303 | 11–7 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 19 | July 7 | @ Chicago

| Maya Moore (16) | Sylvia Fowles (13) | Danielle Robinson (5) | Wintrust Arena6,139 | 11–8 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 20 | July 11 | @ Indiana

| Sylvia Fowles (20) | Sylvia Fowles (10) | Sylvia Fowles (7) | Bankers Life Fieldhouse10,006 | 12–8 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 21 | July 13 | Las Vegas

| Lindsay Whalen (22) | Sylvia Fowles (17) | Tied (5) | Target Center9,813 | 12–9 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 22 | July 15 | Connecticut

| Sylvia Fowles (12) | Sylvia Fowles (8) | Temi Fagbenle (4) | Target Center9,234 | 12–10 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 23 | July 18 | Indiana

| Sylvia Fowles (30) | Sylvia Fowles (16) | Erlana Larkins (8) | Target Center17,933 | 13–10 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 24 | July 21 | @ Phoenix

| Maya Moore (38) | Rebekkah Brunson (11) | Danielle Robinson (3) | Talking Stick Resort Arena11,473 | 14–10 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 25 | July 24 | New York

| Sylvia Fowles (27) | Sylvia Fowles (11) | Seimone Augustus (5) | Target Center9,830 | 15–10

|- style="background:#fcc;" | 26 | August 2 | @ Los Angeles

| Sylvia Fowles (14) | Sylvia Fowles (8) | Danielle Robinson (6) | Staples Center9,542 | 15–11 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 27 | August 3 | @ Seattle

| Sylvia Fowles (20) | Sylvia Fowles (16) | Rebekkah Brunson (5) | KeyArena12,064 | 15–12 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 28 | August 5 | Atlanta

| Sylvia Fowles (17) | Sylvia Fowles (10) | Maya Moore (4) | Target Center9.333 | 15–13 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 29 | August 7 | @ Chicago

| Maya Moore (31) | Sylvia Fowles (11) | Danielle Robinson (11) | Wintrust Arena6,388 | 16–13 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 30 | August 9 | @ Las Vegas

| Maya Moore (34) | Sylvia Fowles (19) | Tanisha Wright (6) | Mandalay Bay Arena4,497 | 17–13 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 31 | August 12 | Seattle

| Sylvia Fowles (28) | Sylvia Fowles (13) | Seimone Augustus (6) | Target Center9,123 | 17–14 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 32 | August 14 | Chicago

| Maya Moore (21) | Sylvia Fowles (13) | Tanisha Wright (6) | Target Center9,730 | 17–15 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 33 | August 17 | @ Connecticut

| Sylvia Fowles (25) | Sylvia Fowles (8) | Maya Moore (8) | Mohegan Sun Arena7,089 | 17–16 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 34 | August 19 | Washington

| Sylvia Fowles (26) | Sylvia Fowles (14) | Lindsay Whalen (6) | Target Center13,013 | 18–16

Playoffs

|- style="background:#fcc;" | 1 | August 21 | @ Los Angeles

| Sylvia Fowles (18) | Sylvia Fowles (12) | Lindsay Whalen (5) | Staples Center8,598 | 0–1

Standings

Playoffs

Statistics

Regular season Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% PPG RPG APG SPG BPG Maya Moore 34 34 31.8 .423 .365 .833 18.0 5.4 2.6 1.7 0.4 Sylvia Fowles 34 34 32.0 .619 .000 .757 17.7 11.9 2.2 1.4 1.2 Seimone Augustus 33 33 26.2 .467 .318 .706 10.8 1.8 2.6 0.4 0.2 Rebekkah Brunson 25 25 27.6 .405 .375 .673 7.2 6.8 2.4 0.8 0.5 Danielle Robinson 28 2 18.6 .445 .158 .854 6.5 1.8 3.3 0.9 0.0 Lindsay Whalen 32 29 19.3 .363 .357 .881 5.7 2.6 3.1 0.7 0.1 Cecilia Zandalasini 29 6 16.5 .409 .383 .840 5.7 1.9 1.1 0.3 0.0 Tanisha Wright 33 4 17.8 .383 .396 .741 4.3 1.6 2.0 0.5 0.1 Sydney Colson 2 0 8.5 .429 .000 .500 3.5 1.0 2.0 0.0 0.5 Alexis Jones 26 0 8.8 .352 .320 .750 3.3 0.9 0.7 0.1 0.1 Temi Fagbenle 30 2 9.4 .506 .000 .696 3.1 2.0 0.6 0.3 0.3 Erlana Larkins 13 0 12.9 .444 .000 1.00 2.1 2.7 1.3 0.7 0.2

Awards and Milestones Recipient Award/Milestone Date Awarded Maya Moore WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week June 24, 2018 July 2, 2018 Rebekkah Brunson WNBA's All-Time Leading Rebounder (3,318) July 5, 2018 Cheryl Reeve WNBA's Winningest Female Head Coach (206) July 5, 2018 Maya Moore WNBA Cares Community Assist Award - June July 12, 2018 Seimone Augustus WNBA All-Star Selection July 17, 2018 Maya Moore Sylvia Fowles Maya Moore Best WNBA Player - ESPY's July 19, 2018 Rebekkah Brunson WNBA All-Star Selection Replacement July 25, 2018 Maya Moore WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week August 13, 2018 Sylvia Fowles WNBA Peak Performer – Rebounds August 19, 2018

Top 20 Players With the Lynx entering their 20th season in the league, the organization began ranking their Top 20 Players of All-Time.

Maya Moore Seimone Augustus Lindsay Whalen Sylvia Fowles Rebekkah Brunson Katie Smith Svetlana Abrosimova Tamika Williams Teresa Edwards Taj McWilliams-Franklin Betty Lennox Janel McCarville Renee Montgomery Nicole Ohlde Monica Wright Tonya Edwards Kristen Mann Charde Houston Nicky Anosike Devereaux Peters

References