Lynx odd year magic runs out

For the 2nd straight season the Lynx finish 18-16, then lose a first round single elimination game.This time it's at the hands of Seattle.

This was always going to be a challenging season. Originally it was going to just be a more of a transition year following the Lindsay Whalen retirement. But then in the winter the atom bomb hit when Maya Moore announced she would not play this year at all. From that moment any realistic title hopes were pretty much gone.

But the losses were not even over. Rebekkah Brunson never played this year, and presumably never will again, due to concussions. Seimone Augustus didn't play at all until late in the season, and even by then was a bench player. Arguably the top offseason acquisition, Karima Christmas-Kelly, got hurt early and barely played. And Jessica Shepard, a 2nd round pick who was shining, also was lost early in the season.

There were other significant absences in the WNBA this year, but no team came close to what the Lynx lost. So in context, finishing in the same place as a year ago is actually pretty impressive.

Still a maddening finish though. This playoff game was there to be had. The Lynx just refused to take it.

Early it was atrocious defense that put them in a hole. It was rather remarkable that the game was even close at the half. But the Lynx were in it. They made runs, but Seattle always stopped them just in time.

With about 5 minutes left, one of those Lynx runs had cut it to 4. But from that point on, frankly, the Lynx were embarrassing. Turnover after turnover. Bad shots. Bad defense. They went out so poorly.

Story of the season. They never really figured out how to run their game. They had no identity. Fowles was so often a non-factor. You never had any idea from game to game what you were going to see. It was disorganized chaos right to the end.

The Odyssey Sims no show tonight was baffling, but she was clearly one of the team MVPs. That was one of the best trades this franchise has ever made.

If nothing else, this season gave us Napheesa Collier. ROY is the ROY. She was by far the Lynx best player tonight, and through most of the season. She kind of did it all. She will only get better, and improve once she has a better supporting cast. Not that the Lynx don't have some nice pieces, but not many are really difference makers.

The Lynx will get another higher draft pick next year, so maybe they hit on another one like they did with Phee. Shepard comes back. I would think Sims, Dantas and Sexi Lexi are worth hanging on to. Seimone returns for one last season.

But of course, everything as far as hopes of returning to title contention hinge on what Maya Moore does. I have always suspected that she isn't ever coming back. The fact she was completely apart from the team all year, including the Lindsay jersey retirement, tells me that she is just done with basketball. I would assume the Lynx proceed as if she will not be back. Now, if she IS back, then title dreams can return. But you saw it all year. This just was not ever a team that could go all the way.