Lynx revenge tour derails

For 15 years, even through years that didn't end in championships, the Lynx have been the shining light of Minnesota sports, the one franchise that could never hurt me.

Well, welcome to true Minnesota sports, I guess. 

Ever since the Lynx were robbed of their championship last year, it was all about using that injustice as fuel to get back to the finals and win it. It was the revenge tour, and the Lynx did use it as fuel to storm to the league's best record. They were so far and away better than everybody else that they clinched with many games to play, and the injury that knocked out Napheesa Collier for some games didn't even matter.

They did seem to lose some of their edge late in the season. I didn't think too much of it. No reason to think they weren't going to make a deep playoff run again.

But the Lynx never did seem like themselves in the playoffs. The first round against the Valkyries was a 2 game sweep, but they needed a massive comeback to win game 2, and even started slow in game 1 before turning it on.

Then came a twist. The next opponent was not the Liberty, who were knocked out by the Phoenix Mercury.

A week ago, the Lynx spotted Phoenix a halftime lead before playing a superb 2nd half to grab a 1-0 lead. Then, in game 2, they held a 20-point lead midway through the 3rd quarter. There was no universe in which I would have thought the events of the next 2+ games were possible. 

The Lynx, the #1 defense in the league, blew it. At home. Shocking as it gets. It went to OT, but as in last year's fateful game 5, the Lynx were a black hole in the extra frame.

Walking off the court after this collapse turned out to be the last time they would see Target Center.

Game 3 was tight, but again the Lynx had a lead in the 4th quarter that they blew. This time it was also the offense falling miserably. Maria Kliundikova gave the best offense in the 4th, and that's not good.

The capper on the misery was the steal on Collier by Alyssa Thomas in the final moments. Collier was badly hurt on the play, Cheryl Reeve blew a gasket, and the game was lost.

To be sure, the officiating in this series was horrible, and titled badly in Phoenix's favor. They got far more free throws, and the games were not called evenly at all. Phoenix was allowed to maul at will.

Thankfully, Phee's injury might not be as much of a long-term thing as it looked, but it knocked her out for game 4. And Reeve was suspended.

It was going to take an all-time effort just to force a game 5, and the Lynx tried. But yet again, the same things happened. The Lynx had a 14-point 1st half lead, but had blown it by halftime. Then they built up a 13 point lead after 3, but the same god damn thing happened again. The 4th quarter was a nightmare of terrible offense and imploding defense. It was like a rerun. 

Kayla McBride gave it everything she had, scoring 31 for the game, but it wasn't enough. The final moments of this game were heartbreaking. This was not how this season was supposed to end.

But the 2025 Lynx were just not as good as last year, not close. Collier elevated to what should have been an MVP, but last year's run was fueled by amazing seasons by Bridget Carleton, Alanna Smith, and Courtney Williams. This year, Carleton regressed badly on offense, Smith was co-DPOY but was rarely an offensive threat, and Williams's hot and cold play was a lot chillier. 

Missing Dijonai Carrington hurt. That was such a big trade when it happened. Would it have made the difference? I don't know. 

Championship teams don't blow 20-point leads at home. They don't blow the 2 leads tonight. They just don't. The Lynx were so good last year, and much of this year. But this time they wilted in the big moments. And that 5th title, and Phee's 1st, will have to wait. They might never come. I think this series slams the door on this particular incarnation of the Lynx.

The 2026 Lynx will be very different. There's going to be a massive free agent turnover in the whole league. There's another expansion draft coming. And the Lynx will have that high draft pick they got from Chicago. 

That pick HAS to be a homerun selection. It needs to be a star. It can't be Diamond Miller or Alissa Pili.

You don't run this overall group back again. The only players I would 100% bring back are Phee, Hiedeman, and probably McBride. I don't see any point in going more defensive. What good is a #1 defense when it blows all these big leads? You need scorers. Phoenix killed you because every player they had out there was a major scoring threat AND could play defense. You can teach defense. You can scheme defense.

It's not like the future is hopeless for the Lynx or anything. Of course not. But this season is still a massive disappointment considering what should have been.