2024 Minnesota Lynx season

The 2024 Minnesota Lynx season was the 26th season for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association, and the fifteenth season under head coach Cheryl Reeve.

The season tipped-off on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in Seattle against the Seattle Storm.

The Lynx went 4–1 in the WNBA Commissioner's Cup Western Conference standings, and clinched a spot in the Cup Final against the New York Liberty on June 13, 2024. This is the first time in the Lynx history that they represented the Western Conference in the Cup, since it started in 2021. Napheesa Collier was named MVP of the 2024 WNBA Commissioner's Cup Final, as the Lynx defeated the Liberty 94–89.

Cheryl Reeve was named the Coach of the Year and Napheesa Collier was named the Defensive Player of the Year on September 22, 2024. Collier was also named to the AP All-WNBA First team.

The Lynx wrapped the season having won 14 out of the 16 games after the Olympic break. The team had the highest number of assists per game and highest three-point shooting percentage in the league. A little over 76% of their baskets were done with an assist in the regular season. They finished the regular season with a 30–10 record and headed into the playoffs ranked second in the league.

The players have noted the early chemistry of the team even with several players added to the roster this season. Alanna Smith on this year's team: "We've all acknowledged that we've never been on a team quite like what we are now and it's kind of fitting we've drawn it out as long as possible, with both series' going to five games, because we don't want to leave each other," Smith laughs.

"We've all had so much fun playing together, it's been an absolute joy to be around this team, the coaches and staff. It's really rare to be a part of something like this and it's really rare to experience that and also win as well."

Seimone Augustus commented on the 2024 team chemistry and culture: "Every player kind of resembles one of the players from the original dynasty team, as far as their game and how they approach the game. Even their character, their personalities, I’m like, ‘We’re back, we’re back in the mix‘."

Playoffs

In the postseason opener against the Phoenix Mercury at Target Center on September 22, 2024, the Lynx made playoff history by having seven players with 3+ assists. This had never happened in the playoffs and only happened six times in the regular season. The team also had the largest assist rate in WNBA playoffs history with 30 assists on 34 field goals made. The Lynx won over the Mercury with a score of 102–95. The Lynx swept the Mercury by winning the second game on September 25, 2024, with a score of 101–88, advancing to the semifinals against the Connecticut Sun. In these two games, the Lynx set the highest amount of assists on field goals made (FGM) with 58 assists on 68 FGM (85.3% of makes assisted on).

Semifinals

With the Lynx win against the Sun on October 8, 2024, in game 5 of the semifinals, the Lynx have the most postseason wins in WNBA history (with 48). In this same game, the Lynx set another league record by having three players in a postseason game have 16+ field goal attempts while shooting 50+%. The three Lynx players were Napheesa Collier, Courtney Williams, and Kayla McBride. The Lynx went to the finals for the seventh time, the most in WNBA history.

Finals

In Game 1 of the finals against the New York Liberty on October 10, 2024, the Lynx became the first WNBA team in postseason history to win after trailing by 15+ points in the final five minutes of regulation. The Lynx won in overtime 95–93. The Lynx also became the first team to win a WNBA finals game in overtime on the road. The trio of Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, and Courtney Williams became the first in Lynx history to each score 20+ points in a finals game. The game had the highest number of viewers of any WNBA Finals Game 1 with 1.1 million viewers and 1.5 million viewers at the peak.

Transactions

WNBA draft

Transactions

Roster changes

Additions

Subtractions

Roster

Depth

Schedule

Pre-season

|- | 1 | May 3 | Chicago | W 92–81 | Collier, Williams (17) | Époupa, Traylor (5) | Natisha Hiedeman (6) | Target Center<br>7,010 | 1–0 |- | 2 | May 8 | @ Washington | W 83–77 | Napheesa Collier (15) | Napheesa Collier (7) | Courtney Williams (6) | Entertainment and Sports Arena<br>4,112 | 2–0

Regular season

|- | 1 | May 14 | @ Seattle | W 83–70 | Alanna Smith (22) | Napheesa Collier (12) | Courtney Williams (7) | Climate Pledge Arena<br>8,508 | 1–0 |- | 2 | May 17 | Seattle | W 102–93 (2OT) | Napheesa Collier (29) | Napheesa Collier (9) | Natisha Hiedeman (7) | Target Center<br>7,208 | 2–0 |- | 3 | May 23 | @ Connecticut | L 82–83 (OT) | Napheesa Collier (31) | Napheesa Collier (11) | Courtney Williams (6) | Mohegan Sun Arena<br>6,152 | 2–1 |- | 4 | May 25 | New York | W 84–67 | Smith, Collier (15) | Napheesa Collier (12) | McBride, Williams (5) | Target Center<br>7,010 | 3–1 |- | 5 | May 26 | @ Atlanta | W 92–79 | Kayla McBride (31) | Napheesa Collier (8) | Napheesa Collier (7) | Gateway Center Arena<br>3,265 | 4–1 |- | 6 | May 29 | Las Vegas | L 66–80 | Napheesa Collier (18) | Napheesa Collier (13) | Courtney Williams (8) | Target Center<br>7,409 | 4–2 |- | 7 | May 31 | Phoenix | W 95–71 | Alissa Pili (20) | Napheesa Collier (11) | Hiedeman, Williams (5) | Target Center<br>7,035 | 5–2

|- | 8 | June 2 | Dallas | W 87–76 | Kayla McBride (25) | Napheesa Collier (14) | Carleton, Collier, McBride (4) | Target Center<br>7,024 | 6–2 |- | 9 | June 5 | @ Los Angeles | W 86–62 | Napheesa Collier (25) | Napheesa Collier (9) | Hiedeman, Smith, Williams (4) | Crypto.com Arena<br>8,104 | 7–2 |- | 10 | June 7 | @ Phoenix | L 80–81 | Kayla McBride (25) | Napheesa Collier (12) | Collier, Smith (6) | Footprint Center<br>9,052 | 7–3 |- | 11 | June 9 | Seattle | W 83–64 | Kayla McBride (32) | Napheesa Collier (14) | Époupa, Smith (7) | Target Center<br>7,121 | 8–3 |- | 12 | June 11 | @ Las Vegas | W 100–86 | Alanna Smith (18) | Napheesa Collier (6) | Courtney Williams (9) | Michelob Ultra Arena<br>10,368 | 9–3 |- | 13 | June 14 | Los Angeles | W 81–76 | Napheesa Collier (30) | Courtney Williams (8) | Courtney Williams (10) | Target Center<br>8,117 | 10–3 |- | 14 | June 17 | Dallas | W 90–78 | Kayla McBride (19) | Alanna Smith (9) | Kayla McBride (7) | Target Center<br>8,314 | 11–3 |- | 15 | June 19 | Atlanta | W 68–55 | Napheesa Collier (16) | Dorka Juhász (11) | Courtney Williams (6) | Target Center<br>8,206 | 12–3 |- | 16 | June 22 | Phoenix | W 73–60 | Napheesa Collier (23) | Napheesa Collier (14) | Alanna Smith (5) | Target Center<br>8,769 | 13–3 |- | Commissioner's<br>Cup Final | June 25 | New York | W 94–89 | Bridget Carleton (23) | Collier, Smith (6) | Courtney Williams (8) | UBS Arena<br>7,015 | — |- | 17 | June 27 | @ Dallas | L 88–94 | Napheesa Collier (29) | Napheesa Collier (11) | Carleton, Collier, McBride,<br>Smith, Williams (4) | College Park Center<br>6,251 | 13–4 |- | 18 | June 30 | @ Chicago | W 70–62 | Kayla McBride (16) | Napheesa Collier (11) | Napheesa Collier (6) | Wintrust Arena<br>9,025 | 14–4

|- | 19 | July 2 | @ New York | L 67–76 | Kayla McBride (17) | Napheesa Collier (10) | Collier, Smith (6) | Barclays Center<br>10,846 | 14–5 |- | 20 | July 4 | Connecticut | L 73–78 | Alanna Smith (14) | Kayla McBride (8) | Courtney Williams (6) | Target Center<br>7,508 | 14–6 |- | 21 | July 6 | Washington | W 74–67 | McBride, Williams (17) | Dorka Juhász (11) | Courtney Williams (7) | Target Center<br>7,610 | 15–6 |- | 22 | July 9 | @ Los Angeles | W 82–67 | Bridget Carleton (16) | Juhász, Smith (6) | Courtney Williams (5) | Crypto.com Arena<br>9,533 | 16–6 |- | 23 | July 12 | @ Seattle | L 63–91 | Kayla McBride (27) | Dorka Juhász (7) | Alanna Smith (5) | Climate Pledge Arena<br>8,320 | 16–7 |- | 24 | July 14 | Indiana | L 74–81 | Alanna Smith (18) | Alanna Smith (8) | Courtney Williams (7) | Target Center<br>18,978 | 16–8 |- | 25 | July 17 | Atlanta | W 86–79 | Kayla McBride (30) | Alanna Smith (10) | Courtney Williams (9) | Target Center<br>15,013 | 17–8

|- | 26 | August 15 | Washington | W 79–68 | Napheesa Collier (17) | Napheesa Collier (12) | Courtney Williams (5) | Target Center<br>7,224 | 18–8 |- | 27 | August 17 | @ Washington | W 99–83 | Napheesa Collier (30) | Smith, Williams (7) | Natisha Hiedeman (6) | Entertainment and Sports Arena<br>4,200 | 19–8 |- | 28 | August 21 | @ Las Vegas | W 98–87 | Napheesa Collier (23) | Collier, Williams (7) | Courtney Williams (10) | Michelob Ultra Arena<br>10,429 | 20–8 |- | 29 | August 23 | Las Vegas | W 87–74 | Napheesa Collier (27) | Napheesa Collier (18) | Napheesa Collier (5) | Target Center<br>9,124 | 21–8 |- | 30 | August 24 | Indiana | W 90–80 | Napheesa Collier (31) | Napheesa Collier (5) | Courtney Williams (6) | Target Center<br>19,023 | 22–8 |- | 31 | August 28 | @ Phoenix | W 89–76 | Kayla McBride (19) | Napheesa Collier (8) | Carleton, Collier, Williams (5) | Footprint Center<br>9,482 | 23–8 |- | 32 | August 30 | @ Dallas | L 76–94 | Napheesa Collier (17) | Napheesa Collier (10) | Napheesa Collier (5) | College Park Center<br>5,581 | 23–9

|- | 33 | September 1 | Chicago | W 79–74 | Courtney Williams (22) | Dorka Juhász (6) | Courtney Williams (6) | Target Center<br>8,421 | 24–9 |- | 34 | September 6 | @ Indiana | W 99–88 | Napheesa Collier (26) | Napheesa Collier (10) | Hines-Allen, Smith (5) | Gainbridge Fieldhouse<br>17,274 | 25–9 |- | 35 | September 8 | @ Washington | W 78–71 | Napheesa Collier (19) | Napheesa Collier (12) | Kayla McBride (4) | Entertainment and Sports Arena<br>4,200 | 26–9 |- | 36 | September 10 | @ Atlanta | W 76–64 | Kayla McBride (15) | Napheesa Collier (8) | Courtney Williams (7) | Gateway Center Arena<br>3,260 | 27–9 |- | 37 | September 13 | Chicago | W 83–66 | Napheesa Collier (20) | Alanna Smith (12) | Courtney Williams (10) | Target Center<br>8,810 | 28–9 |- | 38 | September 15 | @ New York | W 88–79 | Bridget Carleton (19) | Napheesa Collier (13) | Kayla McBride (6) | Barclays Center<br>14,246 | 29–9 |- | 39 | September 17 | @ Connecticut | W 78–76 | Napheesa Collier (25) | Kayla McBride (7) | Courtney Williams (12) | Mohegan Sun Arena<br>8,174 | 30–9 |- | 40 | September 19 | Los Angeles | L 51–68 | Miller, Pili (8) | Alanna Smith (8) | Hiedeman, Smith (3) | Target Center<br>7,908 | 30–10

Playoffs

|- style="background:#bbffbb" | 1 | September 22 | rowspan=2| Phoenix | W 102–95 | Napheesa Collier (38) | 3 players (6) | Courtney Williams (8) | Target Center<br>8,524 | 1–0 |- style="background:#bbffbb" | 2 | September 25 | W 101–88 | Napheesa Collier (42) | Collier, Smith (5) | Natisha Hiedeman (7) | Target Center<br>8,769 | 2–0

|- | 1 | September 29 | Connecticut | L 70–73 | Napheesa Collier (19) | Napheesa Collier (9) | 3 players (4) | Target Center<br>8,506 | 0–1 |- style="background:#bbffbb" | 2 | October 1 | Connecticut | W 74–70 | Courtney Williams (17) | Napheesa Collier (12) | Napheesa Collier (5) | Target Center<br>8,796 | 1–1 |- style="background:#bbffbb" | 3 | October 4 | @ Connecticut | W 90–81 | Napheesa Collier (26) | Napheesa Collier (11) | Courtney Williams (8) | Mohegan Sun Arena<br>8,268 | 2–1 |- | 4 | October 6 | @ Connecticut | L 82–92 | Napheesa Collier (29) | Napheesa Collier (13) | Kayla McBride (6) | Mohegan Sun Arena<br>7,849 | 2–2 |- style="background:#bbffbb" | 5 | October 8 | Connecticut | W 88-77 | Napheesa Collier (27) | Napheesa Collier (11) | Courtney Williams (7) | Target Center<br>8,769 | 3–2

|- style="background:#bbffbb" | 1 | October 10 | @ New York | W 95–93 (OT) | Courtney Williams (23) | Alanna Smith (9) | Courtney Williams (5) | Barclays Center<br>17,732 | 1–0 |- | 2 | October 13 | @ New York | L 66–80 | Napheesa Collier (16) | Napheesa Collier (8) | rowspan=2| Courtney Williams (8) | Barclays Center<br>18,046 | 1–1 |- | 3 | October 16 | New York | L 77–80 | Napheesa Collier (22) | Napheesa Collier (9) | Target Center<br>19,521 | 1–2 |- style="background:#bbffbb" | 4 | October 18 | New York | W 82–80 | Kayla McBride (19) | Napheesa Collier (9) | Courtney Williams (7) | Target Center<br>19,210 | 2–2 |- | 5 | October 20 | @ New York | L 62–67 (OT) | Napheesa Collier (22) | Alanna Smith (8) | Kayla McBride (5) | Barclays Center<br>18,090 | 2–3

Standings

Playoffs

Statistics

Regular season

<br />^‡Waived/Released during the season <br />^â€ÂTraded during the season <br />^â‰ÂAcquired during the season

Playoffs

Awards and honors

References

External links