2021 Minnesota Lynx season
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The 2021 Minnesota Lynx season was the 23rd season for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association. The season began on May 14, 2021, versus the Phoenix Mercury.[1]
| 2021 Minnesota Lynx season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Cheryl Reeve |
| Arena | Target Center |
| Results | |
| Record | 22–10 (.688) |
| Place | 2nd (Western) |
| Playoff finish | 3rd seed, Lost in Second Round to Chicago Sky |
The 2021 season brought teams back to their home markets instead of playing in a "Bubble" like they did in the 2020 season. The Lynx returned to Target Center and played in front of limited fans. The Lynx also revealed new jerseys on April 8. Three new jerseys - Heroines, Explorers, and Rebels - were used through the season. Each uniform embodies player and team characteristics – attitude, potential, power, and honors not only our fans, but the community as well. The Rebel jersey is inspired by First Avenue.[2]
The Lynx started the season slowly, losing their first four games. However, they won their last game in May, in overtime, over the Connecticut Sun to finish May 1–4. The team's fortunes turned around in June as they posted a 7–3 record. They won their first two games and last three games of the month, and the middle contained a pattern of alternating losses and wins. In July, the Lynx continued their winning streak from the end of June, winning all four games in July. Their seven game winning streak before the Olympic break catapulted them to a 12–7 record at the break. Coming out of the break, the Lynx won their first game before losing two straight games in Connecticut. After those back to back losses, they won five straight games. The streak was ended on September 8 in Las Vegas. However, the team won its last four games, which included three straight wins against Indiana, who finished last in the league. Their 4–2 August record, combined with a 6–1 September mark saw the Lynx finish 22–10 in third place in the standings. The team also had a remarkable 13–3 home record during the season, tied for second best in the league.
As the third seed in the 2021 WNBA Playoffs, the Lynx earned a bye into the second round, and would host the lowest remaining seed from the first round. The Lynx drew Chicago, the 6th seed as their opponent. Chicago finished the season 16–16 but defeated the Lynx 76–89 in the game to end the Lynx' season.
Transactions
WNBA draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | School/team/country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | Rennia Davis |  United States |
Tennessee |
Trades/Roster Changes
| Date | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| September 10, 2020 | Signed F Damiris Dantas to a multi-year contract extension.[3] | |
| December 4, 2020 | Exercised Rookie Contract Options on F Napheesa Collier and Jessica Shepard.[4] | |
| December 18, 2020 | Renounced the rights to G Katerina Elhotova.[5] | |
| January 3, 2021 | Extended a Qualifying Offer to F Temi Fagbenle, G Anna Cruz, and G Bridget Carleton.[6] | |
| January 8, 2021 | Signed G Bridget Carleton to a training-camp contract.[7] | |
| January 13, 2021 | Extended a Qualifying Offer to F Erica McCall.[8] | |
| February 1, 2021 | Signed G Kayla McBride and F Natalie Achonwa.[9] | |
| February 6, 2021 | Signed and Traded F Erica McCall to the Washington Mystics for a 2022 3rd Round Pick.[10] | |
| February 10, 2021 | Traded F Mikiah Herbert Harrigan to the Seattle Storm for a 2022 1st Round Pick (via the Phoenix Mercury).[11] | |
| February 13, 2021 | Signed G Linnae Harper to a training-camp contract.[12] | |
| February 15, 2021 | Signed F Aerial Powers.[13] | |
| Traded G Odyssey Sims, the exclusive negotiating rights to F Temi Fagbenle, Minnesota's own 2022 First Round Pick, and Minnesota's own 2022 Third Round Pick to the Indiana Fever for Indiana's own 2022 Second Round Pick.[14] | ||
| April 3, 2021 | Signed G Mikayla Pivec to a Training Camp contract.[15] | |
| April 16, 2021 | Signed F Asheika Alexander to a training-camp contract.[16] | |
| April 17, 2021 | Waived G Lexie Brown. | |
| Signed G Japreece Dean, G Selena Lott, C Mikayla Vaughn, and F Alex Wittinger to training-camp contracts.[17] | ||
| April 19, 2021 | Signed F Rennia Davis[18] | |
| April 29, 2021 | Waived F Alex Wittinger[19] | |
| May 6, 2021 | Waived G Japreece Dean[20] | |
| May 10, 2021 | Waived G Asheika Alexander and C Mikayla Vaughn[21] | |
| May 10, 2021 | Waived G Linnae Harper[22] | |
| May 13, 2021 | Waived G Mikayla Pivec and G Selena Lott[23] | |
| Re-Signed G Linnae Harper to Hardship Contract[24] | ||
| Temporary Suspend F Napheesa Collier due to Overseas Commitments[25][26] | ||
| May 13, 2021 | Released G Linnae Harper from Hardship Contract[27] | |
| Activated F Napheesa Collier from Temporary Suspension List | ||
| May 30, 2021 | Sign G Layshia Clarendon to a Hardship Contract[28] | |
| June 11, 2021 | Released G Layshia Clarendon from the Hardship Contract[29] | |
| June 12, 2021 | Signed G Layshia Clarendon to a Hardship Contract[30] | |
| June 15, 2021 | Signed F Cierra Burdick to a Hardship Contract[31] | |
| June 20, 2021 | Released G Layshia Clarendon and F Cierra Burdick from their Hardship Contract[32] | |
| June 21, 2021 | Re-Sign G Layshia Clarendon to a Hardship Contract[33] | |
| June 28, 2021 | Waive G Rachel Banham[34] | |
| June 30, 2021 | Release G Layshia Clarendon from the Hardship Contract[35] | |
| July 2, 2021 | Sign G Layshia Clarendon[36] | |
| July 5, 2021 | Sign G Rachel Banham[37] | |
| July 6, 2021 | Sign F Natasha Mack to a 7-day contract[38] | |
| August 14, 2021 | Release F Natasha Mack from the 7-day contract[39] | |
| September 10, 2021 | Signed F/C Jillian Alleyne to a 7-day contract[40] | |
| September 19, 2021 | Signed F/C Jillian Alleyne to a Rest of Season Contract[41] | |
Roster
| 2021 Minnesota Lynx roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Depth
Schedule
Preseason
| 2021 pre-season game log | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May: 1–1 (Home: 1–0; Road: 0–1)
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| 2021 pre-season schedule | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- The preseason game vs. Atlanta was a scrimmage. The second half gave both teams multiple possessions and was not played like a real game.[42]
Regular season
Playoffs
| 2021 playoff game log Total: 0–1 | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Second round
| ||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 playoff schedule | ||||||||||||||||||
Standings
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Conf. | Home | Road | Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | x – Connecticut Sun | 26 | 6 | .813 | – | 12–3 | 15–1 | 11–5 | 9–1 |
| 2 | x – Las Vegas Aces | 24 | 8 | .750 | 2 | 11–4 | 13–3 | 11–5 | 6–4 |
| 3 | x – Minnesota Lynx | 22 | 10 | .688 | 4 | 10–5 | 13–3 | 9–7 | 7–3 |
| 4 | x – Seattle Storm | 21 | 11 | .656 | 5 | 9–6 | 11–5 | 10–6 | 8–2 |
| 5 | x – Phoenix Mercury | 19 | 13 | .594 | 7 | 6–9 | 7–9 | 12–4 | 5–5 |
| 6 | x – Chicago Sky | 16 | 16 | .500 | 10 | 10–5 | 6–10 | 10–6 | 6–4 |
| 7 | x – Dallas Wings | 14 | 18 | .438 | 12 | 7–8 | 7–9 | 7–9 | 3–7 |
| 8 | x – New York Liberty | 12 | 20 | .375 | 14 | 6–9 | 7–9 | 5–11 | 5–5 |
| 9 | e – Washington Mystics | 12 | 20 | .375 | 14 | 7–8 | 8–8 | 4–12 | 4–6 |
| 10 | e – Los Angeles Sparks | 12 | 20 | .375 | 14 | 2–13 | 8–8 | 4–12 | 1–9 |
| 11 | e – Atlanta Dream | 8 | 24 | .250 | 18 | 6–9 | 4–12 | 4–12 | 4–6 |
| 12 | e – Indiana Fever | 6 | 26 | .188 | 20 | 4–11 | 4–12 | 2–14 | 2–8 |
Playoffs
| First round single elimination Sept. 23 | Second round single elimination Sept. 26 | Semifinals Best-of-5 Sept. 28 – Oct. 8 | Finals Best-of-5 Oct. 10 – 17 | |||||||||||||||
| 2 | Las Vegas Aces | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Seattle Storm | 80 | 5 | Phoenix Mercury | 3 | |||||||||||||
| 5 | Phoenix Mercury | 83 | 5 | Phoenix Mercury | 85OT | 5 | Phoenix Mercury | 1 | ||||||||||
| 8 | New York Liberty | 82 | 6 | Chicago Sky | 3 | |||||||||||||
| 1 | Connecticut Sun | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Minnesota Lynx | 76 | 6 | Chicago Sky | 3 | |||||||||||||
| 6 | Chicago Sky | 81 | 6 | Chicago Sky | 89 | |||||||||||||
| 7 | Dallas Wings | 64 | ||||||||||||||||
Note: Teams re-seeded after each round.
- Bold – Game or series winner
- Italic – Team with home-court advantage
Statistics
| Legend | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game | RPG | Rebounds per game |
| APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game | BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage | TO | Turnovers per game |
| PF | Fouls per game | Team leader | League leader | ||||
Regular season
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Napheesa Collier | 29 | 29 | 34.6 | 44.1 | 25.3 | 86.0 | 6.6 | 3.2 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 16.2 |
| Sylvia Fowles | 31 | 31 | 30.1 | 64.0 | 0.0 | 75.5 | 10.1 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 16.0 |
| Kayla McBride | 32 | 32 | 31.6 | 43.3 | 37.9 | 91.0 | 3.6 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 13.7 |
| Aerial Powers | 14 | 7 | 22.1 | 42.7 | 31.4 | 91.7 | 3.6 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 13.4 |
| Layshia Clarendon | 21 | 20 | 25.7 | 51.7 | 35.7 | 78.4 | 3.1 | 5.7 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 10.4 |
| Damiris Dantas | 24 | 20 | 23.8 | 37.7 | 33.3 | 75.0 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 7.7 |
| Crystal Dangerfield | 31 | 10 | 20.1 | 38.8 | 35.9 | 85.7 | 2.0 | 2.8 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 7.7 |
| Rachel Banham | 27 | 0 | 12.6 | 39.5 | 37.3 | 62.5 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 5.0 |
| Bridget Carleton | 32 | 10 | 19.3 | 40.1 | 36.5 | 80.0 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 4.8 |
| Natalie Achonwa | 21 | 1 | 12.0 | 42.6 | 0.0 | 89.3 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 3.7 |
| Jessica Shepard | 22 | 0 | 10.5 | 36.4 | 8.3 | 75.0 | 3.2 | 1.7 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 2.0 |
| Jillian Alleyne | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Rennia Davis | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Awards and Milestones
| Recipient | Award/Milestone | Date Awarded | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kayla McBride | 3,000th Career Point | June 17 (vs. Dallas) | [43] |
| Napheesa Collier | 1,000th Career Point | June 30 (vs. Phoenix) | [44] |
| Sylvia Fowles | Western Conference Player of the Week | June 28 | [45] |
| Napheesa Collier | WNBA All-Star Selection | June 30 | [46] |
| Sylvia Fowles | |||
| Sylvia Fowles | Western Conference Player of the Month | September 2 | [47] |
| WNBA All-Defensive First Team | September 26 | [48] | |
| WNBA Defensive Player of the Year | [49] | ||
| All-WNBA Second Team | October 15 | [50] |