2023 Minnesota Lynx season
WNBA team season
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The 2023 Minnesota Lynx season was the 25th season for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association, and the fourteenth season under head coach Cheryl Reeve.
| 2023 Minnesota Lynx season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Cheryl Reeve |
| Arena | Target Center |
| Results | |
| Record | 19–21 (.475) |
| Place | 3rd (Western) |
| Playoff finish | 6th seed; Lost 1st Round 1–2 to Connecticut |
| Media | |
| Television | Bally Sports North ESPN CBS Sports Network ION Amazon Prime Video |
Reeve signed a multi-year contract extension to return as Head Coach in November, while also moving from general manager to president of basketball operations.[1] On December 13, 2022, the Lynx announced Clare Duwelius as the fourth General Manager in franchise history.
The Lynx earned the second overall pick through the 2023 WNBA Draft Lottery. They went into the lottery selection holding the fourth best odds to get the first overall pick, but still moved up two selections.[2]
On November 22, 2022, Natalie Achonwa announced her pregnancy via Instagram.[3]
The WNBA announced that the first WNBA Canada Game would feature the Chicago Sky and the Lynx on Saturday, May 13, 2023, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON. This would be the first-ever WNBA preseason game in Canada.[4]
On September 4, Napheesa Collier was announced as the first-ever winner of the Sylvia Fowles Altruism Award. The Sylvia Fowles Altruism Award will be an annual award recognizing a Lynx player who best embodies the altruistic traits of kindness, selflessness and overall regard for the well-being of others throughout the community.[5]
The Lynx season started out slowly as they lost five straight games to start the season, ending May 0–5. The losing streak was extended to six as the Lynx lost their first game in June. They won their first game of the season on June 3. They followed up the win with another loss, but then beat Los Angeles back to back. They lost two of their next three games, but won two straight games against Seattle to end June with a 6–4 record. Their two-game win streak carried over into July, where the Lynx won their first three games of the month. This five game winning streak was followed by a three-game losing streak. The Lynx would win four of their last five games of the month to finish July with a 7–4 record, and make it back to .500 overall. The better fortunes would not stick around to begin August as the Lynx lost three of their first four games. They did win three of their next four before losing the last two games of the month to finish August 4–6. Entering September, the Lynx were solidly in the hunt for a playoff spot. They won their first two games of the month and secured a playoff spot on September 5. They would lose their last two games of the season and finish September 2–2.
The Lynx finished the season 19–21, which saw them finish in a tie for fifth place in the playoff standings. In the tiebreaker with the Atlanta Dream and the Washington Mystics they finished second. The tiebreaker was overall record against the teams and Minnesota was 3–3. As the sixth overall seed in the 2023 WNBA Playoffs the Lynx would face off against the Connecticut Sun, with the first two games of the series being in Connecticut. In the first game of the series, the Sun got off to a hot start and ended up winning game one 90–60. Needing to win to force a third game, the Lynx won a close game in Connecticut 82–75. However, they could not seal the series at home, losing 75–90 to end their season.
Transactions
WNBA draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | School/Team/Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Diamond Miller |  United States |
Maryland |
| 1 | 12 | Maïa Hirsch |  France |
ESB Villeneuve-d'Ascq |
| 2 | 16 | Dorka Juhász |  Hungary |
UConn |
| 2 | 24 | Brea Beal | United States |
South Carolina |
| 3 | 28 | Taylor Soule | United States |
Virginia Tech |
Transactions
| Date | Transaction | |
|---|---|---|
| November 3, 2022 | Signed Head Coach Cheryl Reeve to Multi-Year Contract Extension. Reeve also promoted to President of basketball operations[6] | |
| December 13, 2022 | Named Clare Duwelius as General Manager[7] | |
| January 13, 2023 | Extended Qualifying Offers to Bridget Carleton and Anna Cruz[8] | |
| January 16, 2023 | Maya Moore officially announced her retirement from the WNBA[9] | |
| February 3, 2023 | Signed Damiris Dantas, Bridget Carleton, Lindsay Allen, Nikolina Milić, and Tiffany Mitchell[10] | |
| February 4, 2023 | Signed Kiana Williams, Stephanie Watts, and Maya Dodson to Training Camp Contracts[11] | |
| February 18, 2023 | Signed Rachel Banham[12] | |
| March 15, 2023 | Hired Kristin Haynie as Assistant Coach[13] | |
| April 14, 2023 | Signed Diamond Miller, Dorka Juhász, Brea Beal, and Taylor Soule to Rookie Scale Contracts[14] | |
| Signed Myah Selland and Keishana Washington to Training Camp Contracts[15] | ||
| April 20, 2023 | Assistant Coach Kristin Haynie announces she will leave to become the head coach at Central Michigan[16] | |
| April 26, 2023 | Hired Elaine Powell as Assistant Coach[17] | |
| May 3, 2023 | Waived Keishana Washington[18] | |
| May 8, 2023 | Waived Stephanie Watts and Kiana Williams[19] | |
| May 14, 2023 | Waived Maya Dodson and Myah Selland[20] | |
| May 16, 2023 | Waived Brea Beal[21] | |
| May 18, 2023 | Waived Damiris Dantas and Taylor Soule[22] | |
| Placed Natalie Achonwa on the Inactive List due to Pregnancy/Child-Birth | ||
| June 14, 2023 | Signed Emily Engstler to a Hardship Contract[23] | |
| June 26, 2023 | Signed Kayana Traylor to a Hardship Contract[24] | |
| July 20, 2023 | Released Kayana Traylor from the Hardship Contract[25] | |
| July 26, 2023 | Released Emily Engstler from the Hardship Contract[26] | |
| July 28, 2023 | Signed Emily Engstler to a 7-Day Contract[27] | |
| September 8, 2023 | Signed Kayla McBride to a Contract Extension[28] | |
Roster Changes
Additions
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Subtractions
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Roster
| 2023 Minnesota Lynx roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Depth
Schedule
Preseason
| 2023 game log Total: 1–1 (Home: 1–0; Road: 0–1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May: 1–1 (Home: 1–0; Road: 0–1)
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| 2023 season schedule | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Regular season
Playoffs
| 2023 playoff game log | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First Round vs. Connecticut Lost Series: 1–2
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| 2023 playoff schedule | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Standings
| # | Team |
W | L | PCT | GB | Conf. | Home | Road | Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | x – Las Vegas Aces | 34 | 6 | .850 | – | 18–2 | 19–1 | 15–5 | 9–1 |
| 2 | x – New York Liberty | 32 | 8 | .800 | 2 | 16–4 | 15–5 | 17–3 | 7–3 |
| 3 | x – Connecticut Sun | 27 | 13 | .675 | 7 | 14–6 | 13–7 | 14–6 | 7–3 |
| 4 | x – Dallas Wings | 22 | 18 | .550 | 12 | 11–9 | 11–9 | 11–9 | 6–4 |
| 5 | x – Atlanta Dream | 19 | 21 | .475 | 15 | 11–9 | 11–9 | 8–12 | 6–4 |
| 6 | x – Minnesota Lynx | 19 | 21 | .475 | 15 | 12–8 | 9–11 | 10–10 | 5–5 |
| 7 | x – Washington Mystics | 19 | 21 | .475 | 15 | 9–11 | 12–8 | 7–13 | 5–5 |
| 8 | x – Chicago Sky | 18 | 22 | .450 | 16 | 5–15 | 7–13 | 11–9 | 3–7 |
| 9 | e – Los Angeles Sparks | 17 | 23 | .425 | 17 | 9–11 | 10–10 | 7–13 | 5–5 |
| 10 | e – Indiana Fever | 13 | 27 | .325 | 21 | 5–15 | 6–14 | 7–13 | 2–8 |
| 11 | e – Seattle Storm | 11 | 29 | .275 | 23 | 8–12 | 4–16 | 7–13 | 4–6 |
| 12 | e – Phoenix Mercury | 9 | 31 | .225 | 25 | 2–18 | 8–12 | 1–19 | 1–9 |
Playoffs
| First round Best-of-3 | Semifinals Best-of-5 | Finals Best-of-5 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Las Vegas Aces | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | Chicago Sky | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Las Vegas Aces | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Dallas Wings | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Dallas Wings | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 5 | Atlanta Dream | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Las Vegas Aces | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | New York Liberty | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | New York Liberty | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 7 | Washington Mystics | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | New York Liberty | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Connecticut Sun | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Connecticut Sun | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Minnesota Lynx | 1 | ||||||||||||
- Bold – 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 | 37 | 37 | 33.5 | .485 | .298 | .840 | 8.5 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 21.5 |
| Kayla McBride | 38 | 38 | 31.8 | .424 | .342 | .867 | 3.2 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 14.3 |
| Diamond Miller | 32 | 32 | 26.1 | .403 | .307 | .800 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 12.1 |
| Jessica Shepard | 21 | 17 | 26.9 | .516 | .000 | .774 | 7.0 | 3.1 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 8.1 |
| Tiffany Mitchell | 33 | 21 | 23.1 | .404 | .289 | .833 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 7.3 |
| Lindsay Allen | 29 | 20 | 24.1 | .399 | .206 | .792 | 2.4 | 4.5 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 6.2 |
| Dorka Juhász | 38 | 27 | 24.2 | .472 | .271 | .540 | 6.5 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 6.0 |
| Nikolina Milić | 39 | 3 | 12.7 | .464 | .364 | .804 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 5.9 |
| Rachel Banham | 32 | 1 | 13.6 | .370 | .402 | .786 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 5.5 |
| Aerial Powers | 20 | 0 | 9.8 | .345 | .337 | .733 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 3.2 |
| Bridget Carleton | 38 | 4 | 15.1 | .345 | .337 | .733 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 3.2 |
| Emily Engstler‡ | 12 | 0 | 7.8 | .381 | .286 | .375 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.8 |
| Kayana Traylor‡ | 8 | 0 | 4.4 | .300 | .000 | 1.000 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
‡Waived/Released during the season
†Traded during the season
≠Acquired during the season
Playoffs
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Napheesa Collier | 3 | 3 | 36.0 | .509 | .333 | .867 | 8.0 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 23.7 |
| Kayla McBride | 3 | 3 | 39.3 | .432 | .370 | 1.000 | 6.0 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 18.0 |
| Bridget Carleton | 3 | 0 | 24.0 | .600 | .444 | .750 | 3.7 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 8.3 |
| Diamond Miller | 3 | 3 | 23.0 | .261 | .222 | .667 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 5.3 |
| Dorka Juhász | 3 | 3 | 24.0 | .500 | .000 | .455 | 5.0 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 5.0 |
| Rachel Banham | 3 | 0 | 19.7 | .316 | .231 | .000 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 5.0 |
| Aerial Powers | 1 | 0 | 14.0 | .000 | .000 | 1.000 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 |
| Tiffany Mitchell | 3 | 3 | 21.7 | .417 | .500 | .000 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 3.7 |
| Nikolina Milić | 3 | 0 | 7.3 | .400 | .000 | 1.000 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
Awards and honors
| Recipient | Award/Milestone | Date Awarded | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Napheesa Collier | WNBA All-Star | July 1 | [30] |
| Western Conference Player of the Week | July 5 | [31] | |
| September 4 | [32] | ||
| Sylvia Fowles Altruism Award | September 4 | [5] | |
| All-Defensive Second Team | September 22 | [33] | |
| All-WNBA First Team | October 15 | [34] | |
| Diamond Miller | Rookie of the Month - July | August 2 | [35] |
| WNBA All-Rookie Team | October 2 | [36] | |
| Dorka Juhász | WNBA All-Rookie Team | October 2 | [36] |