# 2018 Minnesota Lynx season

The 2018 WNBA season of the Minnesota Lynx was their 20th season in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Lynx finished the 2017 season with a record of 27–7, finishing first in the Western Conference (and the league as a whole) and qualifying for the playoffs, before ultimately beating Los Angeles in the WNBA Finals to win their league-tying best fourth championship.
The Lynx returned to the home arena, Target Center, for the 2018 season, following a year playing at the Xcel Energy Center and Williams Arena due to renovations.
The season started out shakily for the Lynx, going 2–3 in May. The Lynx lost their season opener in a re-match of last years finals to Los Angeles. They also lost on the road to the eventual #2 and #3 playoff seeds, Atlanta and Washington. However, the Lynx turned it around in June, posting a 7–3 record. This included a 6-game winning streak, which included wins over 4 eventual playoff teams. Momentum slowed in July, with the Lynx going 6–4. Three of their four losses in July came versus teams that ended up missing the playoffs. The Lynx finished the season on a cold note, going 3–6 in August. A two-game winning streak separated two three game losing streaks. However, the team won their last game of the season to secure the 7th seed in the playoffs.
The Lynx first-round playoff matchup saw them play in Los Angeles versus the Los Angeles Sparks. This match-up was a re-match of the past 3 WNBA Finals. The Lynx lost the game 68–75.

## Transactions
### WNBA draft

| Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | School/Team/Country |
| 2 | 17 | Park Ji-su | South Korea | Cheongju KB Stars (South Korea) |
| 2 | 24 | Kahlia Lawrence | United States | Mercer |
| 3 | 36 | Carlie Wagner | United States | Minnesota |

#### WNBA Draft Trades

The Lynx traded the drafts rights to Park Si-Ju and Kahlia Lawrence to the Las Vegas Aces in exchange for the draft rights to Jill Barta and the rights to the Aces's 2nd Round Pick in the 2019 Draft.

### Trades and Roster Changes

| Date | Trade |
| February 1, 2018 | Re-Signed F Rebekkah Brunson |
| February 7, 2018 | Traded F Natasha Howard to the Seattle Storm for a 2018 2nd Round Pick and the ability to swap 2019 1st Round Picks |
| February 7, 2018 | Re-Signed F Cecilia Zandalasini and Signed F Lynetta Kizer and F Endy Miyem |
| February 28, 2018 | Signed F Breanna Richardson |
| March 6, 2018 | Acquired G Danielle Robinson via trade from the Phoenix Mercury and a 2nd Round Pick in 2019 in exchange for the 12th Pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft |
| March 13, 2018 | Signed G Tanisha Wright |
| April 17, 2018 | Signed 3rd Round Picks F Jill Barta and G Carlie Wagner, F G'mrice Davis, F Camille Zimmerman, and C Vionise Pierre-Louis |
| May 4, 2018 | Waived F G'mrice Davis |
| May 5, 2018 | Signed F Jillian Alleyne |
| May 9, 2018 | Waived F Jill Barta, F Breanna Richardson, and C Vionise Pierre-Louis |
| May 15, 2018 | Waived F Jillian Alleyne and G Carlie Wagner |
| May 17, 2018 | Waived F Endy Miyem |
| June 6, 2018 | Re-signed F Endy Miyem |
| June 30, 2018 | Waived F Lynetta Kizer |
| July 5, 2018 | Signed F Lynetta Kizer to a 7-Day Contract |
| July 12, 2018 | Signed F Erlana Larkins to a 7-Day Contract |
| July 19, 2018 | Signed F Erlana Larkins to a 2nd 7-Day Contract |
| July 30, 2018 | Signed F Erlana Larkins to Rest-Of-Season Contract |
| August 13, 2018 | Waived F Endy Miyem |
| August 14, 2018 | Signed G Sydney Colson to Rest-Of-Season Contract |

### Additions

| Player | Date | Former Team |
| Lynetta Kizer | February 7, 2018 | Connecticut Sun |
| Danielle Robinson | March 6, 2018 | Phoenix Mercury |
| Tanisha Wright | March 13, 2018 | New York Liberty |
| Endy Miyem | June 6, 2018 | PF Schio (Italy) |

### Subtractions

| Player | Date | New Team |
| Plenette Pierson | August 21, 2017 | Retired |
| Renee Montgomery | February 1, 2018 | Atlanta Dream |
| Jia Perkins | February 1, 2018 | Retired |
| Natasha Howard | February 7, 2018 | Seattle Storm |

## Schedule
### Preseason

2018 pre-season game log Total: 1–1 (Home: 1–0; Road: 0–1) :
May: 1–1 (Home: 1–0; Road: 0–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
May 6
vs. Washington
L 85–90
Danielle Robinson (18)
Lynetta Kizer (6)
Tanisha Wright (4)
Wells Fargo Arena 4,203
0–1
2
May 12
Chicago
W 87–58
Sylvia Fowles (17)
Sylvia Fowles (9)
Maya Moore Danielle Robinson (5)
Target Center 5,024
1–1 :
2018 season schedule :

### Regular season

2018 game log Total: 18–16 (Home: 9–8; Road: 9–8) :
May: 2–3 (Home: 1–1; Road: 1–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
May 20
Los Angeles
L 76–77
Lindsay Whalen (17)
Sylvia Fowles (12)
Lindsay Whalen (9)
Target Center 13,032
0–1
2
May 23
Dallas
W 76–68
Sylvia Fowles (23)
Sylvia Fowles (20)
Lindsay Whalen (8)
Target Center 7,834
1–1
3
May 25
@ New York
W 78–72
Seimone Augustus (21)
Sylvia Fowles (11)
Danielle Robinson (5)
Westchester County Center 2,315
2–1
4
May 27
@ Washington
L 78–90
Maya Moore (18)
Sylvia Fowles (8)
Tied (4)
Capital One Arena 5,723
2–2
5
May 29
@ Atlanta
L 74–76
Maya Moore (18)
Sylvia Fowles (13)
Danielle Robinson (6)
McCamish Pavilion 3,785
2–3 :
June: 7–3 (Home: 4–1; Road: 3–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
6
June 1
Phoenix
L 85–95
Maya Moore (25)
Sylvia Fowles (11)
Tanisha Wright (4)
Target Center 8,830
2–4
7
June 3
@ Los Angeles
L 69–77
Maya Moore (18)
Sylvia Fowles (8)
Sylvia Fowles (5)
Staples Center 13,500
2–5
8
June 7
@ Washington
W 88–80
Sylvia Fowles (21)
Sylvia Fowles (12)
Danielle Robinson (5)
Capital One Arena 8,587
3–5
9
June 9
@ Connecticut
L 75–89
Sylvia Fowles (20)
Sylvia Fowles (14)
Alexis Jones (4)
Mohegan Sun Arena 6,771
3–6
10
June 16
New York
W 85–71
Sylvia Fowles (25)
Sylvia Fowles (9)
Danielle Robinson (8)
Target Center 9,114
4–6
11
June 19
Dallas
W 91–83
Maya Moore (21)
Sylvia Fowles (17)
Maya Moore (7)
Target Center 8,023
5–6
12
June 22
@ Phoenix
W 83–72
Maya Moore (23)
Rebekkah Brunson (11)
Maya Moore (5)
Talking Stick Resort Arena 11,349
6–6
13
June 24
@ Las Vegas
W 88–73
Maya Moore (23)
Sylvia Fowles (10)
Lindsay Whalen (9)
Mandalay Bay Arena 4,814
7–6
14
June 26
Seattle
W 91–79
Maya Moore (32)
Sylvia Fowles (17)
Rebekkah Brunson (6)
Target Center 8,634
8–6
15
June 29
Atlanta
W 85–74
Maya Moore (24)
Sylvia Fowles (15)
Lindsay Whalen (7)
Target Center 9,209
9–6 :
July: 6–4 (Home: 3–3; Road: 3–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
16
July 1
@ Dallas
W 76–72
Maya Moore (26)
Sylvia Fowles (9)
Lindsay Whalen (6)
College Park Center 4,448
10–6
17
July 3
Indiana
L 59–71
Rebekkah Brunson (13)
Rebekkah Brunson (12)
Rebekkah Brunson (6)
Target Center 8,632
10–7
18
July 5
Los Angeles
W 83–72
Sylvia Fowles (27)
Rebekkah Brunson (12)
Sylvia Fowles (7)
Target Center 9,303
11–7
19
July 7
@ Chicago
L 63–77
Maya Moore (16)
Sylvia Fowles (13)
Danielle Robinson (5)
Wintrust Arena 6,139
11–8
20
July 11
@ Indiana
W 87–65
Sylvia Fowles (20)
Sylvia Fowles (10)
Sylvia Fowles (7)
Bankers Life Fieldhouse 10,006
12–8
21
July 13
Las Vegas
L 77–85
Lindsay Whalen (22)
Sylvia Fowles (17)
Tied (5)
Target Center 9,813
12–9
22
July 15
Connecticut
L 64–83
Sylvia Fowles (12)
Sylvia Fowles (8)
Temi Fagbenle (4)
Target Center 9,234
12–10
23
July 18
Indiana
W 89–65
Sylvia Fowles (30)
Sylvia Fowles (16)
Erlana Larkins (8)
Target Center 17,933
13–10
24
July 21
@ Phoenix
W 80–75
Maya Moore (38)
Rebekkah Brunson (11)
Danielle Robinson (3)
Talking Stick Resort Arena 11,473
14–10
25
July 24
New York
W 85–82
Sylvia Fowles (27)
Sylvia Fowles (11)
Seimone Augustus (5)
Target Center 9,830
15–10 :
August: 3–6 (Home: 1–3; Road: 2–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
26
August 2
@ Los Angeles
L 57–79
Sylvia Fowles (14)
Sylvia Fowles (8)
Danielle Robinson (6)
Staples Center 9,542
15–11
27
August 3
@ Seattle
L 75–85
Sylvia Fowles (20)
Sylvia Fowles (16)
Rebekkah Brunson (5)
KeyArena 12,064
15–12
28
August 5
Atlanta
L 66–86
Sylvia Fowles (17)
Sylvia Fowles (10)
Maya Moore (4)
Target Center 9.333
15–13
29
August 7
@ Chicago
W 85–64
Maya Moore (31)
Sylvia Fowles (11)
Danielle Robinson (11)
Wintrust Arena 6,388
16–13
30
August 9
@ Las Vegas
W 89–73
Maya Moore (34)
Sylvia Fowles (19)
Tanisha Wright (6)
Mandalay Bay Arena 4,497
17–13
31
August 12
Seattle
L 72–81
Sylvia Fowles (28)
Sylvia Fowles (13)
Seimone Augustus (6)
Target Center 9,123
17–14
32
August 14
Chicago
L 88–91
Maya Moore (21)
Sylvia Fowles (13)
Tanisha Wright (6)
Target Center 9,730
17–15
33
August 17
@ Connecticut
L 79–96
Sylvia Fowles (25)
Sylvia Fowles (8)
Maya Moore (8)
Mohegan Sun Arena 7,089
17–16
34
August 19
Washington
W 88–83
Sylvia Fowles (26)
Sylvia Fowles (14)
Lindsay Whalen (6)
Target Center 13,013
18–16 :
2018 season schedule :

### Playoffs

2018 playoff game log Total: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0) :
WNBA First Round: 0–1 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
August 21
@ Los Angeles
L 68–75
Sylvia Fowles (18)
Sylvia Fowles (12)
Lindsay Whalen (5)
Staples Center 8,598
0–1 :
2018 playoff schedule :

## Standings

| # | Western Conference vte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Conf. |
| 1 | Seattle Storm (1) | 26 | 8 | .765 | – | 13–4 | 13–4 | 11–5 |
| 2 | Phoenix Mercury (5) | 20 | 14 | .588 | 6 | 9–8 | 11–6 | 8–8 |
| 3 | Los Angeles Sparks (6) | 19 | 15 | .559 | 7 | 11–6 | 8–9 | 9–7 |
| 4 | Minnesota Lynx (7) | 18 | 16 | .529 | 8 | 9–8 | 9–8 | 9–7 |
| 5 | Dallas Wings (8) | 15 | 19 | .441 | 11 | 10–7 | 5–12 | 7–9 |
| 6 | e –Las Vegas Aces | 14 | 20 | .412 | 12 | 8–9 | 6–11 | 4–12 |
Notes
    (#) – Conference Standing, Playoff Seeds shown to the right of team name
    x – Qualified for playoffs
    e – Eliminated from playoffs

## Playoffs

| First round: Single elimination (Aug. 21) | First round: Single elimination (Aug. 21) | First round: Single elimination (Aug. 21) | Second round: Single elimination (Aug. 23) | Second round: Single elimination (Aug. 23) | Second round: Single elimination (Aug. 23) | Semifinals: Best-of-five (Aug. 26 – Sept. 4) | Semifinals: Best-of-five (Aug. 26 – Sept. 4) | Semifinals: Best-of-five (Aug. 26 – Sept. 4) | Semifinals: Best-of-five (Aug. 26 – Sept. 4) | Semifinals: Best-of-five (Aug. 26 – Sept. 4) | Semifinals: Best-of-five (Aug. 26 – Sept. 4) | Semifinals: Best-of-five (Aug. 26 – Sept. 4) | WNBA Finals: Best-of-five (Sept. 7 – Sept. 12) | WNBA Finals: Best-of-five (Sept. 7 – Sept. 12) | WNBA Finals: Best-of-five (Sept. 7 – Sept. 12) | WNBA Finals: Best-of-five (Sept. 7 – Sept. 12) | WNBA Finals: Best-of-five (Sept. 7 – Sept. 12) |
| | | | | | | 1 | Seattle Storm | 91 | 91 | 66 | 84 | 94 | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Connecticut Sun | 86 | 5 | Phoenix Mercury | 87 | 87 | 86 | 86 | 84 | | | | | |
| 5 | Phoenix Mercury | 101 | 5 | Phoenix Mercury | 96 | | | | | | | | 1 | Seattle Storm | 89 | 75 | 98 |
| 8 | Dallas Wings | 83 | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Washington Mystics | 76 | 73 | 82 |
| | | | | | | 2 | Atlanta Dream | 84 | 78 | 81 | 76 | 81 | | | | | |
| | | | 3 | Washington Mystics | 96 | 3 | Washington Mystics | 87 | 75 | 76 | 97 | 86 | | | | | |
| 6 | Los Angeles Sparks | 75 | 6 | Los Angeles Sparks | 64 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Minnesota Lynx | 68 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Note: Teams re-seeded after second round and semi-finals.

## Statistics
### Regular season

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG |
| Maya Moore | 34 | 34 | 31.8 | .423 | .365 | .833 | 18.0 | 5.4 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 0.4 |
| Sylvia Fowles | 34 | 34 | 32.0 | .619 | .000 | .757 | 17.7 | 11.9 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 1.2 |
| Seimone Augustus | 33 | 33 | 26.2 | .467 | .318 | .706 | 10.8 | 1.8 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 0.2 |
| Rebekkah Brunson | 25 | 25 | 27.6 | .405 | .375 | .673 | 7.2 | 6.8 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 0.5 |
| Danielle Robinson | 28 | 2 | 18.6 | .445 | .158 | .854 | 6.5 | 1.8 | 3.3 | 0.9 | 0.0 |
| Lindsay Whalen | 32 | 29 | 19.3 | .363 | .357 | .881 | 5.7 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 0.1 |
| Cecilia Zandalasini | 29 | 6 | 16.5 | .409 | .383 | .840 | 5.7 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Tanisha Wright | 33 | 4 | 17.8 | .383 | .396 | .741 | 4.3 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.1 |
| Sydney Colson | 2 | 0 | 8.5 | .429 | .000 | .500 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
| Alexis Jones | 26 | 0 | 8.8 | .352 | .320 | .750 | 3.3 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Temi Fagbenle | 30 | 2 | 9.4 | .506 | .000 | .696 | 3.1 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Erlana Larkins | 13 | 0 | 12.9 | .444 | .000 | 1.00 | 2.1 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.2 |

## Awards and Milestones

| Recipient | Award/Milestone | Date Awarded |
| Maya Moore | WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week | June 24, 2018 |
| Maya Moore | WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week | July 2, 2018 |
| Rebekkah Brunson | WNBA's All-Time Leading Rebounder (3,318) | July 5, 2018 |
| Cheryl Reeve | WNBA's Winningest Female Head Coach (206) | July 5, 2018 |
| Maya Moore | WNBA Cares Community Assist Award - June | July 12, 2018 |
| Seimone Augustus | WNBA All-Star Selection | July 17, 2018 |
| Maya Moore | WNBA All-Star Selection | July 17, 2018 |
| Sylvia Fowles | WNBA All-Star Selection | July 17, 2018 |
| Maya Moore | Best WNBA Player - ESPY's | July 19, 2018 |
| Rebekkah Brunson | WNBA All-Star Selection Replacement | July 25, 2018 |
| Maya Moore | WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week | August 13, 2018 |
| Sylvia Fowles | WNBA Peak Performer – Rebounds | August 19, 2018 |

## Top 20 Players

With the Lynx entering their 20th season in the league, the organization began ranking their Top 20 Players of All-Time.
* 1. Maya Moore
* 2. Seimone Augustus
* 3. Lindsay Whalen
* 4. Sylvia Fowles
* 5. Rebekkah Brunson
* 6. Katie Smith
* 7. Svetlana Abrosimova
* 8. Tamika Williams
* 9. Teresa Edwards
* 10. Taj McWilliams-Franklin
* 11. Betty Lennox
* 12. Janel McCarville
* 13. Renee Montgomery
* 14. Nicole Ohlde
* 15. Monica Wright
* 16. Tonya Edwards
* 17. Kristen Mann
* 18. Charde Houston
* 19. Nicky Anosike
* 20. Devereaux Peters