2019 Minnesota Lynx season

2019 Minnesota Lynx season
CoachCheryl Reeve
ArenaTarget Center
Attendance9,069 per game
Results
Record18–16 (.529)
Place4th (Western)
Playoff finish7th Seed; Lost in First Round to Seattle
Team Leaders
PointsOdyssey Sims – 14.5 ppg
ReboundsSylvia Fowles – 8.9 rpg
AssistsOdyssey Sims – 5.4 apg
Media
TelevisionFox Sports North, ESPN, NBATV
The Lynx in action at Dallas

The 2019 WNBA season of the Minnesota Lynx was their 21st season in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Lynx finished the 2018 season with a record of 18–16, finishing fourth in the Western Conference and seventh overall in the league, while qualifying for the playoffs, before ultimately being beat by Los Angeles in the first Round of the 2018 WNBA Playoffs.

On February 5, 2019, Maya Moore announced that she would not be playing in the 2019 season citing a need to spend more time with family and to focus on her ministry dreams.[1] On March 14, the Lynx announced that they promoted Walt Hopkins to a full-time assistant coach, while also adding Plenette Pierson to an assistant coaching role.[2]

Despite Moore's retirement, the Lynx started off the season strong, going on a three-game winning streak. However, they could not keep the momentum going, winning only three of their next nine games, including a four-game losing streak, to finish June with a 6–6 record. July proved to be more of the same, with the team winning their first three games in the month, but losing their last three and finishing 4–4 for the month. August was another up-and-down month. The Lynx finished 6–5 on the month, which included losing three games and then winning three games to finish the month. The team did manage to extend their three-game winning streak into a five-game winning streak, but lost their season finale.

Their final record of 18–16 earned them the seventh seed in the playoffs. They faced off against the sixth-seeded Seattle Storm. The Storm earned the right to host the game by winning the regular season series 3–1. Napheesa Collier scored a double double in her playoff debut, but it was ultimately not enough as the Lynx lost by ten points.

Collier's solid postseason continued when she won Rookie of the Year. Collier is the fourth Lynx player to win the award, and the first since Maya Moore.

Transactions

WNBA draft

See also: 2019 WNBA draft
Round Pick Player Nationality School/team/country
1 6 Napheesa Collier  United States Connecticut Huskies
2 16 Jessica Shepard  United States Notre Dame
2 18 Natisha Hiedeman  United States Marquette
2 20 Cierra Dillard  United States Buffalo
3 30 Kenisha Bell  United States Minnesota

Trades and roster changes

Date Trade
February 1, 2019 Signed F Karima Christmas-Kelly[3]
February 2, 2019 Re-Signed G Seimone Augustus[4]
February 8, 2019 Signed F/C Damiris Dantas[5]
February 22, 2019 Signed F Jillian Alleyne[6]
February 28, 2019 Re-Signed F Erlana Larkins and Signed F Kelsey Griffin[7][8]
April 10, 2019 Traded G Natisha Hiedeman to Connecticut in exchange for G Lexie Brown.[9]
April 11, 2019 Traded G Tanisha Wright to New York in exchange for a second round pick in the 2020 WNBA draft.[10]
April 17, 2019 Signed F Shao Ting[11]
April 22, 2019 Traded G Alexis Jones to Los Angeles in exchange for G Odyssey Sims.[12]
May 11, 2019 Waived G Cierra Dillard[13]
May 16, 2019 Waived G Taylor Emery[14]
May 21, 2019 Traded their third round pick in the 2020 WNBA draft to Chicago in exchange for C Alaina Coates[15]
Traded their second round pick in the 2020 WNBA draft to Phoenix in exchange for G Stephanie Talbot[16]
May 22, 2019 Waived F Erlana Larkins[17]
July 2, 2019 Signed F Asia Taylor and G Kenisha Bell[18]
July 13, 2019 Waived F Shao Ting and activated F Temi Fagbenle[19]
July 14, 2019 Waived C Alaina Coates[20]
July 19, 2019 Waived G Kenisha Bell[21]
July 25, 2019 Waived F Asia Taylor
July 30, 2019 Signed F Jillian Alleyne to a 7-Day Contract[22]
August 6, 2019 Signed F Jillian Alleyne to a 2nd 7-Day Contract[23]
August 13, 2019 Signed F Jillian Alleyne to a 3rd 7-Day Contract[24]
August 22, 2019 Signed F Bridget Carleton to a 7-Day Contract[25]

Additions

Player Date Former team
Karima Christmas-Kelly February 1, 2019 Dallas Wings
Damiris Dantas February 8, 2019 Atlanta Dream
Lexie Brown April 11, 2019 Connecticut Sun
Odyssey Sims April 22, 2019 Los Angeles Sparks

Subtractions

Player Date New team/reason
Lindsay Whalen August 13, 2018 Retirement
James Wade (assistant coach) November 18, 2018 Chicago Sky Head Coach
Maya Moore February 5, 2019 Taking Year Off

Roster

2019 Minnesota Lynx roster
Players Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Height Weight DOB From Yrs
G 33 United States Augustus, Seimone (C) 6' 0" (1.83m) 172 lb (78kg) 1984-04-30 LSU 13
G 4 United States Brown, Lexie 5' 9" (1.75m) 158 lb (72kg) 1994-10-27 Duke 1
G/F 21 Canada Carleton, Bridget 6' 1" (1.85m) 195 lb (88kg) 1997-05-22 Iowa State R
F 0 United States Christmas-Kelly, Karima Injured 6' 0" (1.83m) 209 lb (95kg) 1989-09-11 Duke 8
G 24 United States Collier, Napheesa 6' 2" (1.88m) 182 lb (83kg) 1996-09-23 Connecticut R
F 92 Brazil Dantas, Damiris 6' 3" (1.91m) 206 lb (93kg) 1992-11-17 Brazil 4
F 14 United Kingdom Fagbenle, Temi 6' 4" (1.93m) 179 lb (81kg) 1992-09-08 USC 2
C 34 United States Fowles, Sylvia (C) 6' 6" (1.98m) 227 lb (103kg) 1985-10-06 LSU 11
F 23 United States Moore, Maya (S) 6' 0" (1.83m) 175 lb (79kg) 1989-06-11 Connecticut 8
G 3 United States Robinson, Danielle (C) 5' 9" (1.75m) 136 lb (62kg) 1989-05-10 Oklahoma 7
F 10 United States Shepard, Jessica Injured 6' 3" (1.91m) 199 lb (90kg) 1996-09-11 Notre Dame R
G 1 United States Sims, Odyssey 5' 8" (1.73m) 163 lb (74kg) 1992-07-13 Baylor 5
F 8 Australia Talbot, Stephanie 6' 2" (1.88m) 175 lb (79kg) 1994-06-15 Australia 2
Head coach
United States Cheryl Reeve (La Salle)
Assistant coaches
United States Shelley Patterson (Washington State)
United States Walt Hopkins (University of Nevada, Reno)
United States Plenette Pierson (Texas Tech)
Athletic trainer
United States Chuck Barta (Wisconsin-La Crosse)
Assistant trainer
United States Kate Taber (Iowa)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (IN) Inactive
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Schedule

Preseason

2019 pre-season game log
May: 2–0 (Home: 1–0; Road: 1–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
1 May 10 Washington W 86–79 Sims (20) Fowles (11) Sims (7) Target Center
3,201 		1–0
2 May 19 @ Las Vegas W 79–75 Sims (25) Fowles (7) Brown (7) Cox Pavilion 1–1
2019 pre-season schedule

Regular season

2019 game log
Total: 18–16 (Home: 11–6; Road: 7–10)
May: 2–0 (Home: 2–0; Road: 0–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
1 May 25 Chicago W 89–71 Collier (27) Shepard (13) Shepard (6) Target Center
8,524 		1–0
2 May 29 Seattle W 72–61 Sims (15) Fowles (13) Sims (5) Target Center
8,092 		2–0
June : 4–6 (Home: 2–3; Road: 2–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
3 June 1 @ Dallas W 70–67 Dantas (20) Fowles (12) Sims (5) College Park Center
6,535 		3–0
4 June 4 @ Seattle L 77–84 Collier (17) Fowles (5) Sims (6) Angel of the Winds Arena
5,711 		3–1
5 June 6 Phoenix W 58–56 Sims (15) 3 tied (6) Tied (3) Target Center
8,001 		4–1
6 June 8 Los Angeles L 85–89 Brown (21) Fowles (13) Sims (7) Target Center
8,834 		4–2
7 June 12 @ New York L 69–75 Fowles (16) Fowles (11) Robinson (7) Westchester County Center
1,181 		4–3
8 June 14 Connecticut L 81–85 Sims (25) Fowles (9) Dantas (5) Target Center
8,803 		4–4
9 June 16 Las Vegas L 75–80 Dantas (22) Fowles (9) Dantas (6) Target Center
8,392 		4–5
10 June 22 New York W 92–83 Sims (20) Fowles (10) Dantas (5) Target Center
8,600 		5–5
11 June 25 @ Indiana W 78–74 Sims (25) Fowles (11) Sims (7) Bankers Life Fieldhouse
4,692 		6–5
12 June 30 @ Dallas L 86–89 Sims (23) Fowles (9) Sims (8) College Park Center
4,521 		6–6
July : 4–4 (Home: 2–2; Road: 2–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
13 July 2 Atlanta W 85–68 Talbot (24) Collier (11) Sims (8) Target Center
8,208 		7–6
14 July 6 @ Connecticut W 74–71 Sims (21) Fowles (11) Sims (8) Mohegan Sun Arena
8,076 		8–6
15 July 10 @ Chicago W 73–72 Sims (16) Fowles (12) Sims (4) Wintrust Arena
8,508 		9–6
16 July 12 @ Atlanta L 53–60 Robinson (14) Fowles (12) Sims (7) State Farm Arena
4,001 		9–7
17 July 14 Phoenix W 75–62 Sims (15) Fowles (13) Robinson (5) Target Center
8,801 		10–7
18 July 17 Seattle L 79–90 Brown (20) Fowles (7) Robinson (10) Target Center
8,403 		10–8
19 July 21 @ Las Vegas L 74–79 Sims (19) Collier (6) Tied (4) Mandalay Bay Events Center
4,352 		10–9
20 July 24 Washington L 71–79 Brown (19) Fowles (12) Sims (4) Target Center
17,934 		10–10
August : 6–5 (Home: 4–1; Road: 2–4)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
21 August 3 @ Indiana L 75–86 Fowles (17) Collier (7) Sims (5) Bankers Life Fieldhouse
7,884 		10–11
22 August 6 @ Atlanta W 85–69 Collier (22) Tied (11) Collier (5) State Farm Arena
3,395 		11–11
23 August 9 Connecticut W 89–57 Fowles (17) Fowles (12) Sims (9) Target Center
8,892 		12–11
24 August 11 @ Washington L 78–101 Sims (20) Collier (6) Sims (8) St. Elizabeth's East Arena
4,200 		12–12
25 August 13 @ New York W 89–73 Sims (17) Fowles (8) Sims (6) Westchester County Center
1,570 		13–12
26 August 16 Washington L 79–86 Fowles (16) Collier (9) Tied (5) Target Center
8,803 		13–13
27 August 18 @ Seattle L 74–82 Sims (30) Collier (5) Robinson (9) Alaska Airlines Arena
9,000 		13–14
28 August 20 @ Los Angeles L 71–81 Brown (20) Tied (7) Collier (4) Staples Center
9,244 		13–15
29 August 22 Dallas W 86–70 Collier (19) Tied (7) Dantas (8) Target Center
8,124 		14–15
30 August 25 Las Vegas W 98–77 Tied (23) Tied (6) Robinson (8) Target Center
8,834 		15–15
31 August 27 Chicago W 93–85 Fowles (25) Fowles (12) Sims (8) Target Center
8,092 		16–15
September : 2–1 (Home: 1–0; Road: 1–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
32 September 1 Indiana W 81–73 Sims (17) Collier (10) 3 tied (4) Target Center
8,833 		17–15
33 September 6 @ Phoenix W 83–69 Sims (22) Fowles (11) Sims (9) Talking Stick Resort Arena
12,140 		18–15
34 September 8 @ Los Angeles L 68–77 Collier (16) Collier (11) Dantas (9) Staples Center
13,500 		18–16
2019 season schedule

Playoffs

2019 playoff game log
Total: 0–1 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–1)
First Round: 0–1 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 September 11 @ Seattle Storm L 74–84 Dantas (20) Fowles (11) Sims (5) Angel of the Winds Arena
5,011 		0–1
2019 playoff schedule

Standings

# Western Conference
W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
1 Los Angeles Sparks (3) 22 12 .647 – 15–2 7–10 10–6
2 Las Vegas Aces (4) 21 13 .618 1 13–4 8–9 11–5
3 Seattle Storm (6) 18 16 .529 4 11–6 7–10 10–6
4 Minnesota Lynx (7) 18 16 .529 4 11–6 7–10 7–9
5 Phoenix Mercury (8) 15 19 .441 7 9–8 6–11 5–11
6 e – Dallas Wings 10 24 .294 12 8–9 2–15 5–11

Notes

(#) – Conference Standing, Playoff Seeds shown to the right of team name
e – Eliminated from playoffs

Playoffs

Main article: 2019 WNBA Playoffs
First round:
Single elimination
(Sept. 11)		Second round:
Single elimination
(Sept. 15)		Semifinals:
Best-of-five
(Sept. 17 – Sept. 24)		WNBA Finals:
Best-of-five
(Sept. 29 – Oct. 10)
1Washington Mystics971037594
4Las Vegas Aces934Las Vegas Aces95919290
5Chicago Sky1055Chicago Sky921Washington Mystics9587948689
8Phoenix Mercury762Connecticut Sun8699819078
2Connecticut Sun849478
3Los Angeles Sparks923Los Angeles Sparks756856
6Seattle Storm846Seattle Storm69
7Minnesota Lynx74

Note: Teams re-seeded after each round.

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
Odyssey Sims 34 34 31.9 41.5 26.9 79.5 3.4 5.4 1.4 0.1 14.5
Sylvia Fowles 34 34 29.5 58.8 0 70.7 8.9 1.5 0.9 1.4 13.6
Napheesa Collier 34 34 33.3 49.0 36.1 79.2 6.6 2.6 1.9 0.9 13.1
Danielle Robinson 34 26 27.0 43.7 22.0 87.9 3.5 3.7 1.2 0.2 10.1
Damiris Dantas 26 26 25.7 43.2 39.3 73.1 4.5 3.2 0.7 0.6 9.2
Lexie Brown 33 0 18.3 40.2 38.5 78.9 1.4 1.4 0.9 0.0 7.6
Temi Fagbenle 18 0 15.1 37.0 32.6 72.2 2.9 0.8 0.3 0.3 5.4
Stephanie Talbot 33 9 17.0 37.0 32.6 87.1 2.4 1.2 0.9 0.3 5.2
Jessica Shepard 6 0 18.7 31.3 16.7 75.0 5.7 3.5 0.3 0.2 4.8
Seimone Augustus 12 7 13.0 31.3 16.7 75.0 0.6 1.3 0.4 0.1 3.8
Karima Christmas-Kelly 6 0 12.0 27.8 27.3 60.0 0.8 1.0 0.8 0.2 2.7
Bridget Carleton 4 0 2.8 50.0 50.0 0 0.3 0 0 0 0.8

Awards and milestones

Recipient Award/milestone Date awarded Reference
Odyssey Sims WNBA All-Star Selection July 15, 2019 [26]
Sylvia Fowles
Napheesa Collier WNBA All-Star Replacement Selection July 22, 2019 [27]
Danielle Robinson WNBA Community Assist Award - June July 23, 2019 [28]
Napheesa Collier WNBA Rookie of the Month - July August 1, 2019 [29]
WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week August 26, 2019 [30]
Rookie of the Year September 16, 2019 [31]
WNBA All-Rookie Team September 16, 2019 [32]
Cheryl Reeve WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award September 18, 2019 [33]

References

  1. ^ "The Shift". playertribune.com. playertribune.com. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  2. ^ "Lynx Announce Basketball Operations Updates". lynx.wnba.com. lynx.wnba.com. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  3. ^ "Minnesota Lynx Sign Forward Karima Christmas-Kelly". lynx.wnba.com. lynx.wnba.com. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  4. ^ "Minnesota Lynx Re-Sign Four-Time WNBA Champion Seimone Augustus". lynx.wnba.com. lynx.wnba.com. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  5. ^ "Minnesota Lynx Sign Forward Damiris Dantas". lynx.wnba.com. lynx.wnba.com. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  6. ^ "Lynx Sign Forward Jillian Alleyne". lynx.wnba.com. lynx.wnba.com. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  7. ^ "Minnesota Lynx Re-Sign Forward Erlana Larkins". lynx.wnba.com. lynx.wnba.com. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  8. ^ "Griffin, out of WNBA for 5 years, to Lynx camp". ESPN. The Associated Press. February 28, 2019. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
  9. ^ "WNBA Draft: Lynx bring in Shepard, Dillard, Bell, trade for Brown". FOX Sports. April 11, 2019. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  10. ^ "Minnesota Lynx Acquire 2020 Second Round Draft Pick in Exchange for Guard Tanisha Wright". lynx.wnba.com. WNBA. April 11, 2019. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  11. ^ "Lynx sign Chinese Olympic player Shao Ting to contract". startribune.com. Star Tribune. April 17, 2019. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  12. ^ "Minnesota Lynx Acquire Guard Odyssey Sims". WNBA. April 22, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  13. ^ "Lynx Waive Guard Cierra Dillard". WNBA. May 11, 2019. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
  14. ^ "Lynx Waive Guard Taylor Emery". WNBA. May 16, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  15. ^ "Sky Acquire 2020 Third-Round Pick From Minnesota Lynx". WNBA. May 21, 2019. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  16. ^ "Mercury Acquire 2020 Second-Round Pick From Minnesota". WNBA. May 21, 2019. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  17. ^ "Lynx Waive Forward Erlana Larkins". WNBA. May 22, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  18. ^ "Minnesota Lynx Sign Guard Kenisha Bell and Forward Asia Taylor". WNBA. July 2, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  19. ^ "Temi Fagbenle returns to the Minnesota Lynx from EuroBasket". High Post Hoops. July 13, 2019. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
  20. ^ "Lynx Waive Center Alaina Coates". WNBA. July 14, 2019. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  21. ^ "Damiris Dantas Injury Update". WNBA. July 19, 2019. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
  22. ^ "Lynx Sign Forward Jillian Alleyne". WNBA. July 30, 2019. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  23. ^ "Lynx Sign Forward Jillian Alleyne". WNBA. August 6, 2019. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
  24. ^ "Lynx Sign Forward Jillian Alleyne". WNBA. August 13, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  25. ^ "Lynx Sign Forward Bridget Carleton". WNBA. August 22, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  26. ^ "Seven-Time Selection Charles, Dupree, Highlight Reserves For All-Star". WNBA. July 15, 2019. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  27. ^ "Lynx's Napheesa Collier To Replace A'ja Wilson In AT&T WNBA All-Star 2019". WNBA. July 22, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
  28. ^ "Minnesota's Danielle Robinson Receives Community Assist Award". WNBA. July 23, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  29. ^ @WNBA (August 1, 2019). "Baller alert 🚨 @PHEEsespieces earns #WNBA Rookie of the Month! 👏" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  30. ^ "Vandersloot, Collier Earn Player Of The Week Honors". WNBA. August 26, 2019. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  31. ^ "Minnesota's Napheesa Collier Named 2019 WNBA Rookie of the Year". WNBA. September 16, 2019. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  32. ^ "Rookie of the Year Collier Headlines 2019 All-Rookie Team". WNBA. September 16, 2019. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  33. ^ "Minnesota's Cheryl Reeve Named 2019 WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year". WNBA. September 18, 2019. Retrieved September 18, 2019.