Minnesota Lynx at Phoenix Mercury
· Women's National Basketball AssociationSims scores 22 points, Lynx beat Mercury 83-69
The Mercury led 44-40 at the half but were outscored 9-0 to start the third quarter. DeWanna Bonner picked up an early technical foul and Brittney Griner picked up two and was ejected with 2:51 left in the third quarter and the Lynx ahead by 10.
Minnesota had a 29-9 advantage in the third quarter and coasted to the win, which was the 231st for coach Cheryl Reeves, breaking a tie with Michael Cooper for fifth on the WNBA list.
Minnesota (18-15) has won a season-high five straight and moved a game ahead of Seattle in the battle for homecourt advantage when the teams meet in the playoffs next week. Minnesota is the sixth seed headed into the regular-season finale Sunday, but Seattle has the tiebreaker.
Damiria Dantas added 17 points, and Napheesa Collier 14 for the Lynx. Sylvia Fowles had 11 points and 11 rebounds and moved past Tamika Catchings into second on the WNBA career rebounding list with 3,323.
Griner had 16 points before she was ejected. Sophie Cunningham had 11 off the bench for the Mercury (15-18), who are locked into the eighth seed. Phoenix was 17 of 31 from the field in the first half and 8 of 31 in the second.
Regular Season Series
MIN wins series 3-0
Recent Plays
| 4th 0.0 |  |
End of Game | 83 - 69 |
| 4th 0.0 | |
End of the 4th Quarter | 83 - 69 |
| 4th 5.7 |  |
Briann January makes 28-foot three pointer | 83 - 69 |
| 4th 24.1 |  |
Temi Fagbenle lost ball turnover (Yvonne Turner steals) | 83 - 66 |
| 4th 44.4 | |
Napheesa Collier defensive rebound | 83 - 66 |
Statistics
 MIN |
 PHX |
|
|---|---|---|
| 32-61 | FG | 25-62 |
| 52 | Field Goal % | 40 |
| 6-15 | 3PT | 7-19 |
| 40 | Three Point % | 37 |
| 13-22 | FT | 12-14 |
| 59 | Free Throw % | 86 |
| 34 | Rebounds | 27 |
| 5 | Offensive Rebounds | 5 |
| 29 | Defensive Rebounds | 22 |
| 21 | Assists | 14 |
| 8 | Steals | 5 |
| 5 | Blocks | 2 |
| 15 | Turnovers | 16 |
| 1 | Team Turnovers | 0 |
| 16 | Total Turnovers | 16 |
| 0 | Technical Fouls | 4 |
| 0 | Total Technical Fouls | 4 |
| 0 | Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| 14 | Points Conceded Off Turnovers | 19 |
| 12 | Fast Break Points | 4 |
| 36 | Points in Paint | 34 |
| 15 | Fouls | 17 |
| 19 | Largest Lead | 10 |
Game Information
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Attendance: 12,140 · Capacity:
2025-26 Western Conference Standings
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Minnesota |
- | 6 | W9 | 0.8 | 24 |
 Las Vegas |
3 | 8 | W2 | 0.71428573 | 20 |
 Golden State |
4 | 9 | L2 | 0.6785714 | 19 |
 Dallas |
5 | 10 | L1 | 0.64285713 | 18 |
 Portland |
12 | 17 | L3 | 0.39285713 | 11 |
 Phoenix |
12.5 | 18 | W3 | 0.37931034 | 11 |
 Los Angeles |
12.5 | 17 | L6 | 0.37037036 | 10 |
 Seattle |
18 | 24 | L7 | 0.2 | 6 |
WNBA News
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Mercury face the Liberty on 3-game win streak
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Wilson, Young help the Aces beat the Liberty 104-99
— A'ja Wilson had 33 points and 10 rebounds, Jackie Young added 27 points and nine assists and the Las Vegas Aces beat the New York Liberty 104-99 on Thursday night.
Cardoso scores 18 points in 4th quarter, Sky rallies to beat Sun 94-88
— Kamilla Cardoso scored 18 of her 26 points in the fourth quarter, Sydney Taylor had 14 points and six assists and the Chicago Sky overcame a 14-point deficit to beat the Connecticut Sun 94-88 on Thursday night.