NBA

Washington Mystics at Minnesota Lynx

· Women's National Basketball Association
13-17, 4-11 Away
Final
80 - 76

26-5, 16-1 Home

Alanna Smith scores 25 and the Lynx hold off the Mystics 80-76 to improve to 16-1 at home

Lynx thwart Mystics

Smith and Washington rookie Sonia Citron each scored eight straight points for their teams down the stretch. Citron's three-point play with 2:44 left pulled the Mystics within 71-70, but Smith answered at the other end with her fourth 3-pointer.

Citron sank a 3-pointer from the wing with 59 seconds remaining to tie it at 76-all. Williams answered with a baseline jumper to give Minnesota a two-point lead.

Washington guard Sug Sutton was fouled with 36 seconds left but the call was overturned following a review. The Mystics won the jump ball, but Citron turned it over in the lane.

Kayla McBride sealed it with two free throws.

DiJonai Carrington, in her home debut for the Lynx after being traded from Dallas, added 12 points for Minnesota (26-5). McBride scored 11. Napheesa Collier (right ankle) did not play.

Citron finished with 26 points and four 3-pointers for Washington (13-17). Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin each scored 12 points.

Bridget Carleton made a jumper from the free throw line just before the halftime buzzer to give Minnesota a 38-35 lead. The Lynx were just 2 of 13 from 3-point range in the first half. The Mystics were hurt by 13 turnovers in the half.

Regular Season Series

MIN wins series 2-1

Recent Plays

4th 0.0 End of Game 76 - 80
4th 0.0 End of the 4th Quarter 76 - 80
4th 2.1 Kiki Iriafen offensive rebound 76 - 80
4th 5.2 Sug Sutton misses 27-foot three point jumper 76 - 80
4th 13.2 Kayla McBride makes free throw 2 of 2 76 - 80

Statistics

https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/wnba/500/wsh.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originWSH https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/wnba/500/min.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originMIN
30-63 FG 31-59
48 Field Goal % 53
10-21 3PT 8-22
48 Three Point % 36
6-9 FT 10-15
67 Free Throw % 67
32 Rebounds 22
10 Offensive Rebounds 3
22 Defensive Rebounds 19
23 Assists 22
7 Steals 7
1 Blocks 5
18 Turnovers 14
2 Team Turnovers 0
20 Total Turnovers 14
0 Technical Fouls 1
0 Total Technical Fouls 1
0 Flagrant Fouls 0
25 Points Conceded Off Turnovers 19
6 Fast Break Points 4
34 Points in Paint 30
14 Fouls 12
11 Largest Lead 4

Game Information

Target Center

Location: Minneapolis, MN
Attendance: 8,821 · Capacity:

2024-25 Eastern Conference Standings

TEAM W L PCT GB STRK
Atlanta - 14 W6 0.6818182 30
New York 3 17 W3 0.6136364 27
Indiana 6 20 W3 0.54545456 24
Washington 14 28 L10 0.36363637 16
Connecticut 19 33 L2 0.25 11
Chicago 20 34 L4 0.22727273 10

2024-25 Western Conference Standings

TEAM W L PCT GB STRK
Minnesota - 10 W1 0.77272725 34
Las Vegas 4 14 W16 0.6818182 30
Phoenix 7 17 L3 0.6136364 27
Seattle 11 21 W1 0.52272725 23
Golden State 11 21 L3 0.52272725 23
Los Angeles 13 23 L1 0.47727272 21
Dallas 24 34 W1 0.22727273 10
Full Standings

WNBA News

Blake Griffin, Candace Parker among 2026 hoops HOF candidates

Blake Griffin, Candace Parker among 2026 hoops HOF candidates

Blake Griffin, Candace Parker, Jamal Crawford, the 1996 U.S. Olympic women's basketball team, Bruce Pearl and Kelvin Sampson are among the first-time nominees for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

WNBPA's Ogwumike on seeking 'fair' CBA deal: 'Whatever it takes'

WNBPA's Ogwumike on seeking 'fair' CBA deal: 'Whatever it takes'

WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike told ESPN on Friday that despite the union's strike authorization vote amid its current negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, the WNBA players still want to play next season.

Alexa Philippou: A lot of momentum for Rockets ownership to buy and relocate Sun

Alexa Philippou: A lot of momentum for Rockets ownership to buy and relocate Sun

Alexa Philippou joins “NBA Today” to report the latest on Rockets ownership's plan to buy and relocate the Connecticut Sun.

Sources: Rockets owners expand talks to buy, move Sun

Sources: Rockets owners expand talks to buy, move Sun

Rockets ownership is in substantive talks with the Connecticut Sun over the potential purchase and relocation of the WNBA franchise to Houston, sources told ESPN.

What we're hearing on the WNBA's CBA negotiations

What we're hearing on the WNBA's CBA negotiations

The Jan. 9 deadline is still weeks away, but the WNBPA has voted to authorize calling a strike "when necessary" during negotiations.