After Sunday's rough loss to the Washington Mystics, Caitlin Clark and the Minnesota Lynx got back on track with a 96-77 win over the Minnesota Lynx Tuesday night. WNBA Rookie of the Year favorite and Most Valuable Player contender Olivia Miles wasn't on the court for the Lynx, as she's dealing with a calf injury just ahead of the postseason. Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve also sat her starters for the second half, including All-Star Napheesa Collier, to rest them ahead of the playoffs.
Clark finished with 27 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds in the win. After the game, she spoke about facing the Lynx again on Thursday night, with a message about Miles. "One more [game], I hope Liv plays and I think it will be a fun one," Clark said regarding their rematch.
More news: Breanna Stewart Calls Out Angel Reese After Technical in Liberty-Dream Clash Miles is averaging 19.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, six assists, and 1.3 steals per game this season. She's the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, and many believe she's a strong contender against A'ja Wilson for WNBA MVP. Her team sits atop the WNBA standings with a 32-11 record, and Thursday's clash against the Fever is the final game on both teams' regular-season schedules.
Despite Tuesday's loss, Minnesota officially clinched the No. 1 seed for the WNBA Playoffs. The playoff games start this Sunday, and both teams want to finish their regular seasons strong, but also with a healthy playoff roster. Clark and the Lynx are fifth in the standings and one game behind Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream for fourth place.
A first-round matchup between those two teams looms based on the current standings. If Miles suits up for the season finale between the Fever and Lynx, it should be an exciting battle as both teams look to gain momentum for the postseason. In an update on her star rookie, Reeve said Miles would undergo some additional testing for her injury, and they'd proceed from there.
The last thing Minnesota wants is to risk Miles ahead of their playoff run, as they are the favorites to capture the championship. More news: Caitlin Clark Gets Brutally Honest About Fever’s Performance in Loss to Mystics For more about the WNBA, head over to Newsweek Sports.
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