How the Fever rallied previous the Lynx to win the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup

Behind a dominant second quarter through which the Indiana Fever scored 18 unanswered factors, the Fever rallied after which held off the Minnesota Lynx to win the 2025 Commissioner’s Cup final 74-59 in Minneapolis on Tuesday.

They usually did it with out level guard and WNBA All-Star captain Caitlin Clark, who missed her third consecutive recreation as a consequence of a groin damage.

Natasha Howard had a team-high 16 factors and 12 rebounds for the Fever and was named Cup MVP. Indiana trailed 20-12 on the finish of the primary quarter however outscored Minnesota 20-7 within the second interval, holding Minnesota with no level for the ultimate 8 minutes, 13 seconds of the primary half.

Final yr, Minnesota gained the Cup closing on the street at New York. The away workforce has gained the previous 4 Commissioner’s Cup titles.

Here is how the Fever gained the Commissioner’s Cup title.

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Indiana Fever vs.
Minnesota Lynx

Ultimate: Indiana Fever 74, New York Liberty 59

What does this victory imply for Indiana? The Fever wanted this. With Caitlin Clark on the bench (groin) and DeWanna Bonner having left the team last week, Indiana has been by way of some adversity. But the Fever got here onto the house court docket of the first-place workforce within the WNBA and shut down the Lynx.

Tuesday’s defensive effort was the most effective the Fever have been on that finish of the court docket all season, led by Natasha Howard. The 2019 Defensive Participant of the 12 months when she was in Seattle, Howard was one of many main causes Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier had a troublesome night time. Collier completed 6-of-18 from the sphere for 12 factors.

“She’s a fantastic participant,” Howard stated. “However my factor was simply restrict her to laborious photographs, and that is what I did tonight. Made it uncomfortable for her. I could not do it my myself. I had my teammates behind me serving to me out.”

Howard additionally obtained her offense going after a sluggish begin, ending with a team-high 16 factors to associate with 12 rebounds and 4 assists.

“Tash is a professional that flies underneath the radar on this league,” teammate Kelsey Mitchell stated. “She’s gained on each stage, and I feel we’ve to present her her flowers somewhat bit extra.”

The Fever guards did their job, too. They held down the scoring within the first quarter, when publish gamers Howard and Aliyah Boston (12 factors, 11 rebounds, 6 assists) had been struggling to determine themselves. Sophie Cunningham completed with 13 factors and fellow guards Mitchell and Aari McDonald had 12 factors every.

Clearly, the Fever are desperate to get Clark — who has now missed eight video games with accidents — again within the lineup. However Tuesday’s recreation was an instance of how effectively Indiana can play even when she is sidelined.

“Studying to play with out her, studying to make massive performs in robust moments on each ends of the ground, is necessary,” Fever coach Stephanie White stated. “That is going to pay dividends down the stretch of the season for us. Caitlin is anyone who has oftentimes made performs for them, and so they’re studying how to try this for each other.”

What does this consequence imply to Minnesota? Collier, the WNBA’s main scorer, at 24.4 PPG getting into the sport, had simply 12 on Tuesday. She has scored in double figures each recreation this season besides one, when she had seven factors in opposition to Las Vegas on June 17 however needed to depart within the third quarter due to again points.

Tuesday’s stats do not depend towards gamers’ regular-season averages, but it surely was a stat line we’re not used to from Collier. She did not communicate to media after the sport.

The Lynx didn’t rating for the final 8:13 of the second quarter. The final time the Lynx went eight consecutive minutes with out scoring was Aug. 4, 2011, in opposition to San Antonio, the franchise that’s now the Las Vegas Aces. That was the season the Lynx gained their first of 4 WNBA titles.

“We generally tend generally to get impatient,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve stated of Minnesota’s offensive struggles. “Our dedication to transferring the basketball and creating benefits … we had a tough time getting that accomplished.

“We did not have our traditional type of fortitude, combat and response to physicality. They beat us, give them credit score.”

This loss would not damage the Lynx within the standings. They’re a league-best 14-2 and end this week with three extra video games at house.

“It is good to have a look at it as a studying alternative,” stated ahead Alanna Smith, who led the Lynx with 15 factors. “We at all times need to play our greatest basketball. So we’ve to take this recreation to coronary heart and be taught from the errors we made, the best way we confirmed up, the best way we ready, and ensure we do not do it once more.”

What does it imply for the WNBA? This was the fifth Commissioner’s Cup closing, and the fifth champion. The Fever observe the Seattle Storm, the Las Vegas Aces, New York Liberty and Minnesota in profitable the in-season competitors.

The occasion has turn into one thing the gamers sit up for, particularly due to the extra prize money. However it additionally gives an extra showcase for the league earlier than the playoffs.

Did the Fever ship a message by profitable this recreation with Caitlin Clark sidelined? Did the Lynx — who’ve been the WNBA’s most constant workforce this season — present some vulnerability? No less than for Tuesday, the reply to each questions is sure.

It is only one recreation on July 1 in a protracted season, in order that must be thought of. However with the remainder of the league watching Tuesday, the Fever — who had been 10.5-point underdogs coming in — gave themselves a wanted confidence increase.

That may be the largest takeaway of this Cup closing. As a franchise, the Fever’s final title was its lone WNBA championship in 2012. Now Indiana has one other trophy. — Michael Voepel