Lynx beat Mystics 88-83 on "Lindsay Whalen Day"
MINNEAPOLIS -- Lindsay Whalen scored 10 points in the final regular-season home game of her career, Sylvia Fowles set the WNBA season record for rebounds and the Minnesota Lynx closed the season with a 88-83 victory over the Washington Mystics on Sunday night.
The Target Center had 13,013 in attendance for the game. Governor Mark Dayton declared it "Lindsay Whalen Day" in Minnesota and a retirement ceremony followed the game.
The 36-year-old Whalen starred at the University of Minnesota and now coaches the Gophers.
Fowles had 26 points and 14 rebounds to finish with a WNBA-record 404 rebounds. She broke the mark of 403 set last year by Jonquel Jones.
Whalen hit a 3-pointer that gave the Lynx (18-16) the lead for good during a 13-0 run that ended at 78-69 early in the fourth quarter. The Mystics (22-12) got no closer than the final score.
The seventh-seeded Lynx will visit the sixth-seeded Los Angeles Sparks -- a rematch of the last two WNBA finals -- in the single-elimination first round of the WNBA playoffs Tuesday night.
The No. 3 seed Mystics had their eight-game winning streak snapped and their 22 regular-season wins tied a franchise best. Washington will have a bye through the first round of the playoffs to host the Lynx-Sparks winner in the second round Thursday night.
Regular Season Series
MIN wins 2-1
Game Information
- Referees:
- Eric Brewton
- Michael Price
- Natalie Sago
2023-24 Eastern Conference Standings
Team | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York | 32 | 8 | .800 | - | L1 |
Connecticut | 28 | 12 | .700 | 4 | W1 |
Indiana | 20 | 20 | .500 | 12 | L1 |
Atlanta | 15 | 25 | .375 | 17 | W3 |
Washington | 14 | 26 | .350 | 18 | W1 |
Chicago | 13 | 27 | .325 | 19 | L5 |