The Phoenix Mercury sent the Minnesota Lynx home dejected and without a WNBA championship. The Lynx were supposed to win it all … until they didn’t.<\/p>\n
Mercury is no longer in retrograde or whatever the kids are saying these days. If I said I had Phoenix in the WNBA Finals, I’d be lying. (My WNBA playoffs predictions bracket<\/a> is totally cooked.) Minnesota seemingly had it all in its favor: the need to avenge a brutal WNBA finals loss, a top team and the Defensive Player of the Year from each of the last two seasons. However, as the postseason went on, the Lynx’s late-game defense and, at times, stagnant offense were less than ideal for a team with championship aspirations.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Before forward Napheesa Collier was injured<\/a> in the playoffs, there were signs that Minnesota might not make it back to the mountain top. For example, the Lynx needed a 14-point comeback to take down Golden State<\/a> in the first round. Then, in Games 2, 3 and 4 against the Mercury, they were outscored 77-39 in the fourth quarter. That’s not a misprint. Sunday night’s meltdown, in which the Lynx led by double digits \u2015 twice \u2015 was a painful reminder of what could have been.<\/p>\n All coach Cheryl Reeve<\/a> could do was watch as Minnesota’s title hopes came crashing down, and postgame, poor Kayla McBride<\/a>, who played her heart out with 31 points, could barely keep it together. What part of the glitch in the matrix is this, where there is no Collier, Reeve, and the Lynx only score 13 points down the stretch in a win-or-go-home situation? That sounds bananas, right?<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Unfortunately, this could be the end of the line for this version of the Lynx. It’s hard to imagine a world in which the organization brings back the entire starting five, plus parts of the bench \u2014 factors such as the impending CBA, free agency, and the salary cap all play a role. (Sadly, that could mean no more StudBudz<\/a>, too. Ooof.)<\/p>\n If you know a Minnesota fan, please hug them. They’re going through it right now.<\/p>\n This article originally appeared on For The Win: The Lynx were supposed to win a WNBA championship … until they didn’t<\/a><\/p>\n