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Fever Defeat Lynx 96-77, Boosts No. 4 Seed Odds

By Drooid · Sep 23, 2026, 2:11 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Fever Secure Seed

Indiana Fever beat Minnesota Lynx 96-77, preserving their chance for the No. 4 playoff seed.
Caitlin Clark posted 27 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and four steals for the Fever.
Kelsey Mitchell scored 20 points, extending her league-record streak to 27 straight 20-point games.
The win raised the Fever’s probability of earning the No. 4 seed to 27.1% according to analyst Nat Newell.

Summary

Reeve Pulls Starters

Coach Cheryl Reeve pulled most starters after the first quarter to rest them for the playoffs.
Reeve said the move was to “save legs” and give bench players valuable reps.
Napheesa Collier called the 96-77 loss “embarrassing” because of unacceptable defensive lapses.
The Lynx were outrebounded 39-32 and committed 17 turnovers that yielded 21 points for Indiana.

History

Historical Context

When the WNBA launched in 1997, the Houston Comets captured the inaugural championship, establishing the league’s competitive foundation. The eight-team league recorded an average attendance of 9,500 fans per game, and star Cynthia Cooper averaged 22.2 points. Similarly, the 2024 Indiana Fever’s 96-77 win over the Minnesota Lynx, highlighted by Caitlin Clark’s 27 points and Kelsey Mitchell’s 20-point streak, echoes star power. That precedent suggests teams will continue leveraging veteran coaching, like Cheryl Reeve’s bench rotations, to manage player fatigue and shape playoff trajectories.

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Fever Secure Seed

Indiana Fever beat Minnesota Lynx 96-77, preserving their chance for the No. 4 playoff seed.
Caitlin Clark posted 27 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and four steals for the Fever.
Kelsey Mitchell scored 20 points, extending her league-record streak to 27 straight 20-point games.
The win raised the Fever’s probability of earning the No. 4 seed to 27.1% according to analyst Nat Newell.

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