For the first time in franchise history, the Minnesota Lynx are the Commissioner's Cup champions. The Lynx went on the road and controlled the second half to beat the reigning Cup champion New York Liberty, 94-89. Napheesa Collier was named MVP of the game after finishing with 21 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Minnesota will take home a share of a $500,000 cash prize pool by virtue of its win.
The Lynx jumped out to an early lead, but the Liberty caught fire from downtown to surge ahead by double digits in the second quarter. Another team may have folded in that moment, but not the Lynx. They cut the deficit down to three at the break, then took the lead shortly after the break behind their excellent defense, which forced 21 turnovers and turned them into 27 points on the other end. While the Liberty made a few runs, they were never able to retake the lead, and the Lynx held them off down the stretch.
Bridget Carleton, who is averaging just eight points per game this season, went off for 23 points, four rebounds, five assists and three steals, and Collier even acknowledged that she should have won MVP instead of her. The Lynx also got a big contribution from Cecilia Zandalasini, who came off the bench to add 15 points. As a team, they shot 14-of-29 from behind the arc.
The Lynx are the fourth different Commissioner's Cup winner in four years, joining the Seattle Storm (2021), Las Vegas Aces (2022) and Liberty (2023).
Here are some key takeaways from the game:
Lynx show why they have league's best defense
The Lynx entered Tuesday's showdown, which does not count as a regular-season game or toward any statistics, with the best defense in the league. Through 16 games they are allowing 90.6 points per 100 possessions, which would be the best defensive rating since the 2007 Indiana Fever.
While they struggled a bit on that side of the ball in the first half, they eventually adjusted to the Liberty's pace and ball movement and showed how dominant they can be defensively Their third quarter was particularly impressive, as they held the Liberty to 10 points on 2-of-13 shooting and forced seven turnovers.
For the entire game, they turned the Liberty over 21 times and converted those extra opportunities into 27 points. The Lynx's versatility and cohesion on defense when they're really locked in is a joy to watch. From their guards to their bigs, everyone can move their feet and works hard, and it's clear this team is bought in to what Cheryl Reeve is teaching.
Carleton robbed of MVP
During her postgame speech Napheesa Collier said she thought Bridget Carleton should have been named MVP of the game. She was 100% right. While Collier played very well herself, Carleton's all-around effort on both sides of the ball stood out, as did her 3-point shooting.
Carleton, who went 6-of-8 from behind the arc, finished with 23 points, four rebounds, five assists and three steals, and she played a big role in holding Sabrina Ionescu to 2-of-9 shooting in the second half. While stats for this game are siloed off, Carleton's six 3s would have been a career-high and her 23 points would have been her second-best scoring night.
It certainly seems as though Carleton's lack of name recognition was the primary reason she didn't win the award and the extra $5,000. While most casual fans likely aren't familiar with Carleton, they should get to know her ahead of the playoffs. She is a key piece of the Lynx's rotation and is going to win them at least one game in the postseason, just as she did Tuesday.
WNBA misses the mark
Prior to the game, Breanna Stewart told reporters she was "frustrated" about the game being held at UBS Arena, home of the NHL's New York Islanders, in Elmont, N.Y. The Liberty's home arena, Barclays Center, was booked for the NBA Draft, which begins Wednesday.
"We worked really hard for homecourt advantage," Stewart said, "And it would be nice if our homecourt was actually available before we choose the date that the event is gonna be."
It's hard to argue with Stewart. The Liberty went 5-0 in their Commissioner's Cup games, and instead of playing in front of a raucous crowd at Barclays, they had to travel to Long Island. Not only were there fewer fans, they were playing in an unfamiliar gym. Would they have won if the game was at Barclays? There's certainly no guarantee, but it would not have hurt their chances.
Furthermore, the game, which was terrific the whole way through, ended up being overshadowed by the blockbuster NBA trade that sent Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets to the New York Knicks. There's no way to predict exactly when such moves will go down, but the night before the draft is about as good a bet as any.
The NBA did a terrific job of making the In-Season Tournament feel like a really big deal last season, but once again the Commissioner's Cup felt irrelevant, and the poor scheduling and logistics for the championship was one of the main reasons why.
