Four lead changes in the final two minutes. Was it the sixth game of last year’s Los Angeles-Minnesota WNBA Finals? “We wanted to come out like it was game six,” Lynx center Sylvia Fowles told the MSR after Sunday’s 85-84 loss to give the visiting Sparks a 1-0 advantage in this year’s championship series. At […]
Lynx/WNBA
Sports: a space for local and national sports news, with emphasis on stories pertaining to African Americans.
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WNBA Finals preview
This series will cover the WNBA’s 21st season with at least one story on the league weekly from the season’s May 13 opening to its closing on September 3 and through the 2017 playoffs. The Minnesota Lynx’s sixth WNBA Finals appearance in seven seasons is in less than seven days. This is the first Finals rematch […]
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Fowles MVP of the league, Whalen MVP of Game 2 semifinals
Sylvia Fowles is the league’s MVP — she received the huge trophy before Thursday’s game from President Lisa Borders, and led her squad with 25 points. But Lindsay Whalen was the game’s MIP (most impactful player) in Minnesota’s 93-83 win to take a 2-0 lead over Washington. “Tonight really belonged to Lindsay Whalen,” LaChina Robinson, […]
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Lynx dominate Washington to win Game 1
Getting the first game out of the way was just as important as winning it, said Minnesota Lynx players. The hosts’ 8-0 run to end the first quarter finally shook off whatever rust that might have built up as the Lynx took a 1-0 lead Tuesday with a 101-81 victory over Washington. “I thought we […]
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As season winds down, many W players head overseas
This series will cover the WNBA’s 21st season with at least one story on the league weekly from the season’s May 13 opening to its closing on September 3 and through the 2017 playoffs. A year after the WNBA’s 20-year recognition, Edwige Lawson-Wade, who played five seasons (2005-10), recently admitted that somehow she got passed […]
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2017 WNBA playoffs preview
Minnesota and Los Angeles have been waiting at least a week for their semifinals opponents. The top two seeds host games one and two of the 2017 best-of-five WNBA Semifinals on Tuesday and Thursday. The Lynx play Washington, and the Sparks play Phoenix. The winners advance to the finals, which starts September 24. Both top […]
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‘The Barn’ hosts Lynx home playoffs
This series will cover the WNBA’s 21st season with at least one story on the league weekly from the season’s May 13 opening to its closing on September 3 and through the 2017 playoffs. The 2017 WNBA Playoffs begin Wednesday with pro basketball’s own “lightning round.” “Coaches don’t like it,” Washington Coach Mike Thibault complained […]
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Poor WNBA officiating still the bane of league’s existence
This series will cover the WNBA’s 21st season with at least one story on the league weekly from the season’s May 13 opening to its closing on September 3 and through the 2017 playoffs The WNBA deserves better officiating. Any expectance of seeing the three-person crews raise up their game as the playoffs begin next […]
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Playoff rush: Every game matters down the stretch
This series will cover the WNBA’s 21st season with at least one story on the league weekly from the season’s May 13 opening to its closing on September 3 and through the 2017 playoffs. Whether she intended it or not, 2016 WNBA Most Valuable Player Nneka Ogwumike introduced a subtitle for this season’s “Watch Me […]
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Lynx’s Fowles credits her stellar play to footwork and poise
This series will cover the WNBA’s 21st season with at least one story on the league weekly from the season’s May 13 opening to its closing on September 3 and through the 2017 playoffs. Whether or not she wins this season’s most valuable player award, Sylvia Fowles has played like one thus far. Just ask […]
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Good role models essential to solving the ‘diversity conundrum’
Second in a multi-part series Longtime columnist William C. Rhoden has written on The Undefeated.com about the “blinding Whiteness in virtually every sector” of college sport, including key leadership and other essential positions, calling it the “diversity conundrum.” This multi-part series will expand on Rhoden’s observation. This week: Is having Black role models important for […]
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Lynx gain fans through St. Paul partnership
This series will cover the WNBA’s 21st season with at least one story on the league weekly from the season’s May 13 opening to its closing on September 3 and through the 2017 playoffs. Thousands of Saint Paul youth and families, many for the first time, got the chance to see the Minnesota Lynx this […]
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Strong bench helps Lynx teamwork function at high level
This series will cover the WNBA’s 21st season with at least one story on the league weekly from the season’s May 13 opening to its closing on September 3 and through the 2017 playoffs. A strong team is only as strong as its formidable bench. A strong bench therefore proves invaluable, especially during stretch runs. […]
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Borders, using ‘bully pulpit,’ defends W players’ rights to speak freely
Lisa Borders in her second year might be the first WNBA president to use her “bully pulpit.” This historic occasion took place in Seattle July 22 during Borders’ midseason address to reporters, including the MSR, before the All-Star Game. No pro league in America seems as widely disparaged with so much hostility, even hatred to […]
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W pres plays it safe in Seattle
This series will cover the WNBA’s 21st season with at least one story on the league weekly from the season’s May 13 opening to its closing on September 3 and through the 2017 playoffs. SEATTLE — Women’s rights are the civil rights of today, declared WNBA President Lisa Borders. All well and good, but her […]
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The Only One in the Emerald City: 2017 WNBA All-Star Game
This column continues the Only One series in which this reporter shares his experiences as the only African American journalist on the scene. SEATTLE — The stars were out Saturday afternoon in Key Arena. Hall of Famers Bill Russell and Lenny Wilkens; Seattle Seahawks’ Richard Sherman and other notables watched Maya Moore’s second consecutive mid-season […]
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The Only One in the Emerald City: All-Star practice highlights
This column continues the Only One series in which this reporter shares his experiences as the only African American journalist on the scene. SEATTLE — The word “replacement” often can be misunderstood, especially in sports. Minnesota’s Rebekkah Brunson and Sugar Rodgers of New York were both named All-Stars by WNBA President Lisa Borders to replace […]
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All-Stars talk about their All-Star games
This series will cover the WNBA’s 21st season with at least one story on the league weekly from the season’s May 13 opening to its closing on September 3 and through the 2017 playoffs. This coming weekend’s WNBA All-Star Game in Seattle has at the outset an old-time Western theme: the younger Eastern Conference vs. […]
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Coach Kelsey moves up to the pros
This series will cover the WNBA’s 21st season with at least one story on the league weekly from the season’s May 13 opening to its closing on September 3 and through the 2017 playoffs. Whenever a Black coach is hired — male or female, college or pro — this columnist cheers like the little angel […]
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Watching Lynx play from the stands is hard for ‘Papa Pete’
This series will cover the WNBA’s 21st season with at least one story on the league weekly from the season’s May 13 opening to its closing on September 3 and through the 2017 playoffs. He has only been away for a few months, but when Jim Peterson casually walked into the locker room after a […]