Turnover-prone Lynx lose 84-76 at Atlanta

For all of the comebacks the Lynx mounted Wednesday, and for all of the rebounds Sylvia Fowles grabbed, right here is the quantity Lynx followers ought to pay essentially the most consideration to:

Twenty-six.

In a bodily, back-and-forth 84-76 loss to an Atlanta Dream staff that at 6-3 is among the WNBA’s surprises this season, the Lynx couldn’t handle the ball.

They turned the ball over a season-high 26 instances. In a sport determined by eight factors, the Dream had a 23-13 edge on factors off turnovers.

“The loopy factor is, if you happen to have a look at the staff’s stats, the Dream is down there with us in forcing turnovers,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve mentioned. “It isn’t prefer it’s their mission defensively. It is a staff that does not pressure turnovers. That was actually the sport.”

It was a tough loss, and a painful one which had Reeve shaking her head on the officiating. For instance: Kristy Wallace punched Jessica Shepard within the nostril, breaking it, on a third-quarter drive and was awarded two free throws. It was Minnesota’s second damaged nostril in as many video games after Aerial Powers had hers damaged Sunday.

Later, Kayla McBride was floored and suffered a quad contusion on a clearly unlawful display screen on Kia Vaughn that went uncalled.

However the Lynx (2-9) confirmed they might take a punch. Down 15 within the second quarter, they rallied to seize two one-point leads within the third quarter. However a 10-3 run to finish the third quarter and a shaky begin to the fourth had the Lynx down 10 earlier than the fourth quarter was two minutes previous.

And, given the state of the Lynx’s injury-riddled backcourt and the ensuing turnovers, that was an excessive amount of to beat on an evening when Rhyne Howard, the WNBA’s rookie of the 12 months in ready, scored 22 factors for Atlanta. Wallace had 18 and Aari McDonald 13 factors and 7 steals.

“I imply, that is been the story of the Lynx proper now,” mentioned McBride, who scored 20 factors with 5 rebounds. “We’re nonetheless looking for our stream and rhythm on offense. That is likely to be part of it. However there are not any excuses for that many turnovers. We all know that. We need to repair it.”

The very fact the Lynx backcourt has been a revolving door will not make that simple. Kamiah Smalls, one of many staff’s newest hardship signings — Elissa Cunane was the opposite — met the staff in Atlanta and had one walk-through earlier than enjoying quarter-hour after Rachel Banham bought in early foul hassle. Smalls is filling in for Moriah Jefferson, who might be out two weeks with a quad harm.

However there is no such thing as a query the turnovers made it harder than traditional to get the ball to Fowles, who shot the ball simply 9 instances. She made seven and scored 16 factors to go along with a WNBA season-high 20 rebounds.

And the turnovers made it tough to mount a remaining comeback.

Reeve bemoaned the 10-0 Atlanta run that broke up a tie sport late within the third quarter.

The Dream scored most of its offense with midrange photographs and three-pointers (12-for-28).

The important thing play might need include underneath 4 minutes left. The Lynx have been inside 4 when McDonald missed a 3. The Lynx seemed poised to get the rebound, however the ball bounced to the Dream. The outcome was a 3 by Erica Wheeler that may have sealed the sport.

However the principle story was turnovers. “Whenever you flip it over that a lot, while you pressure photographs that are not good photographs, and are consistently in transition protection, that makes it powerful,” Reeve mentioned.

The Star Tribune didn’t journey for this occasion. This text was written utilizing the tv broadcast and video interviews earlier than and/or after the occasion.