In their first 12 years of existence, the Minnesota Lynx flailed through the league, making the playoffs twice but never impacting the WNBA’s bigger picture. They went through seven head coaches in those first dozen years, and the inconsistency showed. After qualifying for the playoffs in both 2003 and 2004, the Lynx only managed to win one post-season game.
A Sudden Powerhouse
But in the past two years, under the tutelage of head coach Cheryl Reeve, the Minnesota Lynx have become one of the best teams in the league. What sparked this turnaround? Even though basketball is a team sport, it’s difficult not to assign the praise to one player in this situation.
In 2011 the Lynx selected the University of Connecticut’s standout forward Maya Moore with the first overall pick of the draft. The young talent immediately transformed the franchise into a legitimate championship contender, and in just one season Moore elevated them from their disappointing 13-21 2010 record all the way up to a 27-7 force to be reckoned with.
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In the 2011 playoffs, the Lynx defeated the San Antonio Silver Stars and the and the Phoenix Mercury in a combined five games. They then swept the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA Finals, winning their first championship in franchise history.
The following year they zoomed through the playoffs again, and after beating the Seattle Storm in a three game series, the Lynx swept the Los Angeles Sparks to win their second straight Western Conference Finals series. But in the WNBA Finals they ran into an Indiana Fever team that wouldn’t be denied, losing in a rough four games.
Still, with Maya Moore on the roster for the foreseeable future, it’s unlikely the Lynx are headed to the bottom of the league anytime soon. Watch the Lynx chase after their second WNBA championship. Save on every ticket, every day with ScoreBig.