The lynx vs sparks matchup on June 17 carries clear stakes for Minnesota. The Lynx need to beat the Los Angeles Sparks and get a Las Vegas loss to the Phoenix Mercury to reach the Commissioner’s Cup final for a third straight time.
Cheryl Reeve Keeps Minnesota Alive
Minnesota entered the final Commissioner’s Cup slate tied with the Las Vegas Aces atop the Western Conference table, and the margin for error disappeared with the calendar turn to June 17. The Lynx can book a third consecutive Cup final only by handling the Sparks and getting help from Phoenix.
Cheryl Reeve said after Monday’s victory, “We were locked in, as we should have been,” and added, “Trying to win a home game and trying to stay in the hunt in the Commissioner’s Cup.” That win kept Minnesota in position to make the late-night result matter.
5-1 After Portland Blowout
The Lynx reached this point with a 5-1 Commissioner’s Cup record after a blowout win over Portland. That record left them in the mix with Las Vegas heading into the final slate, while Dallas also remained part of the larger scenario and needed a quiet night.
For Minnesota, the path stayed simple: beat Los Angeles and wait on the result in Phoenix. The Sparks game and the Aces game both tipped at 10 PM, giving the night one clean scoreboard watch for the conference race.
Phoenix Faces Las Vegas Pressure
The Mercury entered the Commissioner’s Cup finale on a three-game losing streak, but Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts still stressed the edge around the matchup. “There’s definitely urgency,” he said. “We know that we need to be playing better. But at the same time, you’ve got to have patience.”
Las Vegas and Minnesota were neck-and-neck atop the Western Conference table before the final slate, so the two games on June 17 carried the entire Cup picture. Minnesota’s finish now hinged on its own work against the Sparks and on whether Phoenix could slow the Aces long enough to change the bracket.
