Diana Taurasi is out, serving a one-game suspension for having picked up seven technical fouls. Brittney Griner is out nursing a sore knee. So you'd think the Lynx might be in danger of overlooking today's game with Phoenix at Target Center.

Not so, said Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve.

"That's never a problem with this group," she said of her team, which will be looking to stretch its home winning streak to 16, it's winning streak this season to seven and its winning streak over the Mercury to 10.

"Most of all because it's a home game," Reeve continued. "But the second part of it today, a great motivator for us is playing in front of 12,000 kids.''

Yes, it's going to be loud today for the noon tipoff. Today is the yearly camp game, where thousands of children will be in attendance, most likely making a lot of noise.

"These players remember when they were younger and they saw a game and what it did for them," Reeve said.

Reeve is a big fan of this game. She thinks it gives young girls the motivation to play themselves. Young boys, meanwhile, get the message that women play professional sports at a high level.

"So there is a lot of education that goes on today," Reeve said.

A victory today would put the Lynx at 14-3 heading into the All-Star break. It would be the best record through the first half in franchise history; Minnesota was 13-4 the past two seasons.

Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen, Seimone Augustus and Rebekkah Brunson will all play at the All-Star game Saturday in Connecticut. Reeve and her staff will coach and athletic trainer Chuck Barta will go to the game as well.

The rest of the team will have four days off, returning for practice Monday.