Countdown to tipoff

--It’s  about 30 minutes the Lynx and Fever will kick off their best-of-five WNBA Finals series at Target Center. It is a matchup of two veteran-laden teams who have won a lot of games, championships, medals, you name it.

It’s also two of the most close-knit teams in the league.

Here is one way the Lynx help foster that closeness. Before the start of every playoff series the team meets for a supper together. Coach Cheryl Reeve has been doing it since the Lynx first made the playoffs with her coaching in 2011.

It’s a chance for everyone to be together, more than anything else. “It’s a celebration of the series we just came out of,” she said. “More than anything, it’s just being together. I like the conversations, the energy in the room. We do a highlight video. That’s when it gets the loudest. That’s really fun. Our video coordinator does a highlight video of the series we just came out of, and it’s fun for them to reminisce about what just happened.’’

--Here’s a guess:  Reeve will go a little deeper into her bench in this series than she did against L.A. or Phoenix. Specifically, look for her to use guard Renee Montgomery more. Reeve was hesitant to use Montgomery against either the Sparks or the Mercury because she didn’t think Montgomery matched up well size-wise against those teams. But the Fever has a smaller, quicker backcourt, and Montgomery could come in handy.

The Lynx beat the Fever here late in the season with Anna Cruz and Montgomery starting in place of the injured Lindsay Whalen and Seimone Augustus.  Montgomery played very well in that game, scoring 13 points and seven assists. Reeve said both Whalen and Augustus were shown the tape of that game for insight into how Cruz and Montgomery played against the Fever frontcourt.

“We need her,” Reeve said of Montgomery. “It’s a 200-minute series now, and that’s a lot more. … Anna and Renee have very different games than Lindsay and Seimone. So, if Lindsay and Seimone aren’t getting it done, I’m happy to use Anna and Renee.’’