The fall was a hard one.
Two days after winning the Commissioner’s Cup as champion of the WNBA’s in-season tournament, the Lynx lost to the Dallas Wings, who had lost 11 games in a row.
The 94-88 defeat in Arlington, Texas, snapped a six-game regular-season win streak for the Lynx.
The main reason for the loss? Defense. Or, uncharacteristically, the lack of it.
The Lynx entered the game ranked second in the league in defensive rating (92.2) and point allowed (73.8). They were first in opponents’ overall shooting (39.2%) and on three-point defense (27.1%).
And then a Wings team being led by Arike Ogunbowale and pushed by former Lynx guard Odyssey Sims — in her first game after signing a hardship contract because Dallas had three key players injured — and shot 48.7% overall, 60% on threes, and scored 94 points while hitting 37 field goals.
Every one of those numbers represent the worst the Lynx have allowed this season.