Lynx guard Crystal Dangerfield learns a lot in a challenging playoff run

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said one of the silver linings of losing 92-71 to Seattle on Sunday was the players and staff get to return to their families.

However, Reeve said she wouldn't be surprised if point guard Crystal Dangerfield opts for a slightly different destination than home.

"She more than anybody wants to go on an island and just go recover," Reeve said with a smile.

The Lynx put a lot on Dangerfield's plate this season, and she responded with a Rookie of the Year performance while adding inevitable all-rookie team honors to that Sunday — well worth a vacation. She was also, as Reeve said, a "bright spot" amid the 3-0 sweep at the hands of the Storm.

Dangerfield shot 7-for-19 Sunday for 16 points, adding five rebounds and two assists. Dangerfield shot 34% for the playoffs while totaling 15 assists in four games. Reeve said she was impressed with how Dangerfield learned from each game of the postseason.

"The information from Game 1 to Game 2, how she applied it and then Game 2 to Game 3, that's a bright spot for us," Reeve said. "Her evolution and things that she learned and obviously she's got a bright future."

Reeve said there was a lot of pressure on Dangerfield, especially given the pedigree of the matchups the Lynx faced in the postseason. Dangerfield didn't flinch.

"You get to the playoffs and experience success against a really good Phoenix team who has the great Diana Taurasi …" Reeve said. "You climb that mountain, so to speak, and now you're in a series that's very different and Defensive Player of the Year candidate Alysha Clark is going to be on you, so good luck. Everything you do, good luck."

Dangerfield said she learned how much extra effort players need in the postseason.

"Especially with the series and a team like Seattle, you have to figure out things you can take advantage of game to game," Dangerfield said. "And just understanding every possession is crucial."

Disappointment was evident on Dangerfield's face as she answered questions via video conference.

"This team wasn't ready to go home yet," she said.

But there were plenty of reasons to be positive.

"It was everything I could've asked for with this team, how the season turned out, though obviously not [with it] ending," Dangerfield said. "But how we played over stretches of time under these circumstances inside the bubble, outside the bubble. Just the way the world looks right now.

"That they could pull this off and for this team to carry itself the way it did, win games that we weren't supposed to win, it was a joy to be here."

Even if Sunday wasn't exactly a happy experience, it was still an experience to use in the future.