During the offseason, when she got word that the Minnesota Lynx might be part of a four-team WNBA preseason tournament in Orlando, coach Cheryl Reeve was not thrilled. Training camp is already tight, thanks to the World Championships this fall, which has pushed up the league's start date.
Better to practice at home than do all that traveling, she thought.
But things have changed.
While the team's starters are set, the Lynx have to figure out who is going to replace top reserves Devereaux Peters and Monica Wright, out following arthroscopic knee procedures. Reeve also needs to get her starters time together in a game situation — minus forward Rebekkah Brunson, who won't join the team until Monday. And the coach needs to figure out her rotation. Suddenly a trip to Florida doesn't look so bad.
"At first, you don't know if you like the idea," Reeve said. "Then things shake out the way they did for us, and I think it ends up being a really big week."
On Friday, Chicago will play Indiana at 6 p.m. and the Lynx will play Phoenix at 7:30. The two losers will face each other Sunday morning, the winners that afternoon.
"We need some game action together," guard Lindsay Whalen said. "Preseason games are all about who is going to show you something."
For Reeve, giving her top reserves more time is a plus. Rookies Damiris Dantas, Waltiea Rolle and Asya Taylor all played well in a victory over the Australian national team on Monday, but games against WNBA opponents will be better tests.
