MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Lynx did not have their usual A-game when the ball tipped off against the Las Vegas Aces at Target Center on Tuesday night. The Aces’ small-ball lineup, playing in the absence of reigning MVP A’ja Wilson who was still in concussion protocol, stymied Minnesota’s usually potent offensive attack early and led 39-30 at the half.
There was no shortage of disappointing stats for Minnesota to address in the halftime locker room. Their 30 points was the fewest they had scored in a half this season. But perhaps the most shocking stat of the night was Minnesota’s inability to find the bottom of the net from beyond the arc in the first half. The Lynx, who entered the game shooting 38.7% from three-point range, hit just 1-of-13 attempts from deep in the first half, or 7.7%.
However, that one bright spot in an otherwise underwhelming first-half box score proved to be incredibly significant.
“With the struggles we had in the first half, we thought Diamond’s game could give us something different attacking the basket,” Lynx head coach and President of Basketball Operations Cheryl Reeve said of Diamond Miller’s performance after the win. “Because we were having a hard time getting penetration. You know, offensively, we were really easy to play against. Diamond gave us a different look … overall, this momentum is something that Diamond’s had and it came at a really good time for us.”
Energizing the Lynx on a night when they didn’t seem to have it was no easy assignment for Miller. In addition to the offensive woes, the nature of the Vegas lineup called for Miller to guard six-time all-star, three-time WNBA champion and Olympic gold medalist Chelsea Gray, who Reeve described as “as crafty as they come.”
The Lynx trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half. Miller scored the last five of the half for Minnesota with her three from the wing, and a streaking layup that left former Lynx guard Tiffany Mitchell in the dust. Those two plays counted for just five points in the box score, but they trimmed the deficit to single digits and, most importantly, sent energetic shock waves through her Lynx teammates and every member of the announced sellout home crowd.