2021 Minnesota Lynx season

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2021 Minnesota Lynx season
Head Coach Cheryl Reeve
Arena Target Center
Attendance 2,696 per game
Results
Record 22–10
(.688)
Place 2nd (Western)
Playoff Finish 3rd seed, Lost in Second Round to Chicago Sky
Team Leaders
Points Napheesa Collier – 16.2 ppg
Rebounds Sylvia Fowles –10.1 rpg
Assists Layshia Clarendon – 5.7 apg
Minnesota Lynx seasons
< 2020 2022 >

The 2021 WNBA season was the 23rd season for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association. The season began on May 14, 2021, versus the Phoenix Mercury.[1]

The 2021 season brought teams back to their home markets instead of playing in a "Bubble" like they did in the 2020 season. The Lynx returned to Target Center and played in front of limited fans. The Lynx also revealed new jerseys on April 8. Three new jerseys - Heroines, Explorers, and Rebels - were used through the season. Each uniform embodies player and team characteristics – attitude, potential, power, and honors not only our fans, but the community as well. The Rebel jersey is inspired by First Avenue.[2]

The Lynx started the season slowly, losing their first four games. However, they won their last game in May, in overtime, over the Connecticut Sun to finish May 1–4. The team's fortunes turned around in June as they posted a 7–3 record. They won their first two games and last three games of the month, and the middle contained a pattern of alternating losses and wins. In July, the Lynx continued their winning streak from the end of June, winning all four games in July. Their seven game winning streak before the Olympic break catapulted them to a 12–7 record at the break. Coming out of the break, the Lynx won their first game before losing two straight games in Connecticut. After those back to back losses, they won five straight games. The streak was ended on September 8 in Las Vegas. However, the team won its last four games, which included three straight wins against Indiana, who finished last in the league. Their 4–2 August record, combined with a 6–1 September mark saw the Lynx finish 22–10 in third place in the standings. The team also had a remarkable 13–3 home record during the season, tied for second best in the league.

As the third seed in the 2021 WNBA Playoffs, the Lynx earned a bye into the second round, and would host the lowest remaining seed from the first round. The Lynx drew Chicago, the 6th seed as their opponent. Chicago finished the season 16–16 but defeated the Lynx 76–89 in the game to end the Lynx' season.

Transactions

WNBA draft

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See also: 2021 WNBA draft
Round Pick Player Nationality School/team/country
1 9 Rennia Davis  United States Tennessee

Trades/Roster Changes

Date Details
September 10, 2020 Signed F Damiris Dantas to a multi-year contract extension.[3]
December 4, 2020 Exercised Rookie Contract Options on F Napheesa Collier and Jessica Shepard.[4]
December 18, 2020 Renounced the rights to G Katerina Elhotova.[5]
January 3, 2021 Extended a Qualifying Offer to F Temi Fagbenle, G Anna Cruz, and G Bridget Carleton.[6]
January 8, 2021 Signed G Bridget Carleton to a training-camp contract.[7]
January 13, 2021 Extended a Qualifying Offer to F Erica McCall.[8]
February 1, 2021 Signed G Kayla McBride and F Natalie Achonwa.[9]
February 6, 2021 Signed and Traded F Erica McCall to the Washington Mystics for a 2022 3rd Round Pick.[10]
February 10, 2021 Traded F Mikiah Herbert Harrigan to the Seattle Storm for a 2022 1st Round Pick (via the Phoenix Mercury).[11]
February 13, 2021 Signed G Linnae Harper to a training-camp contract.[12]
February 15, 2021 Signed F Aerial Powers.[13]
Traded G Odyssey Sims, the exclusive negotiating rights to F Temi Fagbenle, Minnesota's own 2022 First Round Pick, and Minnesota's own 2022 Third Round Pick to the Indiana Fever for Indiana's own 2022 Second Round Pick.[14]
April 3, 2021 Signed G Mikayla Pivec to a Training Camp contract.[15]
April 16, 2021 Signed F Asheika Alexander to a training-camp contract.[16]
April 17, 2021 Waived G Lexie Brown.
Signed G Japreece Dean, G Selena Lott, C Mikayla Vaughn, and F Alex Wittinger to training-camp contracts.[17]
April 19, 2021 Signed F Rennia Davis[18]
April 29, 2021 Waived F Alex Wittinger[19]
May 6, 2021 Waived G Japreece Dean[20]
May 10, 2021 Waived G Asheika Alexander and C Mikayla Vaughn[21]
May 10, 2021 Waived G Linnae Harper[22]
May 13, 2021 Waived G Mikayla Pivec and G Selena Lott[23]
Re-Signed G Linnae Harper to Hardship Contract[24]
Temporary Suspend F Napheesa Collier due to Overseas Commitments[25][26]
May 13, 2021 Released G Linnae Harper from Hardship Contract[27]
Activated F Napheesa Collier from Temporary Suspension List
May 30, 2021 Sign G Layshia Clarendon to a Hardship Contract[28]
June 11, 2021 Released G Layshia Clarendon from the Hardship Contract[29]
June 12, 2021 Signed G Layshia Clarendon to a Hardship Contract[30]
June 15, 2021 Signed F Cierra Burdick to a Hardship Contract[31]
June 20, 2021 Released G Layshia Clarendon and F Cierra Burdick from their Hardship Contract[32]
June 21, 2021 Re-Sign G Layshia Clarendon to a Hardship Contract[33]
June 28, 2021 Waive G Rachel Banham[34]
June 30, 2021 Release G Layshia Clarendon from the Hardship Contract[35]
July 2, 2021 Sign G Layshia Clarendon[36]
July 5, 2021 Sign G Rachel Banham[37]
July 6, 2021 Sign F Natasha Mack to a 7-day contract[38]
August 14, 2021 Release F Natasha Mack from the 7-day contract[39]
September 10, 2021 Signed F/C Jillian Alleyne to a 7-day contract[40]
September 19, 2021 Signed F/C Jillian Alleyne to a Rest of Season Contract[41]

Roster

2021 Minnesota Lynx roster
Players Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Height Weight DOB From
F 11 Canada Achonwa, Natalie 6' 3" (1.91m) 195 lb (88kg) 1992-11-22 Notre Dame 6
F/C 14 United States Alleyne, Jillian 6' 2" (1.88m) 193 lb (88kg) 1994-09-8 Oregon 1
G 15 United States Banham, Rachel 5' 9" (1.75m) 172 lb (78kg) 1993-07-15 Minnesota 5
G/F 6 Canada Carleton, Bridget 6' 1" (1.85m) 188 lb (85kg) 1997-05-22 Iowa State 2
G 7 United States Clarendon, Layshia Injured 5' 9" (1.75m) 153 lb (69kg) 1991-05-02 California 8
F 24 United States Collier, Napheesa 6' 2" (1.88m) 181 lb (82kg) 1996-09-23 Connecticut 2
G 2 United States Dangerfield, Crystal 5' 5" (1.65m) 130 lb (59kg) 1998-05-11 Connecticut 1
F 12 Brazil Dantas, Damiris Injured 6' 3" (1.91m) 209 lb (95kg) 1992-11-17 Brazil 6
G/F 0 United States Davis, Rennia Injured 6' 1" (1.85m) 170 lb (77kg) 1999-02-24 Tennessee R
C 34 United States Fowles, Sylvia 6' 6" (1.98m) 218 lb (99kg) 1985-10-06 LSU 13
G 21 United States McBride, Kayla 5' 10" (1.78m) 174 lb (79kg) 1992-06-25 Notre Dame 7
G/F 3 United States Powers, Aerial 5' 9" (1.75m) 169 lb (77kg) 07-17-1994 Michigan State 5
F 10 United States Shepard, Jessica 6' 3" (1.91m) 175 lb (79kg) 1996-09-11 Notre Dame 1
Head coach
United States Cheryl Reeve (La Salle)
Assistant coaches
United States Plenette Pierson (Texas Tech)
United States Katie Smith (Ohio State)
United States Rebekkah Brunson (Georgetown)
Athletic trainer
United States Chuck Barta (Wisconsin-La Crosse)
Assistant trainer
United States Brandi BlueArm (Mankato)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (IN) Inactive
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Depth

Pos. Starter Bench
C Sylvia Fowles Natalie Achonwa
Jillian Alleyne
PF Damiris Dantas Jessica Shepard
SF Napheesa Collier Aerial Powers
Bridget Carleton
Rennia DavisCruz Roja.svg
SG Kayla McBride Rachel Banham
PG Layshia Clarendon Crystal Dangerfield

Schedule

Preseason

2021 pre-season game log
2021 pre-season schedule
  • The preseason game vs. Atlanta was a scrimmage. The second half gave both teams multiple possessions and was not played like a real game.[42]

Regular season

2021 game log
2021 season schedule

Playoffs

2021 playoff game log
Second round
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 September 26 Chicago 76–89 Aerial Powers (24) Sylvia Fowles (8) Aerial Powers (4) Target Center
4,334		 0–1
2021 playoff schedule

Standings

# Team W L PCT GB Conf. Home Road Cup
1 x – Connecticut Sun 26 6 .813 – 12–3 15–1 11–5 9–1
2 x – Las Vegas Aces 24 8 .750 2 11–4 13–3 11–5 6–4
3 x – Minnesota Lynx 22 10 .688 4 10–5 13–3 9–7 7–3
4 x – Seattle Storm 21 11 .656 5 9–6 11–5 10–6 8–2
5 x – Phoenix Mercury 19 13 .594 7 6–9 7–9 12–4 5–5
6 x – Chicago Sky 16 16 .500 10 10–5 6–10 10–6 6–4
7 x – Dallas Wings 14 18 .438 12 7–8 7–9 7–9 3–7
8 x – New York Liberty 12 20 .375 14 6–9 7–9 5–11 5–5
9 e – Washington Mystics 12 20 .375 14 7–8 8–8 4–12 4–6
10 e – Los Angeles Sparks 12 20 .375 14 2–13 8–8 4–12 1–9
11 e – Atlanta Dream 8 24 .250 18 6–9 4–12 4–12 4–6
12 e – Indiana Fever 6 26 .188 20 4–11 4–12 2–14 2–8


Playoffs

Template:8TeamBracket-StepladderToSF Note: Teams re-seeded after each round.

Statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage  TO  Turnovers per game
 PF  Fouls per game Team leader League leader

Regular Season

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Napheesa Collier 29 29 34.6 44.1 25.3 86.0 6.6 3.2 1.3 1.3 16.2
Sylvia Fowles 31 31 30.1 64.0 0.0 75.5 10.1 1.4 1.8 1.8 16.0
Kayla McBride 32 32 31.6 43.3 37.9 91.0 3.6 2.3 0.8 0.2 13.7
Aerial Powers 14 7 22.1 42.7 31.4 91.7 3.6 2.1 0.4 0.4 13.4
Layshia Clarendon 21 20 25.7 51.7 35.7 78.4 3.1 5.7 0.6 0.0 10.4
Damiris Dantas 24 20 23.8 37.7 33.3 75.0 4.0 2.3 0.4 0.3 7.7
Crystal Dangerfield 31 10 20.1 38.8 35.9 85.7 2.0 2.8 0.7 0.1 7.7
Rachel Banham 27 0 12.6 39.5 37.3 62.5 1.2 1.6 0.3 0.1 5.0
Bridget Carleton 32 10 19.3 40.1 36.5 80.0 2.3 1.5 0.8 0.2 4.8
Natalie Achonwa 21 1 12.0 42.6 0.0 89.3 2.1 1.2 0.6 0.2 3.7
Jessica Shepard 22 0 10.5 36.4 8.3 75.0 3.2 1.7 0.1 0.2 2.0
Jillian Alleyne 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Rennia Davis 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Awards and Milestones

Recipient Award/Milestone Date Awarded Reference
Kayla McBride 3,000th Career Point June 17 (vs. Dallas) [43]
Napheesa Collier 1,000th Career Point June 30 (vs. Phoenix) [44]
Sylvia Fowles Western Conference Player of the Week June 28 [45]
Napheesa Collier WNBA All-Star Selection June 30 [46]
Sylvia Fowles
Sylvia Fowles Western Conference Player of the Month September 2 [47]
WNBA All-Defensive First Team September 26 [48]
WNBA Defensive Player of the Year [49]
All-WNBA Second Team October 15 [50]

References

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External links

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