Coach Cheryl Reeve said the Lynx want to have the best record in the WNBA at the end of the regular season. That way, they will have the home-court advantage as long as they stay alive in the playoffs.
Here is the way the race to the best record shapes up:
Lynx 17-5 --- .... 12 games left, six home, six away
Indiana 17-7 1 ... 10 games left, four home, six away
Connecticut 15-8 2.5 ... huge game with Lynx on Tuesday, Sun get Minny at home
San Antonio 13-9 4 ... two games left with Lynx, but have to get really hot to catch them
Lynx sked ... 12 games
Home (six games)/ Tulsa (1-21), LA (9-13), San Antonio (13-9), Wash (5-16), NY (13-11) and Chi (10-14) ... these teams are a combined 51-84, skewed by Shock being so bad. ... 37.7 winning pct. ... LA will be better with Candace Parker (knee) back on Tues., San Antonio could be pesky -- lost two games to Lynx at buzzer ... at worst Lynx go 4-2
Away (six games)/ Conn (15-8), Wash (5-16), Tulsa (1-21), San Antonio (13-9), NY (13-11), Pho (13-10) ... Those teams are a combined 50-75, a 40 winning pct. ... Three, maybe four tough road games, but Lynx are 8-3 away, best road mark in league ... at worst Lynx go 3-3 and with 4-2 home mark finish 24-10 ... San Antonio would have to go 11-1 to match that. Very unlikely.
Overall Lynx final 12 opponents are 101-159 (counting records twice of teams they play twice such as Tulsa) for winning pct. of 38.8. Not a daunting sked.
Indiana sked ... 10 games
Home (four games)/ Wash (5-16), Atl (11-12), Wash (5-16), Atl (11-12) ... These teams are 32-56, a 36.0 winning pct. .. Fever has played Atlanta once on road and lost. ... Should go 4-0
Away (six games)/ San Antonio (13-9), LA (9-13), Atl (11-12), Conn (15-8), Chi (10-14), NY (13-11) ... These teams are 71-67 combined, a 51.4 winning pct. Indiana Could easily go 2-4, and with 4-0 home mark, would finish 23-11, one game behind Lynx.
Overall final 10 Fever opponents are 103-123 for a 45.5 winning pct.,
San Antonio and Los Angeles could really help the Lynx if they beat Indiana when the Fever visit those two cities. Atlanta also will have a big influence on how the Fever finish. The Dream still have three game left with Indiana.
All this is heady stuff for the Lynx, who have never finished higher than a tie for third in the Western Conference.
Connecticut sked .,.. 11 games
Home (five games)/ Lynx (17-5), Atl (11-12), Pho (13-10), Indiana (17-7), NY (13-11) ... Teams are 71-45, a 61.2 winning pct., Tough home sked. Maybe could go 3-2.
Away (six games)/ NY (13-11), Atl (11-12), Tulsa (1-21), San Antonio (13-9), Wash (5-16), Atl (11-12) ... Teams are 44-81, a 35.2 winning pct. ... Should go 4-2, and with 3-2 home record, finish 22-12.
But Sun has both Lynx and Indiana at home, so Connecticut could get back in race for best home record with wins against both.
