Lynx use familiar formula to roll past Sky, 83-66, to tie franchise record for victories

MINNEAPOLIS — Sorry if this sounds familiar, but:

Friday night at Target Center, the Lynx didn’t have a strong start against the Chicago Sky.

They struggled to contain Chennedy Carter, they struggled guarding Kamilla Cardoso in the paint. To give you an idea of the way the Lynx started the game, consider that Carter had as many points (nine) as the Lynx with less than three minutes left in the first quarter.

But things got better in the 83-66 Lynx victory.

Down six early in the second quarter, the Lynx used a 17-2 run to take control of the game. Up five at halftime, the Lynx opened the third quarter 11-0 to push their lead to 16. There was a stretch from 6:34 left in the second quarter until 5:13 in the third that the Sky were held to only three field goals.

This is the sort of defense the Lynx (28-9) have been showing during a streak in which they have won five games in a row and 12 of their past 13.

In a word, stifling.

While tying the 2016 Lynx for most victories in a season in franchise history, the Lynx took a minute, then cleaned Chicago’s clock.

The Sky (13-24) made nine of 17 shots while taking a six-point lead after a quarter. Chicago then shot 8 for 34 while being outscored 48-22 over the second and third quarters.

It’s that kind of defense that can keep things contained when the offense goes sour. Which happened for the Lynx to start the fourth quarter. They missed their first six shots and went scoreless over the first 4:24 of the fourth quarter, enabling the Sky to use an 11-0 run to cut their deficit to nine.

But McBride hit two free throws at 5:36. The Lynx got a stop, then Myisha Hines-Allen hit a corner 3 to push the lead back to 14 mid-quarter, ending the threat.

Both Courtney Williams (14 points, 10 assists) and center Alanna Smith (11 points, a season-high 12 rebounds) had double-doubles. Napheesa Collier scored 20 points with eight rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Hines-Allen had 11 points and six rebounds off the bench.

Cardoso had 16 points with 10 rebounds. Carter had 17 points.

The victory kept the Lynx in second place in the WNBA standings with three games left to play.

By the time coach Cheryl Reeve called a time out with 2:52 left in the first quarter, the Sky had a 9-4 edge on rebounds, a 12-2 edge on points in the paint and Carter and Cardoso had combined to score 14 of those points on 6-for-8 shooting.

The Sky still led by six when Dana Evans hit a 3 with 6:34 left.

Minnesota then scored 17 of the next 19 points.

That included an 11-0 run to start that streak, which included five points from McBride, four from Collier and a steal and score by Williams. After the Sky’s Michaela Onyenwere scored, Smith scored on a baseline drive, Williams stole the ball and scored again and Collier hit two free throws to put the Lynx up 40-31 with 2:17 left in the half.

Those were Minnesota’s last points of the half; the Lynx went 0 for 4 with a turnover, allowing the Sky to score the half’s final four points, pulling Chicago within five. After shooting 52.9% in the first quarter the Sky shot 5 for 15 in the second. After a chilly 35% in the first, the Lynx made nine of 16 second-quarter shots.