Lynx win 7th straight, improving WNBA's best record with Natasha Howard scoring 27 points
The Seattle Storm initially looked as if they might score an upset win on Saturday over the Minnesota Lynx, who currently hold the WNBA’s top record. But the Lynx rode a third-quarter surge on their way to their seventh straight win with an 88-68 victory.
Seattle began by taking a 12-4 lead with Stefanie Dolson hitting three 3-pointers. After a Dominique Malanga midrange jumper, the Storm were ahead 21-9 and ended the first quarter with a 24-16 lead.
From there, the Lynx took control of the game. From the closing minute of the first quarter to midway through the second, Minnesota went on an 18-6 run to go ahead 30-27. Seattle tied the score on a 3-pointer by Awa Fam and the two teams traded leads four times before the Lynx took a lead into halftime on two straight baskets from Olivia Miles.
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Out of halftime, the Lynx went on a 10-0 run to take a 12-point lead and didn’t give up the advantage from there, outscoring Seattle 26-10 in the third quarter. The Storm never got closer than within 15 points through the fourth quarter.
Natasha Howard scored a season-high 27 points to lead Minnesota, adding five rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Olivia Miles added 19 points with six rebounds and six assists, following up on her record-setting performance on Thursday night.
For the Storm, Natisha Heideman and Jade Melbourne each scored 14 points. Rookie Flau’jae Johnson followed with 10 points and six rebounds. But Saturday’s defeat dropped Seattle to 3-9, the WNBA’s second-worst mark.
The Lynx improved their record to 9-2, 1.5 games ahead of the Dallas Wings for the best record in the WNBA. (They are also 3-0 in the Commissioner’s Cup standings.) Minnesota is accustomed to fast starts, holding four of the nine best starts to a season in league history.
With two losses already, the 2026 Lynx won’t match the 13-0 start of the 2016 team. But with another four consecutive wins, they could match the 2016 squad’s 13-2 start. The 2017 Lynx started 9-0 before improving to 20-2 on their way to winning the WNBA championship.
With seven straight wins, this year’s Minnesota team still trails the 2016 squad for the longest winning streak in franchise history with 13 straight. (The Lynx also won 13 consecutive games going from the 2011 to 2012 seasons.) The WNBA record for longest winning streak is held by the 2001 Los Angeles Sparks, who won 18 games in a row.
Minnesota will try to keep its streak going on Tuesday, hosting the Wings for an 8 p.m. ET tip-off at the Target Center.
