Fever Stun Lynx, Win Commissioner’s Cup Title

MINNEAPOLIS – For the fifth consecutive year a different team has won the WNBA’s “Commissioner’s Cup” in-season tournament when the Indiana Fever took down the Minnesota Lynx 74-59 in front of 12,778 at Target Center Tuesday night. It was the third year in a row when the defending Cup champions failed to repeat.

The Lynx started the scoring with a jump shot by forward Napheesa Collier, which was answered by a layup from Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell. Minnesota forward Alanna Smith broke the tie with a fast break layup, but Fever guard Aari McDonald gave Indiana a one-point lead with her three-pointer. Mitchell’s jump shot extended the lead to three points, but Lynx guard Kayla McBride hit a shot to cut the deficit back to a single point. McDonald made a layup to give Indiana a 9-6 lead with 7:24 remaining in the first quarter.

Then the Lynx pounced.

Minnesota guard Courtney Williams hit a jump shot and followed up with a three-pointer to give the home team an 11-9 lead. Then the Target Center crowd got into the act with shouts of the familiar “D-Fense” chant which made it difficult for Fever players to hear each other. It forced a shot clock violation. Collier hit a turnaround jumper just ahead of the official’s timeout. When play resumed, Smith drilled a three-pointer and then made a fast break layup while falling to the floor. Fever guard Sydney Colson hit a three-pointer to stop the Minnesota 12-0 run. Collier then finished up the scoring with a layup to give the Lynx a 20-12 lead when the first quarter ended.

During the quarter break, Lynx legends Janel McCarville and Sylvia Fowles were introduced, causing the crowd to increase their excitement further. That translated to a solid start for the home team when forward Maria Kliundikova scored a layup to begin the second quarter scoring.

Kliundikova fouled Fever forward Natasha Howard, who converted both free throws. Then Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman made one of two free throws after getting fouled by McDonald. The missed second shot was rebounded by Lynx forward Jessica Shepard, who made a put back layup. On the next Lynx possession, Shepard spun around her defender while in the paint and made a wide open layup. The Lynx were on a 23-5 run spanning both quarters and held a 27-14 lead with 8:13 left until halftime.

Then they went cold. Frozen solid for the rest of the quarter.

For the remaining eight minutes of the half, the Fever did whatever they wanted. McDonald made a layup. Guard Sophie Cunningham hit a three-pointer. The Fever even committed another shot clock violation, but it didn’t matter. The Lynx couldn’t capitalize on the miscue. Mitchell made another layup and jump shot. Center Aliyah Boston scored a layup. Minnesota called a timeout with 3:09 left in the half to try to stop the 11-0 Fever run. But when play resumed, Cunningham hit another three-pointer, and Howard made four free throws after being fouled twice by Smith. The Fever erased a 13-point Lynx lead to take a 32-27 lead of their own into halftime.

The Fever did an adequate job playing keep away in the third quarter and then slowly built on their lead. Boston made a layup, which was answered by one from Collier. Michgell and Howard made layups, then Smith made two free throws after Mitchell picked up her second foul. Howard made another jump shot, but Smith answered it with a three-pointer.

Sensing a possible comeback, the Target Center crowd got loud again and, once again, helped force a Fever shot clock violation. This one occurred just before the official’s timeout with 4:59 left in the third quarter with the Fever leading 40-34.

Any thoughts that the Lynx might keep the momentum out of the timeout were quashed by Fever guard Lexie Hull’s three pointer. A short while later, Howard stole the ball from Collier and finished with a fast break layup to extend the lead to 45-34 forcing Minnesota to call timeout.

This time it was McDonald who hit a three-pointer when play resumed. However, that was offset by three free throws by McBride, who was fouled by Hull while attempting a three-ball. Howard made two free throws after getting fouled by Williams, and then made a layup a minute later. Smith hit another three-ball for the Lynx and Williams made two free throws after getting fouled by Mitchell with 3.4 seconds left. On the quarter’s final play, Hiedeman collapsed on the floor near midcourt. After being attended by the Lynx training staff, she walked off under her own power and re-entered the contest in the final quarter. Indiana led 52-42 after three quarters.

Shepard came out of the break determined to get the Lynx back into contention. She made one free throw after getting fouled by Boston, and then made a put back layup after Williams missed a reverse layup. Sensing a momentum shift, Indiana called timeout with 8:46 remaining on the clock with a 52-45 lead.

Boston then showed the determination needed to propel the Fever to victory. She made two layups, Cunningham made a layup and McDonald made a jump shot to push an 8-2 run and a 60-49 Indiana lead with 6:28 left in the game.

The Lynx continued to fight. Williams made a jump shot. Collier was fouled by Boston but instead of getting free throws, the Lynx inbounded from the sideline. McBride made two free throws after getting fouled by Howard. The Lynx deficit was cut to nine points, but immediately went back up to 12 points when Cunningham hit an open three pointer to give the Fever the 63-51 lead with 4:12 remaining.

Minnesota now battled the Fever and the clock. Everything the Lynx put up was answered by Indiana. Hiedeman made a layup. Boston hit the turnaround jump shot. Collier made a put back shot jump shot. Cunningham made two free throws. Collier made a put back layup. Williams scored on a fast break layup. Mitchell hit a jump shot. It was 71-59 with exactly one minute left on the clock when the Lynx called a reset timeout. Both teams pulled their starters and gave their bench players a chance to hit the court.

Hull made a three-pointer with 32.7 seconds left to lift the Fever to the 74-59 final score and the 2025 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup championship.

Indiana went 27-for-63 (42.9 percent) from the field; 8-for-19 (42.1 percent) from three-point range; and 12-for-12 (100.0 percent) from the free throw line. They turned the ball over 18 times for 17 Lynx points.

“I think we were a little more disruptive. We were in passing lanes. We made their movement a little more difficult because of our positioning. Our point of attack on ball screen defense was better,” said Fever head coach Stephanie White. “I would prefer to say our intensity was a little bit better. We did it consistently for three quarters. That’s what it’s going to take for us.”

Minnesota went 22-for-63 (34.9 percent) from the field; 4-for-16 (25.0 percent) from three-point range; and 11-for-14 (78.6 percent) from the charity stripe. They committed 16 turnovers which led to 13 Fever points.

“As we’ve learned about ourselves over the course of [the season], we have a tendency sometimes to get impatient. I didn’t think that our commitment to moving the basketball and creating advantages [was there],” said Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve. “We had a hard time getting that done. We had some easy shots that didn’t fall, as did they. They got their rhythm going and we sort of lost ours.”

The Fever lead 32-30 in the points-in-the-paint and 16-14 in bench points statistical categories. The Lynx had a 12-8 edge in second chance points and an 8-7 lead in fast break points. There was one tie and three lead changes. Minnesota’s largest lead was 13 points. Indiana’s largest lead was 15 points.

“We have a resilient group. They’re tough mentally and physically. They pull for one another. I’m proud for them that they can see it come to fruition,” said White. “I’m just really proud of this group. We’re going to try to continue to get better. It’s nice to take a trophy home but this isn’t the ultimate goal. It’s a goal and we’ve got to continue to get better.”

The Fever were led by 16 points and 12 rebounds from Natasha Howard. Sophie Cunningham added 13 points. Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell and Aari McDonald each scored 12 points. Boston led the Fever with six assists. Howard was named the Commissioner’s Cup most valuable player.

“I describe this entire experience as a gut-check experience. I mean that intentionally. Physically, mentally, psychologically, it was a gut-check moment today,” said Mitchell. “I think for us it was about making sure we won those moments that matter. I thought down the stretch of the game we did an unbelievable job of just staying together and weathering the storm.”

The Lynx were led by 15 points from Alanna Smith. Napheesa Collier added 12 points and led Minnesota with nine rebounds. Courtney Williams pitched in 11 points and dished four assists.

“Any time you can play for a trophy, it’s a big game. Last year, it [Commissioner’s Cup] was a turning point, and I think you can look at this came as a turning point for us as well,” said Jessica Shepard who contributed nine points and five rebounds off the bench. “We got exposed in some areas. We know we can’t show up like we did today if we want to be in the Finals at the end of the year. We have to come in and approach every day better.”

Because this was a special in-season tournament championship game, it does not count in the regular season standings, though the Fever players each receive a bonus of approximately $30,000 for winning the game, while the Lynx players will each receive around $10,000. Minnesota (14-2) hosts the Washington Mystics for a 7 p.m. regular season game on Thursday. Indiana (8-8) hosts Las Vegas (8-8) for a 6 p.m. CT game also on Thursday.

NOTE: Legendary halftime performer Rong Niu, the Chinese-American acrobat known as “Red Panda,” was injured during her performance during halftime of the Commissioner’s Cup game. After falling from her unicycle, she was seen holding her wrist and wincing in pain. The halftime show was cancelled as a result of the incident. According to press reports, she sustained a “severe fracture,” underwent a surgical repair procedure at one of the Twin Cities hospital and is hoping to make it back to performances by the start of the NBA season.