Courtney

Williams

After an excellent third quarter in which they outscored Phoenix by a 20-12 margin, the Lynx went cold in the fourth quarter and suffered their third defeat. Williams was among those who had minimal impact on the final frame, shooting just 1-of-3 from the field. The good news for fantasy managers who have the Lynx guard rostered is that Wednesday’s game was Williams’ second in a row with at least 21 points, six rebounds and five assists. Minnesota won’t have long to dwell on the defeat, as they visit the Sparks on Thursday afternoon.

Not even 24 hours after finding out she would be making her second All-Star Game appearance, Williams helped Minnesota erase a 14-point deficit with one of her best outings of the season. The 25 points matched the Lynx point guard’s season-high, and this was Williams’ first 20-point game since June 1. More important than the scoring has been her improved ball control. Williams has totaled six turnovers in Minnesota’s last five official games (not counting the Commissioner’s Cup final) since she committed 10 in a June 24 loss to the Mystics.

Williams served as a nice scoring complement to Napheesa Collier on Saturday night especially when the Lynx got an inefficient 3-for-10 shooting performance from off-ball guard Kayla McBride. She was less of facilitator leaving most of that work to the Lynx’s bigs in Collier, Jessica Shepard and Alanna Smith. Williams hit three three-pointers for the fourth time this season, tying her season high. Most of Williams’ field goals came in her money spots, the 18-21 foot mid-range. She fired off multiple of her signature shots where she rises above her defense off her own dribble.

After shooting 4-of-14 from the field and committing six turnovers in Tuesday’s Commissioner’s Cup final loss to the Fever, Williams was excellent against the Mystics. Committing just one turnover, she shot over 50 percent from the field and provided fantastic value in rebounds, assists and steals. The five steals were one shy of Williams’ career-high, and this was her fifth game this season with at least eight assists.

Minnesota had one of its worst offensive performances of the season, with nearly every player contributing to the struggles, including Williams, who had issues with ball security. The veteran guard totaled six turnovers just a week after recording a season-high 10 giveaways against the Mystics. Even when she took care of the ball, she struggled to find the bottom of the net, as she shot 28.6 percent from the field. While they came up short against the Fever, the Lynx still own the best record in the WNBA and are having a fantastic season. Expect Williams and the team to get back on track rather quickly.

Williams matched her season-high with nine rebounds in Sunday’s 102-63 win, and she was also effective as a playmaker and defender. Over her last two games, the Lynx guard has dished out 15 assists while committing three turnovers, an impressive turnaround after she racked up 10 turnovers in Tuesday’s loss to the Mystics. While Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride have been the top scoring options for the Lynx, Williams’ play at the point is usually a good barometer for Cheryl Reeve’s team. When she’s on her game, Minnesota is incredibly difficult to beat.

While a few of her Lynx teammates struggled with turnovers on Friday, Williams did not commit any in the 96-92 overtime victory. And that was a welcome development after Williams had her worst game of the season on Tuesday. In Minnesota’s loss to the Mystics, she shot 2-of-11 from the field and finished with twice as many turnovers (10) as points (five). Nights like Tuesday have not been the norm for Williams, so there should not have been any concern regarding her ability to bounce back. Her improved production was one of the reasons why Minnesota hung on for the win in Atlanta.

Without Brittney Sykes (leg) available on Tuesday night, one of the Mystics guards had to step up, and that was Sutton. While her field goal percentage didn’t scream the same efficiency that Sykes typically does, Sutton’s scores were in pivotal moments. She made a couple of threes in situations that helped the Mystics extend their lead. She had four steals, with the final two resulting in scores on the other end. With 32 seconds remaining in regulation and the game tied at 64, Sutton scored the winning basket at the other end off a turnover she created while guarding Lynx point guard Courtney Williams.

On a night when they were without leading scorer and MVP candidate Napheesa Collier, the Lynx started slowly against the Sparks. Eventually, the team with the WNBA’s best record would pull away, with Williams being a key contributor. The veteran guard shot 3-of-4 from the field during the first quarter and was 4-of-7 after halftime, with Minnesota outscoring Los Angeles by a 48-31 margin in the second half. Williams has scored 17 points or more in three straight games, her most productive run of the season thus far.