Kayla

McBride

Napheesa Collier (ankle) was unavailable, so the Lynx needed their remaining starters to step up offensively. McBride unquestionably answered the call, going off for a game-high 31 points while shooting 6-of-11 from beyond the arc. Even in defeat, this was an excellent bounce-back effort for the guard, who scored 12 points on 3-of-10 shooting in Game 3. What the Lynx roster will look like in 2026 remains to be seen, as McBride is one of many key contributors who will be unrestricted free agents. Add in an expansion draft for Portland and Toronto, and the team that finished with the WNBA’s best regular-season record in 2025 may look far different next spring.

Williams played at an incredibly high level on Tuesday night where she was three rebounds and an assist off a triple-double. Her mid-range pull-ups fell and she distributed the ball well to Kayla McBride, Napheesa Collier and Alanna Smith. Williams has historically been one of the better rebounding guards in the league as she uses her impressive vertical leap to crash the glass. But her downfall was the seven turnovers her play produced, three of which happened in the third quarter when the Mercury outscored the Lynx 22-14 as they mounted their comeback after they were down by as many as 20 points on Tuesday night.

The Lynx didn’t shoot their best from three-point range, but McBride carried them with her shot making beyond and inside the arc. She was the most efficient Lynx player who shot 53.3% from the field on her 15 total shots. McBride’s most productive quarters came in the second and the fourth where she scored 8 and 7 of her points, respectively. When the Mercury ran McBride off the three-point line, she was able to get downhill and into the paint both as a driver and moving off the ball on passes from Jessica Shepard and Natisha Hiedeman.

McBride picked up on Sunday where she had left things in the Game 2 win over Golden State, scoring big and utilizing the three-point line to punish the defense. Two of the veteran sharpshooter’s biggest triples came in the fourth quarter to help the Lynx separate from the Mercury, with whom they were tied on the scoreboard after three quarters. McBride was also active on the defensive glass and was one of two Minnesota players to record a blocked shot. Altogether, she concluded as one of the Lynx’s most productive and impactful players on Sunday and will have a chance to put together another strong performance in Tuesday’s Game 2.

Injured during Thursday’s Game 2 victory over the Valkyries, Carrington has been diagnosed with a significant mid-foot sprain and will not play again this season. This injury is a major blow for the Lynx to take ahead of their semifinal matchup with the Mercury. Not only did Carrington provide offensive production off the bench since being acquired from the Wings, but she was also a valuable defender who gave Minnesota the lineup versatility that it lacked before the trade. Starter Kayla McBride will need to do more defensively, with Natisha Hiedeman needing to continue offering consistent offensive production off the bench.

McBride came alive on the offensive end in the second half to leave her with a productive final stat line. The veteran scored six key points in the fourth quarter to help the Lynx continuously trim into the Valkyries’ double-digit lead. Minnesota eventually caught Golden State and took a late lead over the No. 8 seed before McBride got to flex her muscles on the defensive end, successfully defending Cecilia Zandalasini’s game-winning two-point jumpshot attempt to give the Lynx the win and a spot in the second round of the playoffs. Minnesota will await the winner of Friday’s Game 3 matchup between the Liberty and Mercury.

After finishing the regular season a bit cold from beyond the arc, McBride rounded back into form on Sunday against the Valkyries, draining a trio of threes en route to finishing as one of Minnesota’s top scorers. Her most noteworthy contributions came in the second quarter, where the veteran sharpshooter went without a miss while scoring nine points. She finished as one of five Lynx players to score in double figures in what ended up being a blowout win to begin the playoffs. McBride will have a chance to put forth another solid outing against the Valkyries in Game 2 on Wednesday.

Three-point shooting was the difference in Tuesday’s game, with Minnesota shooting 2-of-20 while Indiana was 9-of-19. The Lynx’s starting backcourt of Williams and Kayla McBride (four points, two assists and one steal) struggled, shooting a combined 0-of-7 from deep with the latter missing all five of her attempts. However, there should not be too much concern for Minnesota, which played Tuesday’s game without Napheesa Collier and is locked into the one seed for the playoffs. With the Lynx having one more game on their regular-season schedule, that may be an opportunity to get Williams and McBride some rest ahead of the postseason.

Carrington remains sidelined for a third straight game due to a left shoulder injury. Her absence has resulted in more minutes for fellow reserve Natisha Hiedeman, but the Lynx will need a healthy Carrington in the rotation for the postseason. The injury also impacts starter Kayla McBride, who takes on more defensive responsibilities on the perimeter.

Carrington will miss her second straight game after leaving Monday’s game against the Wings. Head coach Cheryl Reeve explained after the Lynx’s win on Monday night that Carrington has been dealing with a flex shoulder(partial dislocation) during the season. With Carrington out, Natisha Hiedeman will be expected to step up off the bench. She played 28 minutes against the Aces on Thursday and 30 minutes against the Wings on Monday. The last time Hiedeman logged this many minutes was the first week of the season when startling point guard Courtney Williams struggled early on. Kayla McBride’s responsibilities will also have to increase on defense especially when it comes to containing most improved player front runner Veronica Burton.