Lynx seek answers for slow WNBA start

This definitely wasn’t the start that the Minnesota Lynx envisioned to their season – the final of Sylvia Fowles’ career.

For the second consecutive year the Lynx have lost their first four games. They hope they can turn things around the way they did last season when Cheryl Reeve’s team finished 22-10 and earned the No. 3 seed in the playoffs.

“We’ll do what we have to do to get where we want to go, because there’s only one path,” Reeve recently said. “And that path is to be able to be difficult to play against from a physical standpoint and mental standpoint, your defense, your connection on offense.”

Minnesota begins a three-game road trip on Tuesday night in Los Angeles.

The Lynx may have a more difficult time turning things around this year.

Napheesa Collier is out indefinitely as she is set to give birth later this month. Kayla McBride just finished playing overseas and Damiris Dantas is a few weeks away from returning to the Lynx after a Lisfranc injury she suffered last year.

Reeve surprisingly overhauled the roster last week, parting ways with Angel McCoughtry and Odyssey Sims as well as 2020 WNBA Rookie of the Year Crystal Dangerfield and veteran guard Layshia Clarendon.

“Unfortunately, you don’t want to be coaching effort and toughness,” Reeve said. “Those are things that you want your players to bring every time they play and I haven’t held them accountable enough prior to (Thursday), and so now we’re in a space where we’re holding people accountable.

“If we keep asking you to do it over and over again, we’ll start to make the assumption that you can’t do it, and that leads to a different decision, either not playing or not being on the team.”

Power poll

This week’s WNBA poll:

1. Las Vegas (3-1): Dearica Hamby and Kelsey Plum have moved into the starting lineup this season and it’s paid dividends already for the Aces. Plum is averaging 17.5 points and Hamby is putting up a double-double to start the season with 14.8 points and 11.8 rebounds.

2. Washington (3-1): After missing last year with a foot injury, Alysha Clark returned to the lineup last week. The Mystics suffered their lone loss of the season in that game. They hope to get Natasha Cloud back from health and safety protocols this week.

3. Chicago (2-1): The Sky won both their games last week, although the two teams they beat (New York and Minnesota) are a combined 1-7 entering Tuesday’s games. Chicago will face tougher competition this week on the road playing in Seattle and Washington.

4. Connecticut (1-1): The Sun have a busy week with a game in New York and then a home-and-home matchup with Indiana. Connecticut will welcome back Courtney Williams, who missed the first two games while serving a suspension from an off-court altercation last season.

5. Phoenix (2-1): A pair of games against the Aces this week will provide a better idea where the Mercury are at this point of the season.

6. Atlanta (3-1): With a revamped young roster, the fact the Dream have won three of their first four games is a sign the team is headed in the right direction.

Rookie Rhyne Howard became the seventh player in league history to score 30 or more points in one of her first four games..

7. Dallas (2-1): Impressive wins at Washington and New York have the Wings feeling confident. Coach Vickie Johnson believes she has a deep team this year and isn’t afraid to use the entire bench.

8.. Seattle (1-3): The Storm got swept by Phoenix, but were missing former league MVP Breanna Stewart, who was in health and safety protocols because of the coronavirus. She should be back this week.