Lynx Clinch No. 1 WNBA Seed Despite Shaky Finish Against Fever

The Minnesota Lynx wrapped up the No. 1 seed in the WNBA playoffs on Tuesday, even though the team stumbled through the final stretch of a game against the Indiana Fever. Minnesota entered the contest with a chance to clinch the top seed outright, and the result ultimately fell into place thanks to a loss elsewhere by the Golden State Valkyries, rather than a dominant performance on the court.

Head coach Cheryl Reeve opted not to play her usual starting lineup for the second half of the game against the Fever, a decision that left the Lynx looking uneven down the stretch. With the postseason positioning already close to secured and an eye toward player health heading into the playoffs, Reeve leaned on her bench rather than pushing her top players through a game that no longer carried the same urgency once the Valkyries' result became known.

The No. 1 seed guarantees Minnesota home-court advantage throughout the WNBA playoffs, a significant edge as the team looks to make a deep postseason run. It caps a strong regular season for the Lynx, who have positioned themselves as one of the league's top contenders.

For the Fever, the game offered a measure of resistance against a team that had already all but locked up its postseason fate, even if the final result did not change Indiana's own standing. Both teams now turn their attention to the closing games of the regular season before playoff seeding is finalized.

Reeve's rotation choices in the second half reflect a broader trend among WNBA contenders in the season's final days: once seeding outcomes are effectively decided, coaches often prioritize rest and health management over marginal in-game results.