The Minnesota Lynx entered their final game of their four-game homestand with the third-best record in the league at 12-3, buoyed by an active five-game win streak. They hosted the surging Phoenix Mercury, who had won four of their last five games. Not coincidentally, those were the first five games for their nine-time All-Star, Brittney Griner, back in the lineup. In fact, in Griner’s first game back, the Mercury defeated the Lynx off a game-winning 3-pointer by Kahleah Copper with under one second to play.
Minnesota was going to be out for revenge on a nationally televised (NBA TV) game Saturday night.