2011 Minnesota Lynx season

Last updated

2011 Minnesota Lynx season
Coach Cheryl Reeve
Arena Target Center
Attendance8,447 per game
Results
Record27–7 (.794)
Place1st (Western)
Playoff finishWon WNBA Finals
Team Leaders
Points Augustus (16.2)
Rebounds Brunson (8.9)
Assists Whalen (5.9)
Media
Radio KLCI
Television FS-N
ESPN2, NBATV

The 2011 WNBA season is the 13th season for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association. The Lynx qualified for the WNBA Playoffs for the first time since 2004 and won their first Western Conference championship.

Contents

The Lynx finished the season with a 27–7 record, best in the WNBA and the best regular-season record in franchise history. They then defeated the San Antonio Silver Stars in three games and the Phoenix Mercury in two to reach the 2011 WNBA Finals.

The Lynx swept the Atlanta Dream to win their first WNBA championship.

Offseason

2011 WNBA draft

The Lynx held the first overall pick in the 2011 draft, and surprised nobody by selecting Maya Moore, a 6'0" forward out of Connecticut. Moore had won three consecutive Wade Trophies as the best player in women's college basketball, the only player to have done so. She had also won two championships with the Huskies. [1] The Lynx also held the fourth overall pick, which they used to select Amber Harris from Xavier. Both Moore and Harris would ultimately make the team out of training camp.

In the second round, the Lynx selected Jessica Breland, Felicia Chester, and Kachine Alexander. The Lynx ultimately released Alexander.

RoundPickPlayerNationalitySchool/team/country
11 Maya Moore Flag of the United States.svg  United States Connecticut
14 (from Conn.) Amber Harris Flag of the United States.svg  United States Xavier
213 (from Tul. via Conn.) Jessica Breland Flag of the United States.svg  United States North Carolina
214 Felicia Chester Flag of the United States.svg  United States DePaul
226Kachine AlexanderFlag of the United States.svg  United States Iowa

Free agency

The Lynx declined to re-sign Hamchetou Maiga-Ba and Kristen Mann. Instead, they signed veteran center Taj McWilliams-Franklin and center/forward Jessica Adair, who had played one game with the Lynx in the 2010 season.

Trades

The Lynx traded the draft rights to Jessica Breland to the New York Liberty for Angel Robinson and a second-round pick in the 2012 WNBA draft. They traded Felicia Chester to the Atlanta Dream for Rachel Jarry and a second-round pick in the 2012 draft. They traded Quanitra Hollingsworth to the Liberty for the rights to swap third-round picks in the 2012 draft, and they traded Nicky Anosike for a first-round pick in the 2012 draft. The Lynx ultimately waived Jarry and Robinson.

DateTrade
April 9, 2011To Minnesota Lynx To Washington Mystics
first-round pick in 2012 draft Nicky Anosike
April 11, 2011To Minnesota Lynx To New York Liberty
Angel Robinson and a second-round pick in 2012 draft Jessica Breland
April 11, 2011To Minnesota Lynx To Atlanta Dream
Rachel Jarry and a second-round pick in 2012 draft Felicia Chester
May 27, 2011To Minnesota Lynx To New York Liberty
right to swap third-round picks in 2012 draft Quanitra Hollingsworth

Transaction log

Roster

2011 Minnesota Lynx roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#Nat.NameHeightWeightDOBFromYrs
C 1 Flag of the United States.svg Adair, Jessica 6' 4" (1.93m)206 lb (93kg)12-19-1986 George Washington 1
G/F 33 Flag of the United States.svg Augustus, Seimone 6' 0" (1.83m)179 lb (81kg)04-30-1984 LSU 5
F 32 Flag of the United States.svg Brunson, Rebekkah 6' 2" (1.88m)175 lb (79kg)12-11-1981 Georgetown 7
F 6 Flag of the United States.svg Harris, Amber 6' 5" (1.96m)215 lb (98kg)01-16-1988 Xavier R
G 14 Flag of the United States.svg Hornbuckle, Alexis 5' 10" (1.78m)155 lb (70kg)10-16-1985 Tennessee 3
F 24 Flag of the United States.svg Houston, Charde 6' 0" (1.83m)189 lb (86kg)04-10-1986 Connecticut 3
F/C 8 Flag of the United States.svg McWilliams-Franklin, Taj 6' 2" (1.88m)188 lb (85kg)08-20-1970 St. Edward's 12
F 23 Flag of the United States.svg Moore, Maya 6' 0" (1.83m)175 lb (79kg)06-11-1989 Connecticut R
G 13 Flag of the United States.svg Whalen, Lindsay 5' 9" (1.75m)150 lb (68kg)05-09-1982 Minnesota 7
G 11 Flag of the United States.svg Wiggins, Candice 5' 11" (1.8m)154 lb (70kg)02-14-1987 Stanford 3
G/F 22 Flag of the United States.svg Wright, Monica 5' 10" (1.78m)178 lb (81kg)07-15-1988 Virginia 1
Head coach
Flag of the United States.svg Cheryl Reeve (La Salle)
Assistant coaches
Flag of the United States.svg Shelley Patterson (Washington State)
Flag of the United States.svg Jim Petersen (Minnesota)
Athletic trainer
Flag of the United States.svg Chuck Barta (Wisconsin-La Crosse)
Assistant trainer
Flag of the United States.svg Keith Uzpen (Minnesota State-Mankato)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (IN) Inactive
  • (S) Suspended
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured

Depth

Pos.StarterBench
C Taj McWilliams-Franklin Jessica Adair
PF Rebekkah Brunson Amber Harris
Charde Houston
SF Maya Moore Monica Wright
SG Seimone Augustus Candice Wiggins
PG Lindsay Whalen Alexis Hornbuckle

Season standings

Western Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
Minnesota Lynx x277.794–14–313–418–4
Seattle Storm x2113.6186.015–26–1115–7
Phoenix Mercury x1915.5598.011–68–911–11
San Antonio Silver Stars x1816.5299.09–89–811–11
Los Angeles Sparks o1519.44112.010–75–1210–12
Tulsa Shock o331.08824.02–151–161–21

Schedule

Preseason

2011 Game Log: Preseason
GameDateTime (ET)OpponentScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceRecord
1May 241:00pm Indiana 71–66 Brunson (11) Harris (10) Wright (4) Concordia University
2,055		1–0
2May 317:00pm@ Indiana 76–70 Whalen (12) McWilliams-Franklin (8) Wiggins (4) Conseco Fieldhouse
3,817		2–0

Regular season

2011 Game Log: Regular Season
June
GameDateTime (ET)OpponentTVScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceRecord
1June 311:00pm@ Los Angeles NBATV
PRIME 		74–82 Moore (21) Brunson (12) Whalen (5) Staples Center
13,589		0–1
2June 53:30pm Los Angeles FS-N
PRIME 		86–69 Augustus (17) Brunson (15) Whalen (7) Target Center
10,123		1–1
3June 78:00pm Tulsa 75–65 Brunson (17) Brunson (15) Whalen (4) Target Center
7,713		2–1
4June 910:00pm@ Seattle 81–74 Brunson (22) Brunson (14) Whalen (10) KeyArena
6,291		3–1
5June 178:00pm Atlanta 96–85 Augustus (25) Brunson (14) Whalen (8) Target Center
7,556		4–1
6June 193:00pm@ Atlanta SSO 77–64 Augustus (19) McWilliams-Franklin (12) Moore
Whalen (5)		 Philips Arena
7,274		5–1
7June 2410:00pm@ Seattle KONG 55–65 Augustus (17) McWilliams-Franklin (8) Whalen (3) KeyArena
7,914		5–2
8June 267:00pm Indiana NBATV
FS-N 		75–78 Moore (21) Brunson (11) Whalen (4) Target Center
7,117		5–3
9June 308:00pm@ Tulsa 101–73 Whalen (21) McWilliams-Franklin (9) Whalen (5) BOK Center
3,970		6–3
July
GameDateTime (ET)OpponentTVScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceRecord
10July 98:00pm Connecticut NBATV
FS-N 		90–67 Moore (26) Brunson
McWilliams-Franklin (10)		 Whalen (8) Target Center
8,205		7–3
11July 131:00pm Phoenix NBATV
FS-N
FS-A 		105–112 Augustus (22) Brunson (16) Whalen (6) Target Center
11,820		7–4
12July 157:00pm@ Indiana 80–70 Brunson (20) McWilliams-Franklin (9) Whalen (7) Conseco Fieldhouse
7,538		8–4
13July 168:00pm Seattle 69–62 Augustus (19) Moore (9) McWilliams-Franklin (4) Target Center
7,733		9–4
14July 203:30pm@ Phoenix NBATV
FS-A 		106–98 Augustus (25) Augustus
Brunson (6)		 Whalen (8) US Airways Center
12,118		10–4
All-Star break
15July 268:00pm Los Angeles 85–72 Augustus (22) McWilliams-Franklin (9) Whalen (7) Target Center
8,044		11–4
16July 298:00pm Seattle 92–67 Augustus
Wiggins (16)		 Augustus (5) Moore (6) Target Center
7,856		12–4
17July 313:00pm@ San Antonio NBATV 70–69 Whalen (23) Brunson (13) Whalen (6) AT&T Center
7,260		13–4
August
GameDateTime (ET)OpponentTVScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceRecord
18August 28:00pm Phoenix ESPN2 90–73 Moore (22) McWilliams-Franklin (10) Whalen (5) Target Center
7,126		14–4
19August 48:00pm San Antonio NBATV
FS-SW 		62–60 McWilliams-Franklin (18) Brunson (13) Whalen (6) Target Center
8,123		15–4
20August 78:30pm@ Los Angeles NBATV 84–78 Whalen (24) Augustus
Brunson (7)		 Whalen (8) Staples Center
13,528		16–4
21August 910:00pm@ Phoenix 80–85 Moore (28) Brunson (11) Whalen (6) US Airways Center
6,726		16–5
22August 128:30pm@ Chicago CN100 79–76 Whalen (16) Brunson (11) Whalen (6) Allstate Arena
6,289		17–5
23August 147:00pm Tulsa NBATV
FS-N
COX 		82–54 Augustus (16) Brunson (6) Whalen (9) Target Center
8,388		18–5
24August 167:30pm@ Connecticut CSN-NE 79–108 Whalen (20) Brunson
Moore (5)		 McWilliams-Franklin (3) Mohegan Sun Arena
9,323		18–6
25August 187:00pm@ Washington 81–62 Augustus (18) McWilliams-Franklin (7) Whalen (7) Verizon Center
9,483		19–6
26August 208:00pm Los Angeles 87–68 Augustus (17) McWilliams-Franklin (8) Whalen (5) Target Center
8,816		20–6
27August 238:00pm@ Tulsa 78–72 McWilliams-Franklin (18) Brunson (10) McWilliams-Franklin
Whalen (4)		 BOK Center
3,750		21–6
28August 268:00pm San Antonio NBATV 85–75 Augustus (19) Brunson (8) Whalen (9) Target Center
9,212		22–6
29August 283:00pm@ San Antonio 72–61 Augustus (20) Brunson (14)4 players (3) AT&T Center
7,924		23–6
30August 308:00pm Washington 73–56 Whalen (21) Brunson (7) Whalen (5) Target Center
8,065		24–6
September
GameDateTime (ET)OpponentTVScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceRecord
31September 28:00pm New York 62–78 Augustus (17) Brunson (8) Augustus (6) Target Center
8,929		24–7
32September 44:00pm@ New York 86–68 Moore (19) Brunson
McWilliams-Franklin
Moore (6)		 Whalen (7) Prudential Center
8,247		25–7
33September 88:00pm Chicago NBATV
FS-N
CN100 		78–69 Augustus (22) Moore
Whalen (7)		 Whalen (10) Target Center
8,781		26–7
34September 116:00pm@ Phoenix FS-A 96–90 Augustus
Moore
Wright (15)		 Adair (13) Wright (6) US Airways Center
12,666		27–7
All games are viewable on WNBA LiveAccess or ESPN3.com

Postseason

2011 Game Log: Postseason
Western Conference Semifinals
GameDateTime (ET)OpponentTVScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceSeries
1September 169:00pm San Antonio NBATV 66–65 Whalen (20) Brunson (14) Whalen (5) Target Center
11,891		1–0
2September 185:00pm@ San Antonio ESPN2 75-84 Augustus (24) Brunson (16) Whalen (3) AT&T Center
7,023		1–1
3September 208:00pm San Antonio ESPN2 85–67 Augustus (22) Brunson (9) Augustus
McWilliams-Franklin
Moore (4)		 Target Center
8,734		2–1
Western Conference Finals
GameDateTime (ET)OpponentTVScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceSeries
1September 229:00pm Phoenix ESPN2 95–67 Augustus (21) Brunson (13) Augustus (7) Target Center
8,912		1–0
2September 255:00pm@ Phoenix ESPN2 103–86 McWilliams-Franklin
Moore (21)		 Brunson (9) McWilliams-Franklin (7) US Airways Center
8,617		2–0
WNBA Finals
GameDateTime (ET)OpponentTVScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceSeries
1October 28:30pm Atlanta ESPN 88–74 Brunson (26) Brunson (11) Augustus (7) Target Center
15,258		1–0
2October 58:00pm Atlanta ESPN2 101–95 Augustus (36) Augustus (8) Whalen (4) Target Center
15,124		2–0
3October 78:00pm@ Atlanta ESPN2 73–67 Augustus (16) Brunson (9) Augustus
McWilliams-Franklin (4)		 Philips Arena
11,543		3–0

Statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage 3P%  3-point field-goal percentage FT%  Free-throw percentage TO  Turnovers per game
 PF  Fouls per gameTeam leaderLeague leader

Regular season

PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
Jessica Adair 31110.4.485.000.6532.90.30.260.584.3
Seimone Augustus 343429.3.504.417.8653.52.20.880.4416.2
Rebekkah Brunson 343427.6.511.000.6678.91.20.820.5310.2
Amber Harris 27010.3.398.000.7422.20.40.110.413.3
Alexis Hornbuckle 2907.2.375.294.5001.10.60.340.101.1
Charde Houston 2707.8.365.261.7501.70.50.330.072.9
Taj McWilliams-Franklin 343328.4.444.222.7706.02.41.030.718.3
Maya Moore 343428.0.439.369.7884.62.61.410.4713.2
Lindsay Whalen 343428.1.511.405.7303.55.91.090.1513.6
Candice Wiggins 34017.1.386.395.6251.91.50.530.215.9
Monica Wright 29013.6.379.259.7501.61.10.790.175.1

Postseason

PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
Jessica Adair 8012.3.469.000.6673.600.30.630.635.8
Seimone Augustus 8833.0.527.438.8864.503.80.880.6322.0
Rebekkah Brunson 8830.6.473.000.78110.801.50.880.6311.9
Amber Harris 605.2.4001.000.0001.200.20.170.001.5
Alexis Hornbuckle 403.8.600.0001.0001.301.30.000.502.8
Charde Houston 206.0.375.000.0002.000.50.500.003.0
Taj McWilliams-Franklin 8830.3.455.000.8335.303.30.601.2510.6
Maya Moore 8827.9.458.400.6905.902.31.000.6313.8
Lindsay Whalen 8832.0.463.286.8183.603.81.500.5012.0
Candice Wiggins 8016.0.345.348.6671.601.30.250.134.0
Monica Wright 8010.6.360.250.3331.300.60.750.252.5

Awards and honors

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References

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