NEW YORK LIBERTY (3-5) vs. MINNESOTA LYNX (3-6)
Saturday, June 16 • Minneapolis, MN (Target Center) • 8:00 PM (ET)
TV: NBA TV, Fox Sports North, MSG+
The New York Liberty could not get anything going offensively against the Las Vegas Aces on Wednesday, falling 78-63 at home. Having dropped three out of their last four, they will look to avenge an earlier season setback against the Minnesota Lynx.
QUICK HITS
Tina Charles’ 21.9 points per game rank second in the league (as of 6/14).
Charles’ 7.3 rebounds per game are good for 12th in the league
Kia Nurse’s ranks fourth among rookies with 13.1 points per game (as of 6/14).
Nurse is shooting 90.3% from the charity stripe, the seventh best mark in the WNBA (as of 6/14).
Bria Hartley is tenth in the league with 4.0 assists per game (as of 6/14).
Both playoff contending teams from a season ago, New York and Minnesota have gotten off to sluggish starts in 2018, with just three wins apiece thus far.
The Lynx Achilles’ heel this season has been turnovers; they lead the league with 15.7 per game (as of 6/14)
KEY MATCHUP
Both Tina Charles and Maya Moore are slotted second in the league in minutes per game seeing 34.1 minutes each on the hardwood. Charles’ team-leading production encompasses 21.9 points a contest though the forward has missed the 20-point benchmark in her last two contests. Moore adds 17.6 points each time around for the Lynx as one of three Minnesota players to average double-figures on the season.
LAST MEETING
On May 25, 2018, Maya Moore, despite spending a good portion of the fourth quarter on the bench, hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 19.5 seconds left to lead the Lynx to a 78-72 victory over the Liberty.
Moore finished with 20 points for Minnesota, while point guard Seimone Augustus led the team with 21. Tina Charles notched a double-double for New York, finishing with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
The contest marked the home opener for the Liberty and their first game at the Westchester County Center.
COMPLETE ARSENAL
Wednesday’s game against Las Vegas featured the return of Epiphanny Prince and Kiah Stokes;Prince had yet to play this season due to a concussion sustained in the league’s off-season, while Stokes missed three games to nurse a lingering foot injury. While both were on tight minute restrictions, the contest marked the first time this season that every player on the Liberty roster saw action on the court.
OFFENSIVE HUB
Tina Charles had her most efficient game of the season against Las Vegas, hitting 60 percent of her shot attempts en route to 19 points. The forward also added three assists, her fourth game in a row with at least three helpers.
MOVING ON UP
Kiah Stokes raised for three blocks in her return Wednesday which promoted the center to second all-time in program history with 148 rejections. The post defender is now seven blocks away from tying the all-time record and eight shy of the outright superlative.
ROAD TRIPPIN’
The Liberty have competed in eight contests and are 1-1 on the road. The Liberty have registered 81.5 points per game and converted 88.2% of its looks from the charity stripe. Moreover, New York corrals 48.5 rebounds per game, 7.0 thefts a contest and adds 4.5 swats as the visitor, topping its performances at home.