Lynx To Host Phoenix Mercury In Season Opener

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Coming off their third WNBA title in five seasons, the Minnesota Lynx will open its 2016 regular season on May 14 at Target Center against the Phoenix Mercury.

Lynx players will be presented with their championship rings, and a team banner will be raised before the game.

The WNBA also announced Thursday that there's a new format for the league's regular season games and playoff process. Under the new regular season format, the Lynx and other teams will face one of their five in-conference opponents four times. They would play the other four teams three times. The opponents will be selected at random to ensure a balanced schedule.

The Lynx won the 2015 WNBA championship after beating the Indiana Fever in a best-of-five series, 3-2.

The Lynx will also face teams in the Eastern Conference three times. Their 2016 schedule includes six nationally-televised games.