Lynx Beat Silver Stars For 2nd 10-Game Win Streak
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — As a basketball fan, Cheryl Reeve enjoyed watching Tuesday's matchup between Minnesota and San Antonio. As the Lynx coach, it also helped that her team came away with the win.
Maya Moore had 26 points, 10 rebounds and six assists and Minnesota beat the Silver Stars 93-80, matching a franchise record with its 10th straight victory.
"I just thought it was a really great game," Reeve said. "I thought San Antonio played great. We had some really great offensive performances. I think our defense was pretty solid; I think (the Silver Stars') defense was solid. I just think it was really fun to watch. There was just some great individual play."
Seimone Augustus added 21 points, Rebekkah Brunson had 20 and Lindsay Whalen had 11 points and 10 assists for league-best Minnesota (17-3).
Danielle Adams had a season-high 31 points and Jia Perkins added 18 points for San Antonio (7-14).
The Silver Stars had won three straight at home after falling 87-71 to the Lynx on July 19, but Minnesota's depth proved too much for San Antonio to overcome — again.
The Lynx shot 57 percent from the field, including 65 percent in the first quarter, in matching the 10-game winning streak they opened last season with. Minnesota also had 27 assists while shooting 39 for 68.
"We were sharing the ball," Moore said. "They are definitely a team that likes to get their hands in the passing (lanes) and when you're dribbling. You have got to be really strong with the ball because their guards are really quick. So when we attacked and we kicked, we were going to be able to get open looks."
Moore tipped in her own miss to give the Lynx a 77-64 lead with 7 minutes remaining. She was 10 for 15 overall, and 2 for 6 on 3-pointers.
Adams bested that individual effort, going 13 for 17 from the field and 4 for 6 on 3-pointers. She came within a point of matching her career high set June 11, 2011, against Atlanta.
"I thought Adams did a good job of mixing her inside and outside ball movement," San Antonio coach Dan Hughes said. "The thing about Danielle Adams is we have tried hard to develop her as an interior player that can face the basket. I thought she did a really good job of that today."
Adams made a fall-away jumper and Perkins followed with a 3-pointer to pull San Antonio to 84-73 with 3:28 remaining, but the teams essentially exchanged baskets after a Minnesota timeout.
"They are a great team and they have everyone coming back stronger than ever," Perkins said. "However, I'm really proud of the way we played tonight. As a matter of fact, we have been playing good basketball these last few games, so we just have to keep that going and not worry about the score of this game."
Jayne Appel, who averaged 13.3 rebounds in the Silver Stars' four previous home games, was limited to three rebounds in 30 minutes.
"That was a focus for us," Reeve said. "Jayne had a lot of our attention because she had been playing well (and) getting confidence. Her rebounding has been critical to them.
"I think where we had her at times, she wasn't around the basket as much. She was getting space at that elbow (and) she was in pick-and-roll defense, so she wasn't as around the hoop as much as she had been in those games."
The Silver Stars were 4 for 7 on 3-pointers to open the game, enabling them to remain within single digits for much of the first half against the active Lynx.
Attacking the basket and forcing mismatches on San Antonio's defensive switches, Minnesota shot 46 percent from the field in the first half.
"It required us to play great in order to get a win here and we were fortunate that we did, because I think San Antonio played great," Reeve said.
(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)