Lynx roll over depleted Mercury - KMSP-TV

With their 96-80 win over Phoenix, the Lynx became just the second team in WNBA history to start the season 13-1. Six players scored double digits led by Siemone Augustus and Rebekkah Brunson with 16 each. Brunson added 13 rebounds as both she and Taj McWilliams Franklin both posted a double-double.

"All of us went to the boards really hard and aggressive, and we know that's the key to stopping them in transition, which is where they get the majority of their points," said Brunson. "Everybody put forth the effort that was necessary to get the rebounds."

Phoenix played shorthanded as four regulars are either not with the team or did not dress including Diana Taurasi who has a strained left hip flexor.

"It's one of those things where Phoenix is depleted, so to speak, in terms of the players that we're used to playing against," said Head Coach Cheryl Reeve. "In some ways I would rather have (Candice) Dupree and (Nakia) Sanford out there. I think the way that they play – (DeWanna) Bonner sometimes a '3', sometimes a '4'; Charde (Houston) sometimes a '3', sometimes a '4' -- it just got us out of sorts a little bit in that first half defensively. I felt like we won every statistical category at halftime, but I still didn't feel like we were playing that well.

The Lynx took a six point lead to the halftime break before extending the lead to eight heading into the fourth quarter. An 8-2 run to start the final frame put the game away and sent the sellout crowd of 9,674 home happy.

The coach on the other hand still sees holes in the team.

"It's funny... but I thought we didn't play that well defensively. The players think I'm nuts. I tell them, 'We didn't do this, we didn't do that -- by the way, we held them to 35 percent.' So then, what's my problem?" said Reeve. "I just think playoff basketball, and I think a little more forward on it, that we've got to be better on containing penetration."

The Lynx hit the road this weekend traveling to San Antonio and Los Angeles before returning home July 7.