Game Preview: Fever Returns to Minnesota for Saturday Night Game at Lynx

Indiana Fever at Minnesota Lynx
Saturday August 24th
Target Center | 8:00 PM ET

Broadcast information
Bally Sports Indiana

Likely starters

Indiana Fever (13-15)

Guard – Caitlin Clark (17.8 points per game, 5.8 rebounds per game, 8.3 assists per game)
Guard – Kelsey Mitchell (17.7 points per game, 2.3 rebounds per game, 1.9 assists per game)
Center – Aliyah Boston (14.0 points per game, 9.0 rebounds per game, 2.9 assists per game)
Forward – NaLyssa Smith (11.4 points per game, 7.8 rebounds per game, 1.2 assists per game)
Forward – Katie Lou Samuelson (5.1 points per game, 2.6 rebounds per game, 1.5 assists per game)

Minnesota Lynx (21-8)

Guard – Courtney Williams (10.6 points per game, 4.9 rebounds per game, 5.4 assists per game)
Guard – Kayla McBride (15.7 points per game, 2.6 rebounds per game, 3.4 assists per game)
Center – Alanna Smith (11.4 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game, 3.2 assists per game)
Forward – Napheesa Collier (20.7 points per game, 10.2 rebounds per game, 3.7 assists per game)
Forward – Bridget Carleton (8.8 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game, 3.2 assists per game)

Game Status Report

Indiana: Temi Fagbenle – LIKELY (right thumb)
Minnesota: None

EXAMPLE OF THE GAME:

The Indiana Fever hit the road for the first time after the Olympic break to take on the Minnesota Lynx for the second of three regular-season games. The last time Indiana and Minnesota met at Target Center was an 81-74 Fever victory on July 14. The final regular-season game is on September 6 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana to a win on July 14 in Minnesota with a game-high 21 points against the Lynx. Fever center Aliyah Boston followed with 17 points and a career-best 16 rebounds, and guard Caitlin Clark also had 17 points. Indiana cemented its victory in the fourth quarter, when the Fever held the Lynx to just 4 of 13 shooting and outscored Minnesota 28-14 over the final 10 minutes. Boston enters Saturday just 29 points shy of reaching 1,000 career points and would become the 19th player in franchise history to surpass 1,000 points with the Fever.

Indiana enters Saturday night after two home wins over the Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm last week. Clark and Mitchell both scored at least 20 points and combined for 107 points in the last two games. Clark finished the week averaging 26.0 points, 9.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds and earned the Associated Press Player of the Week. Mitchell finished the week averaging 27.5 points and shooting 52.4 percent from 3-point range. Boston and Fever forward NaLyssa Smith combined for 40 rebounds in the last two games.

Saturday is Minnesota’s fifth game back after the Olympic break, and its third at home. Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, who recently helped the U.S. women’s national team win gold at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, helped the Lynx win 87-74 against Las Vegas on Friday night. Collier scored 27 points and grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds to help the Minnesota Lynx record their fifth straight victory. Collier finished 11 of 15 shooting, including 2 of 4 from 3-point range, to go with five assists and two steals. Alanna Smith scored 15 points for the Lynx, while Courtney Williams had 13 points. Williams left the game after suffering a non-contact injury midway through the fourth quarter and did not return.