Victory over Aces on Tuesday would put Lynx back in Commissioner’s Cup final

Cheryl Reeve isn’t placing much weight on the Commissioner’s Cup.

“That’s a player question,” the Lynx coach responded on Monday when asked if her team — which is one win away from another berth in the WNBA midseason tournament title game — had extra motivation ahead of their Tuesday night game against the Aces.

Natisha Hiedeman, who spoke to the media sporting a new blond hairdo, tried to keep things neutral.

But that “next-game mentality” — much like her pink hair — didn’t last long.

“You get a trophy,” said the Lynx guard, flashing a smile, when asked about the stakes at hand. “Your picture’s on a poster. I would just say, you win something. We want to win whatever we can win, so we’ll take the championship if we get there.”

The Commissioner’s Cup is aimed at boosting fan engagement and adding stakes to the regular season. The Cup, which began June 1, wraps up Tuesday with the final slate of intraconference matchups that count toward both Cup standings and regular-season records.

For the Lynx, that’s a 7 p.m. tipoff against the Aces at Target Center.

Minnesota leads the Western Conference Cup standings at 4-1, with wins over Dallas, Phoenix, Los Angeles and the Golden State Valkyries. The Lynx’s lone loss came against Seattle, ending the team’s perfect start to the season.

Napheesa Collier has powered Minnesota’s surge, delivering standout performances — like her 32-point, all-around effort against the Sparks on Saturday — to keep the Lynx atop the Cup standings.

“Imma keep campaigning for her, man — the numbers don’t lie,” teammate Courtney Williams said Saturday. “Obviously, our team’s not as good as we is if she don’t show up the way she shows up every game, every practice.”

The last time the Aces (5-5) rolled into town was August 2024. Although the Lynx won, they couldn’t contain A’ja Wilson, who dropped 24 points alongside seven rebounds and three assists. A month later, she was unanimously named league MVP.

Wilson won‘t suit up against the Lynx — she spent the past two games in concussion protocol — but this season’s leading MVP candidate will take the floor regardless. That would be Collier, who leads the WNBA in points at an efficient 53.3% clip. To get the most out of her in this next game, with a Cup berth on the line, the Lynx will need to continue to move the ball and try to find Collier in pick-and-roll action.

“When we move, that’s when Napheesa Collier’s greatness comes out,” Reeve said Saturday.

With one Cup game left, the Lynx control their destiny — a chance at the $500,000 prize pool and, yes, that precious trophy.

“It’s not a championship trophy in the way of winning the WNBA Finals, but it’s a trophy and it’s ours,” Reeve said. “Anytime you win, and you’re the best of the competition, that’s what competitive people do. That’s what it means to us.”