Minnesota was this close last season. Almost there. But you know how cruel sports can be. An anxious, heart-racing overtime Game 5 loss crushed Cheryl Reeve’s Lynx’s dreams. This year, it’s redemption season. And the best part is the starting five of Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, Alanna Smith, Bridget Carleton, and Courtney Williams is locked and loaded. Which, let’s be honest, is a total luxury when you look at the chaos other teams are dealing with. These five are the anchors, no doubt. But the Lynx have a brand new priority now. 

If you remember, Cecilia Zandalasini was a solid rotation piece for the Lynx. Not exactly dropping 30 a night or anything, but her size and 3-point shooting on the wing were big for the squad. She clocked about 12 minutes a game and was trusted enough to be part of the playoff rotation. 

But the expansion draft happened, and Golden State swooped in and grabbed her. And now, well, someone’s got to step up and fill that gap. Especially because Coach Reeve made it super clear, saying, “The biggest difference will be in our second group,” she said. “And being intentional in how we use them. Last year, it was probably more of fitting them into how the first group played.” 

So who’s stepping up? Well, it could be Diamond Miller’s moment to shine. Reeve really wants the second unit to have its own identity, and Diamond’s got the toolkit to make that happen.

Miller was the third overall pick in 2023 for a reason. She’s got the highest ceiling among the Lynx’s young guns. Her rookie season was solid too. 12.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists a game. You could see the star power just bubbling.

But then…injuries hit hard. In 2024, she barely played 21 games, struggled to get meaningful minutes, and her stats dipped to just 2.9 points and 1.8 rebounds in about 10 minutes per game. She played, like, four playoff minutes total. So now, the pressure on Miller to stay healthy and actually own her role on the wing is sky-high.

Good news is she went overseas to Poland this offseason to sharpen her skills. The head coach put it plainly back then,“We’re hoping she has a really good, strong, healthy offseason to carry into 2025.”  They need her. Especially to back up Collier when things get tough. Now, with the starting five in place, the next five spots are pretty much reserved for Natisha Hiedeman, Diamond Miller, Marieme Badiane, Karlie Samuelson, and Jessica Shepard.

But Reeve still hasn’t decided whether to roll with an 11- or 12-player roster to start the season. Either way, there’s a battle brewing for the last one or two spots. Last year’s first-round pick, Alissa Pili, is scrapping hard for a job. The 15th overall pick ​Anastasiia Olairi Kosu could crash the party too. And don’t forget about Dorka Juhász. Honestly, it’s tough to imagine both Juhász and Shepard squeezing onto the roster together. 

“We want them to force us into a 12-player roster,” Reeve said. Like, just be so good they can’t cut you. And there’s also Grace Berger now in the mix. The Caitlin Clark’s old teammate who got waived by Indiana Fever, could change the whole equation we were just talking about. Can she replace Miller? Jackie Powell on the Locked on Women’s Basketball podcast straight-up said, “I think Grace Berger might be more of a lock than Diamond Miller.” 

Berger could seriously solve some problems for Minnesota like ball movement, backcourt depth, and overall facilitating. She may not be chucking up shots like crazy, but her efficiency last season proves she can be a reliable piece. So, we never know. It’s officially a turtle race now, who’s gonna cross the finish line? Because coach Reeve is making no mistake. They’re out for payback. And in coach’s own words last year, it was straight-up stolen from them.

Cheryl Reeve believes the title was robbed

If you think Coach Cheryl Reeve has let go of last year’s heartbreak, think again. Because it was more than just a loss for her. She didn’t hold back at all after the Lynx’s brutal 67-62 overtime loss to the New York Liberty in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals. And it all came down to some super controversial officiating.

With just 5.2 seconds left in regulation, Lynx center Alanna Smith was called for a foul on Breanna Stewart. Stewart, who had just missed a couple of free throws earlier, nailed both this time, tying the game and sending it into overtime. After the game, Reeve went off, saying, “We know we could have done some things, right, but you shouldn’t have to overcome to that extent. This s—- ain’t that hard. Officiating is not that hard.” 

Reeve wasn’t worried about people saying she was whining, either. She knew the headlines would scream ‘Reeve cries foul’ and she said, “Bring it on. Bring it on. Because this s— was stolen from us. Bring it on.”  Even after the Lynx challenged the call, it was upheld. Reeve also suggested that a third-party reviewer should handle challenge reviews in the future, not just the league. 

Overall, Liberty shot 25 free throws to Minnesota’s 8. Minnesota got called for 21 fouls compared to New York’s 17. Plus, Defensive Player of the Year Napheesa Collier fouled out. So, numbers tell why she was so mad. And if you think Reeve was the only one mad, no. Both coaches had beef during the series. After Game 3, Reeve said Collier was being officiated differently than Stewart. And Liberty coach Sandy Brondello had her own complaints about free throw disparity after Game 4. So, it was messy all around.

Games 1, 3, and 4 were all crazy close, decided by just two or three points. This Finals wasn’t just historic because it was wild. It was the first time multiple games in a Finals series went to overtime. And that Game 5 was first-ever winner-take-all WNBA Finals game to hit OT. So, heading into 2025, Minnesota’s got their eyes locked on the title. And let’s just hope, for everyone’s sanity, that officiating doesn’t steal the spotlight again.