Lynx Lock No. 1 Seed and Home Court at 32-11

Photo: WNBA.com. Official Napheesa Collier headshot.

Portland's overtime finish at Moda Center handed Minnesota the No. 1 seed before the Lynx even tipped Thursday.

Minnesota sits at 32-11 with sole possession of first place since July 12, home-court advantage locked for the full 2026 WNBA playoffs, and a second straight No. 1 seed. That is the first time the franchise has held that line since the 2016-17 back-to-back stretch.

The Lynx did not clinch it on their own floor. Tuesday night in Indianapolis they lost 96-77 to Indiana without Olivia Miles, a late scratch with a left calf that Miles called precautionary. Cheryl Reeve sat the starters for most of the final two and a half quarters after the Fever's early blowout, and Napheesa Collier called the product embarrassing. Chloe Bibby led Minnesota with 15 on threes. Liatu King had 12. Caitlin Clark put up 27, nine assists, and seven boards. Kelsey Mitchell added 20 and Aliyah Boston 17. The deficit hit 29 in the first half. The reserves cut it to single digits late in the third, then Indiana closed. The lock came later on the West Coast. Golden State jumped Portland 17-0 and looked ready to force a Thursday tie on the No. 1 race. Bridget Carleton's five threes and 26 points, plus Carla Leite's overtime layup and three-point play, flipped that into a 90-82 Fire win that snapped the Valkyries' six-game streak and ended Golden State's path to catch Minnesota. The Valkyries fall to 31-12. The Fire finish 17-27. The Lynx keep the top line without needing another win.

Thursday's rematch with Indiana does not move Minnesota's seed. Miles' calf is day-to-day. Reeve almost sat her Sunday against Connecticut and has said they will take it day by day. A deep run without Miles would test the same roster that lost six rotation pieces to expansion and free agency, then still held first from mid-July. Collier returned July 22 with the Lynx already at 21-6. Natasha Howard filled the gap before that. Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams kept the perimeter honest. The net rating still sits second in the league at plus-8.2.

DraftKings listed Minnesota at -110 for the title on September 23, ahead of Las Vegas at +650 and Golden State at +700. Playoffs open Sunday, September 27. If the bracket froze tonight, Minnesota would draw New York in the first round, Golden State would draw Dallas, Las Vegas would draw Washington, and Atlanta would draw Indiana. The bottom half can still shuffle Thursday. The top line cannot. Home court through every round is the thing Portland's overtime bought Minnesota after an empty night in Indiana. Miles plans to try practice and then decide on Thursday. The No. 1 seed is already in the book. The calf is the only variable left before Sunday.

Sources

• CBS Sports / Jack Maloney. Lynx clinch No. 1 seed and home court throughout. Sole possession of first since July 12. Second straight No. 1; first since 2016-17. Valkyries 17-0 start then OT collapse. Miles calf. Reeve benched starters. Thursday rematch seeding-meaningless for Lynx. DraftKings title odds Sep 23: Lynx -110, Aces +650, Valkyries +700. Playoffs start Sunday Sep 27. Net rating +8.2 (2nd). Offensive rating 112.3 (3rd), defensive 104 (4th). Collier returned July 22 to a 21-6 Lynx after dual ankle surgery. 2025: 34-10, early exit vs Mercury.
• Associated Press via CBS Minnesota. Fever 96-77 over Lynx. Clark 27-9-7. Mitchell 20 (27th straight 20-point game). Boston 17. Bibby 15 (all threes). King 12. Miles late scratch left calf. Reeve sat starters most of final 2.5 quarters. Deficit as many as 57-28 first half / 29-point max. Rematch Thursday in Minnesota.
• Yahoo Sports / Ryan Young. Collier "embarrassing" quote via ESPN's Kareem Copeland. Miles precautionary sit; plans Wednesday practice. Lynx 32-11. Fire 90-82 OT clinches top seed. Halftime 57-34. Third-quarter 30-14 Lynx run. Biggest deficit of season.
• AP via CBS Sports. Fire 90-82 OT. Carleton 26 (five threes). Leite 18, OT tiebreaker and three-point play. Williams 17. Valkyries led 17-0. Six-game streak snapped. Loss clinches Lynx No. 1. Fire 17-27. Valkyries 31-12.
• Yahoo Sports playoff tracker. Projected first round if season ended now: Lynx vs Liberty, Valkyries vs Wings, Aces vs Mystics, Dream vs Fever.
• Photos: WNBA.com official Napheesa Collier headshot player ID 1629483.