Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve made a bold call Tuesday night in Indianapolis, sitting four of her regular starters for the entire second half of a 96-77 loss to the Indiana Fever.

"It was apparent that maybe rest was a better option with playoffs starting Sunday," Reeve said. "We thought that first group would be better served saving legs, not chasing a win that wasn't going to happen."

With the Lynx trailing by 23 points at the break, after falling behind by as many as 29 earlier in the game, Reeve kept Napheesa Collier, Courtney Williams, Kayla McBride, and Natasha Howard on the bench for the rest of the night. Only reserve Maya Caldwell saw real minutes among the usual rotation players, with the shift starting as early as 5:33 left in the second quarter, when Minnesota already trailed by 25.

Reeve's context, as per the X post by @adukeMN made the decision even more notable. Minnesota came into the game with a chance to clinch the No. 1 seed outright, and instead delivered one of its most lethargic performances of the season. 

Adding to the rough night, Minnesota was without rookie Olivia Miles, a late scratch with a left calf injury. Miles leads the team in scoring and assists and remains the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, and her absence was felt early.

For a coach known for her intensity and high standards, the move sent a clear signal: arrive at the playoffs healthy and sharp rather than grind through a game that had already slipped away for the sake of seeding. 

Whether that message resonates with her starters will be tested quickly, both in Thursday's rematch and once the postseason begins.

Will the benched starters play on Thursday?

The Minnesota Lynx and Indiana Fever meet Thursday night again in Minneapolis for the regular-season finale, and the big question is whether Cheryl Reeve puts her regular starters back on the floor after sitting them for the entire second half on Tuesday.

Reeve's postgame comments suggest rest will remain the priority, as per SI.com. She made clear that health mattered more than chasing a win once Tuesday's game slipped away, noting the playoffs start Sunday and that "chasing wins is a really bad idea" with games coming every other day. 

With the No. 1 seed already locked up thanks to Golden State's loss later that night, the urgency to play heavy minutes has mostly disappeared.

Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, Courtney Williams, and Natasha Howard all sat after halftime Tuesday, and rookie Olivia Miles, already a late scratch with a calf injury, is expected to be a game-time call again. 

Reeve has repeatedly stressed health over seeding, calling Minnesota "a damn good road team" regardless of bracket positioning.

Do you think Reeve made the right call resting her starters, even with the game and seeding still technically in reach? 

Written by

Zaid Quraishi