2021 Minnesota Lynx season

The 2021 WNBA season was the 23rd season for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association. The season began on May 14, 2021, versus the Phoenix Mercury.

The 2021 season brought teams back to their home markets instead of playing in a "Bubble" like they did in the 2020 season. The Lynx returned to Target Center and played in front of limited fans. The Lynx also revealed new jerseys on April 8. Three new jerseys - Heroines, Explorers, and Rebels - were used through the season. Each uniform embodies player and team characteristics – attitude, potential, power, and honors not only our fans, but the community as well. The Rebel jersey is inspired by First Avenue.

The Lynx started the season slowly, losing their first four games. However, they won their last game in May, in overtime, over the Connecticut Sun to finish May 1–4. The team's fortunes turned around in June as they posted a 7–3 record. They won their first two games and last three games of the month, and the middle contained a pattern of alternating losses and wins. In July, the Lynx continued their winning streak from the end of June, winning all four games in July. Their seven game winning streak before the Olympic break catapulted them to a 12–7 record at the break. Coming out of the break, the Lynx won their first game before losing two straight games in Connecticut. After those back to back losses, they won five straight games. The streak was ended on September 8 in Las Vegas. However, the team won its last four games, which included three straight wins against Indiana, who finished last in the league. Their 4–2 August record, combined with a 6–1 September mark saw the Lynx finish 22–10 in third place in the standings. The team also had a remarkable 13–3 home record during the season, tied for second best in the league.

As the third seed in the 2021 WNBA Playoffs, the Lynx earned a bye into the second round, and would host the lowest remaining seed from the first round. The Lynx drew Chicago, the 6th seed as their opponent. Chicago finished the season 16–16 but defeated the Lynx 76–89 in the game to end the Lynx' season.

Preseason

 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 1
 * May 1
 * @ Atlanta
 * L 61–69
 * Carleton Shepard (10)
 * Shepard Achonwa Harper (6)
 * Japreece Dean (4)
 * Gateway Center Arena No Fans
 * 0–1
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 2
 * May 8
 * Washington
 * W 79–69
 * Rachel Banham (23)
 * Jessica Shepard (10)
 * Natalie Achonwa (5)
 * Target Center No Fans
 * 1–1


 * The preseason game vs. Atlanta was a scrimmage. The second half gave both teams multiple possessions and was not played like a real game.

Regular season

 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 1
 * May 14
 * Phoenix
 * L 75–77
 * Aerial Powers (18)
 * Sylvia Fowles (11)
 * Dantas Dangerfield (4)
 * Target Center 2,021
 * 0–1
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 2
 * May 18
 * @ New York
 * L 75–86
 * Sylvia Fowles (26)
 * Sylvia Fowles (11)
 * Crystal Dangerfield (6)
 * Barclays Center 815
 * 0–2
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 3
 * May 20
 * Seattle
 * L 78–90
 * Crystal Dangerfield (22)
 * Sylvia Fowles (9)
 * Powers Dangerfield (6)
 * Target Center 1,934
 * 0–3
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 4
 * May 28
 * @ Seattle
 * L 72–82
 * Sylvia Fowles (15)
 * Achowna Fowles (6)
 * Napheesa Collier (6)
 * Angel of the Winds Arena 1,332
 * 0–4
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 5
 * May 30
 * Connecticut
 * W 79–74 (OT)
 * Sylvia Fowles (24)
 * Sylvia Fowles (9)
 * Dantas McBride (5)
 * Target Center 2,007
 * 1–4


 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 6
 * June 4
 * Atlanta
 * W 86–84
 * Napheesa Collier (26)
 * Sylvia Fowles (11)
 * Layshia Clarendon (5)
 * Target Center 2,024
 * 2–4
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 7
 * June 6
 * Atlanta
 * W 100–80
 * Kayla McBride (19)
 * Sylvia Fowles (7)
 * Napheesa Collier (6)
 * Target Center 2,021
 * 3–4
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 8
 * June 8
 * @ Washington
 * L 81–85
 * Napheesa Collier (22)
 * Napheesa Collier (9)
 * Clarendon Dangerfield (6)
 * Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,100
 * 3–5
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 9
 * June 12
 * Los Angeles
 * W 80–64
 * Crystal Dangerfield (16)
 * Sylvia Fowles (9)
 * Clarendon Collier (4)
 * Target Center 2,203
 * 4–5
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 10
 * June 15
 * Chicago
 * L 89–105
 * Napheesa Collier (27)
 * Sylvia Fowles (9)
 * Clarendon Dangerfield (5)
 * Target Center 2,024
 * 4–6
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 11
 * June 17
 * @ Dallas
 * W 85–73
 * Kayla McBride (22)
 * Sylvia Fowles (12)
 * Layshia Clarendon (5)
 * College Park Center 1,519
 * 5–6
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 12
 * June 19
 * @ Dallas
 * L 77–95
 * Collier Dangerfield (17)
 * Sylvia Fowles (7)
 * Layshia Clarendon (6)
 * College Park Center 1,751
 * 5–7
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 13
 * June 23
 * @ Atlanta
 * W 87–85
 * Sylvia Fowles (26)
 * Sylvia Fowles (19)
 * Layshia Clarendon (9)
 * Gateway Center Arena 907
 * 6–7
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 14
 * June 25
 * Las Vegas
 * W 90–89 (OT)
 * Sylvia Fowles (30)
 * Sylvia Fowles (14)
 * Napheesa Collier (8)
 * Target Center 2,734
 * 7–7
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 15
 * June 30
 * @ Phoenix
 * W 82–76
 * Kayla McBride (26)
 * Collier Fowles (11)
 * Crystal Dangerfield (7)
 * Phoenix Suns Arena 4,122
 * 8–7


 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 16
 * July 3
 * @ Phoenix
 * W 99–68
 * Kayla McBride (24)
 * Sylvia Fowles (10)
 * Collier Shepard (6)
 * Phoenix Suns Arena 8,182
 * 9–7
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 17
 * July 7
 * Dallas
 * W 85–79
 * Kayla McBride (25)
 * Sylvia Fowles (11)
 * Layshia Clarendon (8)
 * Target Center 2,321
 * 10–7
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 18
 * July 9
 * @ Las Vegas
 * W 77–67
 * Layshia Clarendon (18)
 * Fowles Dantas (9)
 * Layshia Clarendon (9)
 * Michelob Ultra Arena N/A
 * 11–7
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 19
 * July 11
 * @ Los Angeles
 * W 86–61
 * Napheesa Collier (27)
 * Damiris Dantas (8)
 * Layshia Clarendon (8)
 * Los Angeles Convention Center 892
 * 12–7


 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 20
 * August 15
 * New York
 * W 88–78
 * Sylvia Fowles (20)
 * Sylvia Fowles (11)
 * Layshia Clarendon (8)
 * Target Center 3,534
 * 13–7
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 21
 * August 17
 * @ Connecticut
 * L 60–72
 * Sylvia Fowles (14)
 * Sylvia Fowles (5)
 * Achonwa Clarendon (3)
 * Mohegan Sun Arena 3,488
 * 13–8
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 22
 * August 19
 * @ Connecticut
 * L 71–82
 * Sylvia Fowles (18)
 * Sylvia Fowles (11)
 * Layshia Clarendon (8)
 * Mohegan Sun Arena 3,536
 * 13–9
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 23
 * August 21
 * @ Chicago
 * W 101–95
 * Layshia Clarendon (18)
 * Dantas McBride (7)
 * Layshia Clarendon (5)
 * Wintrust Arena 5,036
 * 14–9
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 24
 * August 24
 * Seattle
 * W 76–70
 * Sylvia Fowles (29)
 * Sylvia Fowles (20)
 * Layshia Clarendon (6)
 * Target Center 3,634
 * 15–9
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 25
 * August 31
 * New York
 * W 74–66
 * Kayla McBride (25)
 * Napheesa Collier (14)
 * Rachel Banham (5)
 * Target Center 3,221
 * 16–9


 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 26
 * September 2
 * Los Angeles
 * W 66–57
 * Kayla McBride (17)
 * Sylvia Fowles (17)
 * Carleton Collier (4)
 * Target Center 3,121
 * 17–9
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 27
 * September 4
 * Washington
 * W 93–75
 * Napheesa Collier (21)
 * Napheesa Collier (9)
 * Rachel Banham (8)
 * Target Center 3,403
 * 18–9
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 28
 * September 8
 * @ Las Vegas
 * L 81–102
 * Aerial Powers (20)
 * Sylvia Fowles (11)
 * Collier McBride (4)
 * Michelob Ultra Arena 5,663
 * 18–10
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 29
 * September 10
 * Indiana
 * W 89–72
 * Aerial Powers (20)
 * Fowles Shepard (7)
 * Banham Dangerfield (5)
 * Target Center 3,503
 * 19–10
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 30
 * September 12
 * Indiana
 * W 90–80
 * Napheesa Collier (22)
 * Sylvia Fowles (8)
 * Napheesa Collier (7)
 * Target Center 3,434
 * 20–10
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 31
 * September 17
 * @ Indiana
 * W 92–73
 * Sylvia Fowles (21)
 * Sylvia Fowles (10)
 * Bridget Carleton (5)
 * Indiana Farmers Coliseum N/A
 * 21–10
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 32
 * September 19
 * @ Washington
 * W 83–77
 * Aerial Powers (27)
 * Sylvia Fowles (13)
 * Layshia Clarendon (6)
 * Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,854
 * 22–10

Playoffs

 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 1
 * September 26
 * Chicago
 * 76–89
 * Aerial Powers (24)
 * Sylvia Fowles (8)
 * Aerial Powers (4)
 * Target Center 4,334
 * 0–1