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Lynx-Storm Preview

Sep 10, 2015 - 10:33 PM With their postseason fate already determined and two All-Stars nursing injuries, the Minnesota Lynx likely see their regular-season finale as a chance to ease into the playoffs.

The Seattle Storm are just trying to salvage what they can from another disappointing campaign.

Minnesota seeks a seventh straight victory in the series and second in four days Friday night when it visits Seattle.

The Lynx (22-11) wrapped up the top seed in the Western Conference for the fourth time in five seasons with Tuesday's 73-67 home victory against the Storm. Minnesota has little tangible to play for in this one with New York having already clinched the league's best record, while the Lynx are locked into a first-round matchup with fourth-place Los Angeles.

The Sparks have won 11 of their last 16 while Minnesota has been inconsistent down the stretch, dropping five of nine. The Lynx won the season series, 3-1, and have to like their chances as one of the league's most battle-tested clubs. They reached three straight WNBA Finals before losing to Phoenix a round earlier in 2014.

"We know it's (Los Angeles) a really good team," coach Cheryl Reeve told the team's official website. "It's a team that has gone through their own challenges and they've hung together and earned themselves a playoff spot and we know that's going to be a heck of a first round matchup."

Tuesday's win came without All-Stars Seimone Augustus (foot) and Lindsay Whalen (Achilles), who missed their seventh and third consecutive games, respectively. With no pressing need for them to play, neither is expected to return until the playoffs.

Maya Moore scored a team-high 20 points and added seven rebounds and five assists in their absence Tuesday.

After missing the playoffs for the first time in 11 years last season, 2015 has been another letdown for Seattle (9-23). The Storm are assured of their worst finish since a 10-22 record in 2001.

They've dropped three straight heading into their final two games, concluding Sunday against visiting San Antonio.

Seattle owns the league's second-lowest scoring offense at 70.6 points per game, while Minnesota limits opponents to 71.5, the second-fewest in the league.

As bad as the Storm have been, they still have a shot to finish above .500 at home, currently sitting at 7-8. They had won three of four there prior to an 85-67 loss to Tulsa on Sept. 3.