MINNEAPOLIS — Napheesa Collier scored 31 points and Kayla McBride scored eight of her 19 points in the fourth quarter to help the Minnesota Lynx clinch a playoff spot with a 90-80 win over Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on Saturday night.
Minnesota (22-8), which beat the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces 87-74 on Friday, won its sixth straight, including five straight games by 10 points since returning from the Olympic break.
Clark, the No. 1 pick in the draft, led Indiana (13-16) with 23 points and eight assists, becoming the fastest player in league history (29 games) to score at least 500 points (520) and record 200 assists (240).
Bridget Carlton hit a 3-pointer to give the Lynx a 10-point lead with 7:49 left before Lexi Hull hit two free throws on a 3-pointer to cut Indiana’s deficit to 72-69 with 6:16 left.
McBride responded with a shot and then added two 3-pointers in a 14-2 run that extended the lead to 15 points with 3:23 remaining.
Kelsey Mitchell scored 21 points for the Fever, and Aaliyah Boston added 10 points and 15 rebounds.
Carlton hit four 3-pointers and finished with 16 points for Minnesota. Courtney Williams and Natisha Hedman added 10 points each.
The Lynx hosted a retirement ceremony for Maya Moore Irons’ No. 23 jersey immediately after the game.
She joins Simone Augustus (No. 33), Rebecca Brunson (No. 32), Sylvia Fowles (No. 34) and Lindsey Whelan (No. 13) as the only players in franchise history to receive the honor.
Moore Irons — Clark’s favorite player growing up — helped the Lynx win four WNBA championships, was the 2014 MVP and the 2013 Finals MVP.
Moore Irons, who was named the 2011 Rookie of the Year, was a six-time All-Star and three-time All-Star Game MVP.
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