Caitlin Clark's status, 3-pointers and fast-break points: Keys to Tuesday's Commissioner's Cup final

The Commissioner's Cup last connected Tuesday nighttime offers a contrast: The Minnesota Lynx, representing the Western Conference, person been the WNBA's astir accordant squad this season. The Indiana Fever, representing the East, person had a roller-coaster campaign, akin to what galore teams astir the league person experienced.

"Nobody said this play was going to beryllium cleanable for us," Indiana defender Caitlin Clark said Sunday. "There's ever going to beryllium ups and downs. These are the moments we're going to look backmost on. Everybody's been done a small spot of adversity here. [I'm] giving our radical recognition for being capable to instrumentality unneurotic and cognize that whatever's successful our locker country is each we request to win. Really arrogant of our radical each azygous day."

However, Clark's availability Tuesday nighttime (8 ET, Prime) is uncertain. She has missed 7 games this season, archetypal with a quad wounded and much precocious a groin injury.

Clark and Minnesota guardant Napheesa Collier were announced Sunday arsenic the apical 2 vote-getters successful instrumentality balloting for the July 19 All-Star Game. While the first-place Lynx (14-2) are the defending Commissioner's Cup champions, the Fever (8-8) are appearing successful the Cup last for the archetypal clip since the WNBA's in-season contention debuted successful 2021.

Here's a look astatine immoderate of the biggest factors that could find the Cup winner.

Will some teams beryllium astatine afloat strength?

If Clark and Collier are some playing Tuesday, it volition beryllium a boost to this matchup.

Clark worked connected immoderate violative skills with nary interaction astatine the Fever's signifier Sunday, manager Stephanie White said.

"I'm going to beryllium day-to-day," Clark said. "Doing everything I tin to enactment myself successful presumption to play the adjacent game. That's ever my goal."

Collier has played good the past 2 games aft missing the erstwhile 2 with a backmost injury. She leads the WNBA successful scoring (24.5 PPG) and was MVP of past year's Commissioner's Cup final, which the Lynx won implicit the New York Liberty 94-89.

However, Lynx reserve defender Karlie Samuelson near Sunday's 102-63 triumph implicit Connecticut with a ft injury, truthful her presumption for Tuesday is uncertain. And Indiana reserve guardant Damiris Dantas is not with the squad arsenic she is playing for Brazil successful the AmeriCup tourney successful Chile.

Which squad has the acquisition and home-court edge?

Last season, the Lynx and Liberty played the Cup last earlier a large assemblage astatine UBS Arena successful Elmont, New York. (Barclays Center successful Brooklyn, the Liberty's accustomed location court, was hosting the NBA draft.) Tuesday's crippled volition beryllium astatine Minnesota's Target Center, which has been location to the All-Star Game positive galore WNBA Finals games implicit the years.

"I deliberation it's going to consciousness similar a playoff game," Collier said. "It's going to beryllium truly fun. Our fans amusement up for america each game, but particularly successful that situation ... it's going to beryllium electrifying."

Clark called the matchup "a immense opportunity."

"They person a large crowd, large environment. A squad that's precise experienced with 1 another. They've been successful the Finals, been successful large situations, won the Commissioner's Cup past year," Clark said. "Personnel volition beryllium truly important, but we're excited to get retired determination and effort to get the win."

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Napheesa Collier drops 26 successful Lynx's OT triumph implicit the Dream

Napheesa Collier shines with 26 points arsenic the Lynx amended to 13-2 aft a roadworthy triumph implicit the Dream.

Who wins the conflict of the arc?

Minnesota is the apical 3-point-shooting squad successful the WNBA by percent (36.3); Indiana ranks sixth (34.2). Both teams are astatine the apical of the league successful 3-point tract extremity defense: The Fever are first, holding opponents to 27.5%, and the Lynx 2nd astatine 29.1%.

Despite Clark's caller 3-point shooting slump successful the 3 games earlier she went retired with her groin wounded (1-of-23), the menace of Clark shooting from agelong scope stretches retired defenses.

If she is not playing, the Fever inactive person 3-point threats successful Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, Sophie Cunningham, Sydney Colson and Aari McDonald. Mitchell, who leads the Fever with 35 3-pointers, is coming disconnected a season-high 32 points successful a triumph astatine Dallas. Hull leads Indiana successful 3-point percent (22-of-44).

Kayla McBride, who precocious crossed the 5,000-point people for her career, is Minnesota's apical 3-point shooter: She has made 34 connected 41% shooting. The different 4 starters for the Lynx -- Collier, Courtney Williams, Bridget Carleton and Alanna Smith -- each person astatine slightest 19 3-pointers this season.

The teams could cancel each different retired down the arc, but if 1 gets a wide advantage, it could marque a large quality successful this game.

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Kelsey Mitchell drops 32 successful a nail-biting triumph implicit Wings

Kelsey Mitchell cooks the Wings for 32 points successful a hard-fought triumph for the Fever.

Who sets the pace?

The Fever with Clark, a fast-break wizard, volition spell astatine arsenic accelerated a gait arsenic possible. However, Indiana has not gotten arsenic overmuch from its modulation crippled arsenic it would similar to. The Fever are 11th successful the league successful fast-break points per crippled (10.1). Clark being retired 7 games evidently affects that, but McDonald -- precocious signed for the remainder of the play aft antecedently playing 3 games connected an wounded hardship declaration -- should assistance the Fever with her quickness and willingness to propulsion the ball.

The Lynx, who stock the shot well, person been 1 of the champion teams connected the accelerated break, averaging 12.6 points (third successful the WNBA).

The Fever, who averaged 14.8 turnovers, indispensable beryllium particularly cautious astir taking attraction of the shot against the Lynx. Minnesota leads the league successful points disconnected turnovers (18.3). Indiana is sixth successful that class (16.2).

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Natasha Howard's awesome and-1 pads Fever pb precocious successful the 4th quarter

Natasha Howard's awesome and-1 pads Fever pb precocious successful the 4th quarter.

Which Fever defence shows up?

Minnesota's consistency is partially the merchandise of its elite, reliable defense. The Lynx pb the WNBA successful points allowed (74.1) and antiaircraft standing (93.9) and are 2nd successful hostile tract extremity percent (40.1).

The Fever are good down defensively: They let foes 80.1 points and 42.9% shooting and person a 100.2 antiaircraft rating. However, if Indiana has astatine slightest a credible antiaircraft effort and is clicking offensively, that's the look for an upset.

Forward Aliyah Boston is the antiaircraft anchor for the Fever, and Hull is the nonstop vigor force. Hull, McDonald, Mitchell and Colson each tin beryllium effectual on-ball defenders.

Boston has had a large load each season. She and Natasha Howard volition effort to dilatory down Collier inside. Boston has been precise bully offensively of late, too: She is averaging 21.4 points successful the Fever's past 5 games.