The Minnesota Lynx wrapped up their 2026 WNBA regular season with an authoritative 86-66 victory over the Indiana Fever on Thursday night at Target Center.

Minnesota set a commanding tone right from the opening tip. Capitalizing on crisp ball movement and aggressive defense, the Lynx surged to a 32-13 lead by the end of the first quarter. By halftime, Minnesota held a dominant 62-32 advantage, effectively putting the game out of reach. Kayla McBride led all scorers with 22 points, sinking six three-pointers, while Natasha Howard added 21 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks. Point guard Courtney Williams efficiently orchestrated the offense, dishing out 10 assists alongside nine points and seven rebounds.

The Fever struggled to break down Minnesota’s defense, shooting just 34.2% from the field and committing 15 turnovers. Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell were held to a combined 12 points as Indiana’s high-powered offense faltered under relentless pressure.

With the victory, Minnesota carries strong momentum into the postseason. Despite the loss, Indiana concludes its campaign as the highest-scoring offense in WNBA history (96.0 PPG) and locked in as the No. 6 seed, setting up an intriguing first-round playoff series against the Las Vegas Aces.

Full game highlights;

The Indiana Fever closed out last regular game at home with a statement, defeating the Minnesota Lynx 96-77 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on September 22, 2026. Caitlin Clark led all scorers with 27 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and four steals, while Kelsey Mitchell added 20 points with four assists The Fever led by 23 points at halftime, prompting Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve to bench her starters to rest them rather and be ready for the coming play off.

💤💤💤 pic.twitter.com/JEUrl8juxg

— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) September 23, 2026

The two teams will meet again Thursday in Minneapolis for the final game of the regular season before the playoffs begin.

Fuull game highlights:

Playoff scenarios: The Lynx (32-11) can clinch the top seed for the third straight season with a win Thursday, or if Golden State loses either of its final two games, and Minnesota can finish no worse than second regardless of Thursday’s result. For Indiana, the win already guarantees no worse than sixth place, and the Fever (28-15) could still climb as high as third in a longshot scenario requiring a win over Minnesota plus losses by both Atlanta and Las Vegas. A more realistic outcome has Indiana finishing sixth and opening the playoffs against defending champion Las Vegas.