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It was just the first preseason game, but Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve was already in midseason form:
“It’s a good thing Alissa got on the plane,” Reeve said after Minnesota lost 74-69 Tuesday in Chicago. “We would only have hit one three-pointer without you.”
The final score in an opening preseason game doesn’t really matter. Though, to be sure, Reeve wasn’t thrilled with the play of the starting unit, particularly in the first half as the Lynx dug a 13-point hole.
The Lynx’s execution wasn’t pristine, which isn’t surprising. They shot 38.8% overall and made just four of 25 three-pointers. They allowed the big Sky lineup 15 second-chance points, disappointing given the team’s emphasis in that area this year.
But some good things came out of the game.
And Alissa Pili was one of them. Entering her second season, knowing she had to play well to secure a roster spot, Pili scored nine points with three rebounds and two steals, in 18 minutes. She made all three of her shots, all from three-point range.
So yes, do the math: Without Pili, the Lynx were 1-for-22 on threes. That included Napheesa Collier, who went 0-for-6 on threes, 3-for-12 overall.
But, back to Pili. By her own admission there was a deer-in-the-headlights aspect to her rookie season. On Tuesday, Pili, who spent most of the offseason in Minneapolis working on her game, felt more comfortable.
