Kayla McBride scored 24 points to leap into the top 20 on the WNBA's all-time scoring list, leading the Minnesota Lynx to a 101-93 victory over the Portland Fire on Saturday night at the Target Center.
The veteran guard shot 9-of-14 from the field, including four three-pointers, as Minnesota extended its winning streak to five games and improved to a league-best 20-6. McBride reached 5,846 career points, passing legendary point guard Becky Hammon (5,841) for 20th place on the WNBA's career scoring leaderboard.
McBride, who has now scored 20-plus points in six straight games, delivered the defining moment with 5:14 remaining in the fourth quarter — a step-back three-pointer that pushed the Lynx lead to 86-76 and sealed both the milestone and the win.
"It's special any time your name gets mentioned alongside greats like Becky Hammon," McBride said after the game. "But the bigger picture is how we're playing as a team right now."
Natasha Howard added 16 points for Minnesota. Rookie sensation Olivia Miles recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 assists, Courtney Williams chipped in 15, and reserve Dorka Juhasz contributed 12 off the bench.
Portland (11-15), fighting for playoff positioning, got 22 points from Bridget Carleton, while Carla Leite and Sarah Ashlee Barker each scored 21. The Fire trailed for virtually the entire contest after Miles opened the scoring with a three-pointer for a 7-4 lead early in the first quarter.
The Fire made a push in the third, with Carleton's three trimming the deficit to 53-50 with 6:11 left in the period. But Nia Coffey and McBride answered with back-to-back triples, and Portland never got closer than six points the rest of the way.
The Lynx now hit the road to face the Seattle Storm on Monday, while the Fire return home to host the Dallas Wings on Wednesday.
Sources
- AP News: https://apnews.com/article/portland-fire-minnesota-lynx-score-wnba-a37d2568fd25eeee845788426d1794db
