The decisive moment
Chicago controlled the closing stretch at Target Center, turning a tight contest into a comfortable seven-point margin. With Minnesota straining for offense down the stretch, the Sky locked in defensively and closed the door on any late surge.
By the numbers
- Final: Chicago 86, Minnesota 79
- Margin of victory: 7 points
- Sky absences: Courtney Vandersloot (knee), DiJonai Carrington (foot), Azura Stevens (knee)
- Lynx absences: Napheesa Collier (left ankle surgery), Dorka Juhasz (foot), Emma Cechova (knee)
Both teams played without core rotation pieces, making each defensive possession and rebound battle that much more pivotal in the final result.
What it means
For Chicago, the win is a measuring-stick result on the road in the early stretch of the 2026 season WNBA Regular Season, especially with a depleted backcourt and frontcourt. Minnesota, meanwhile, continues to wait on Collier — who underwent left ankle surgery in March and is expected back on the court in early June — and the absence remains a clear weight on the Lynx's offensive ceiling.
What to watch next
The Sky will look to build on a quality road performance, while the Lynx must steady themselves at home until reinforcements return. Collier's expected June ramp-up looms as the inflection point that could reshape Minnesota's outlook.