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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Lindsay Whalen scored 10 points in the final regular-season home game of her career, Sylvia Fowles set the WNBA season record for rebounds and the Minnesota Lynx closed the season with a 88-83 victory over the Washington Mystics on Sunday night.
The Target Center had 13,013 in attendance for the game. Governor Mark Dayton declared it "Lindsay Whalen Day" in Minnesota and a retirement ceremony followed the game.
The 36-year-old Whalen starred at the University of Minnesota and now coaches the Gophers.
Fowles had 26 points and 14 rebounds to finish with a WNBA-record 404 rebounds. She broke the mark of 403 set last year by Jonquel Jones.
Whalen hit a 3-pointer that gave the Lynx (18-16) the lead for good during a 13-0 run that ended at 78-69 early in the fourth quarter. The Mystics (22-12) got no closer than the final score.
The seventh-seeded Lynx will visit the sixth-seeded Los Angeles Sparks — a rematch of the last two WNBA finals — in the single-elimination first round of the WNBA playoffs Tuesday night.
The No. 3 seed Mystics had their eight-game winning streak snapped and their 22 regular-season wins tied a franchise best. Washington will have a bye through the first round of the playoffs to host the Lynx-Sparks winner in the second round Thursday night.
DREAM 93, ACES 78
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Elizabeth Williams scored 20 points and Atlanta beat Las Vegas to take the No. 2 seed in the WNBA playoffs.
The Dream (23-11) have byes through the first two single-elimination rounds, and will have home-court advantage in the best-of-five semifinals.
Jessica Breland and Montgomery added 16 points each for Atlanta, Alex Bentley had 12, and Tiffany Hayes 11. A'ja Wilson had 21 points for the Aces (14-20).
SUN 89, SPARKS 86
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Jasmine Thomas scored 27 points and Connecticut beat Los Angeles to secure the fourth seed in the playoffs.
Connecticut (21-13) will have a first-round bye and host the Phoenix-Dallas winner in the second round. Los Angeles (19-15) took the sixth seed and will host Minnesota in the first round.
Candace Parker led Los Angeles with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
STORM 84, WINGS 68
SEATTLE (AP) — Breanna Stewart and Crystal Langhorne had 15 points each to help Seattle beat Dallas.
Sue Bird sat out the game and Stewart played just 13 minutes in the game that had no effect on the Storm's No. 1 playoff seed.
Seattle (26-8) closed the season winning eight of the last nine and will begin the playoffs in the semifinals with byes through the first two single-elimination rounds and home-court advantage throughout.
Glory Johnson led the Wings (15-19) with 16 points.
MERCURY 96, LIBERTY 85
PHOENIX (AP) — DeWanna Bonner had 23 points and 10 rebounds to help Phoenix beat New York, sending the Liberty to their 13th straight loss.
Stephanie Talbot added 18 points, and Diana Taurasi had 16. The fifth-seeded Mercury (20-14) will host eighth-seeded Dallas on Tuesday night in the first round of the playoffs.
Kia Nurse had 22 of her 28 points in the first half for the Liberty (7-27).
FEVER 97, SKY 92
CHICAGO (AP) — Candice Dupree and Cappie Pondexter had 22 points each in Indiana's victory over Chicago.
The Fever snapped a five-game losing to finish a WNBA-worst 6-28.
Diamond DeShields had 19 of her 27 points in the first half for the Sky (13-21).
