(Minneapolis, MN) — With their 85-76 win tonight over the Los Angeles Sparks at Williams Arena in Game 5 of the 2017 WNBA Finals the Minnesota Lynx captured the franchise’s fourth WNBA championship (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017), tying the Houston Comets for the most by a single team in league history.
Maya Moore’s 18 points led a balanced team effort featuring all five starters in double figures. After the game, Sylvia Fowles was named the 2017 WNBA Finals MVP.
Minnesota completed its 19th WNBA season by winning three in a row (and five of its last six contests) to finish with the league’s best record for the fifth time in seven years. At 27-7, the Lynx registered their sixth 25-win campaign in the last seven years and became the first WNBA franchise to win 27+ games in a season four separate times. Minnesota now owns the league’s all-time marks for most wins in six (155), seven (182), eight (195), nine (209) and 10 (225) consecutive seasons.
To celebrate the championship, the Lynx will hold a parade down University Avenue tonight, Thursday, October 5 beginning at 6:30 p.m. The route will begin at the corner of 12th Ave. S.E. and University Ave. and continue on University Ave. toward Williams Arena. The procession will end as it enters the doors of Williams Arena. The championship celebration at Williams Arena will kick off at 7:15 p.m. Lynx players and coaches will address the crowd, while radio play-by-play announcer John Focke will emcee the event.
Both events are free and open to the public. Doors to Williams Arena will open at 6:00 p.m. for the championship celebration.