It’s been dubbed “Syl’s Final Ride,” an ode to Sylvia Fowles’ final WNBA season and her love of bike riding.
Fowles and the Minnesota Lynx are hopeful that Friday night’s home game with the Seattle Storm isn’t her final appearance at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
At 14-20, Minnesota is one of four teams tied for the final two playoff spots with two games left. The Lynx held the seventh seed to begin the weekend, courtesy of a come-from-behind 86-77 win in Phoenix on Wednesday night that saw Fowles contribute her standard 16 points and nine rebounds.
Fowles, 36, will be feted prior to tipoff at a ceremony that will include numerous speeches and a tribute video. There will also be a halftime ceremony that will see her, coach Cheryl Reeve and teammate Napheesa Collier presented with their 2020 Olympics rings.
“There is no one like Sylvia Fowles, no one,” Reeve said. “All the records, all the accolades, the bar she set is unprecedented. However, at the heart of Syl’s legacy is who she is as a person.”
Fowles is averaging 14.6 points and 9.6 rebounds, numbers pretty similar to what she’s put up for most of her 15 seasons. The eight-time All-Star and 2017 league MVP is shooting 63.6 percent from the field.
Meanwhile, Seattle (21-13) has its own goals at stake. With a win, the Storm can seal the No. 4 seed and homecourt advantage for their first-round matchup against Washington.
Seattle is coming off a 111-100 road win Tuesday night against defending WNBA champion Chicago that saw them set a league record with 37 assists, eight coming from Sue Bird. All nine players who saw action contributed at least one helper.
“When you have a team sharing the basketball like that, it’s hard to beat,” said the Storm’s acting head coach, Pokey Chatman.
Seattle swept the teams’ previous three matchups this year, including an 89-77 verdict at home on Aug. 3.
