The Minnesota Lynx had a rough Tuesday night. Needing a win against the Indiana Fever to secure the top seed heading into the 2026 WNBA playoffs, the Lynx struggled and fell behind by 23 points at halftime. Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve decided to simply pull the plug at the interval, as she didn't play her key players, including Napheesa Collier, a single minute in the second half.

Nonetheless, fortune smiled upon the Lynx even though they suffered a 96-77 beatdown at the hands of the Fever. They still managed to secure the top-seed, and by extension, homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs, after the Golden State Valkyries lost to the Portland Fire, 90-82, in overtime. The Valkyries can still finish the season with the same record as the Lynx with one game to go, but Minnesota won the season series 3-1, giving them the tiebreaker.

At the end of the day, however, Reeve is confident in the Lynx's chances of winning it all come postseason time regardless of whether or not they actually secured the top seed. After all, she believes that the team is still a major force away from home.

“We’re a damn good road team,” Reeve said after the game in response to a question on why seeding doesn't matter to the Lynx, as per Andrew Dukowitz of OnSI.

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It wasn't that obvious on Tuesday that the Lynx, indeed, are even better on the road than they are at Target Center. Even after this crushing loss to the Fever, their road record in 2026 is 18-4 — the best in the WNBA. Of course, their 14-7 record at home is not too shabby as well.

Nonetheless, playoff basketball can be different, and having their own fans in their own home could be the difference between getting over the hump and not being able to. And while the Lynx may not care about seeding at the end of the day, it should be helpful to at least have that safety net when the stakes are at their highest come postseason time.