It's now or never for the Lynx

The Minnesota Lynx have 13 games left to dig themselves out of a hole they created.

State of play: The Lynx got off to a 3-13 start and almost everyone assumed their season was over. But they have won five of their past seven games and now have a chance to make a run to the playoffs.

Why it matters: In a town filled with disappointing sports teams, the Lynx have been the one club fans can count on. They've made the playoffs for 11 consecutive years and have won four WNBA titles during that time.

What happened: The team got off to a bumpy start after head coach and general manager Cheryl Reeve shuffled the roster and waited for several key players to return from injuries or overseas play.

Lynx broadcaster Sloane Martin said about two weeks ago that the team clicked and they went on a run, knocking off the top two teams in the WNBA, the Chicago Sky and Las Vegas Aces.

• "It was finally having the roster and rotation settling down," Martin said. "There was this cohesion and dependability and predictability about who was on the floor what those rotations are."

Yes, and: The Lynx could get even better.

• Their best player, Napheesa Collier, is out on maternity leave, but hopes to make a return by the end of the season.
• Collier wants to return to help the team, but also to play alongside center Sylvia Fowles, who is retiring after the season, Martin said.

What they're saying: "Minnesota looks dangerous, and if it can claw its way back into the playoff picture, it’s going to make some postseason noise. We knew this before: don’t count out Cheryl Reeve and Fowles," writes Chantel Jennings of The Athletic.

What's ahead: The Lynx host the Phoenix Mercury Tuesday night as WNBA play resumed after the All-Star break.

• They're 8-15 and 2.5 games out of the final playoff spot.