Since 2011, the Minnesota Lynx have been a WNBA Finals fixture, with four titles and three runner-up appearances.
But in 2018, the miles appear to be taking their toll.
"I've said this before, this is a group that's done a lot together, that's done an awful lot together," head coach Cheryl Reeve said, according to the league website. "It gets harder and harder to be them, and I think we're seeing that. I think in some cases they're giving everything they have. What's in their tank, they're giving everything they have. Obviously right now, in the last couple games, that's not good enough."
Minnesota (12-10) has lost three of four and is just 2-4 since its seven-game winning streak was ended by last-place Indiana on July 3 in Minneapolis.
The Lynx and Fever meet in a Wednesday matinee at the Target Center; it will be the teams' third matchup in 15 days.
Eight days after Indiana (2-20) picked up just its second win of the season by beating Minnesota, the Lynx routed the Fever 87-65 in Indianapolis.
Since then, Minnesota has lost back-to-back home games. The Lynx have double-digit losses for just the second time in seven years.
"You can only do so much. You can't give someone will. That's internal. Want to, and will, a collective will," Reeve told the (St. Paul, Minn.) Pioneer Press on Sunday after her team's 83-64 loss to Connecticut.
"It's okay and we get off to the good start and things go well, and then all of a sudden, we get punched in a mouth a little bit and we can't find a way to respond, when a team starts making its hits at us, and that's been missing for most of the season."
The Lynx have struggled on the boards without¬¬ Rebekkah Brunson, who was held out for a third straight game. The Sun claimed a 41-27 advantage on the glass against the team that leads the league in per-game rebounding advantage (5.3) and rebounding percentage (53.7 percent).
"It's embarrassing," said Maya Moore, who had one rebound. "We're supposed to be the best defensive team and to get outrebounded like that, so hat's off to the effort and persistence Connecticut showed for the O boards. It stings."
Minnesota and Connecticut (12-10) are tied for seventh place, but the Sun holds the tiebreaker by virtue of its two wins over the Lynx this season.
On Sunday against second-place Phoenix, Indiana hung around for three quarters before the Mercury took control.
The Fever led by two at halftime and was within five entering the fourth quarter. But Phoenix opened the final period with eight straight points and pulled away to a 101-82 win.
"We just have to be able to sustain it," Indiana forward Candice Dupree told the Indianapolis Star. "We did that for three quarters. And then in the fourth, I think we just let up a little defensively and settled on offense. We just have to piece it together."
