The underrated reason Lynx beat Valkyries in decisive Game 2

DiJonai Carrington has had a whirlwind couple of seasons.

The Minnesota Lynx guard was named the WNBA’s Most Improved Player last season after establishing herself as an elite two-way guard on the Connecticut Sun.

Then, in February, she was traded to the Dallas Wings, where she spent the first half of the 2025 season. But, the Dallas fit didn’t work out, and in August, Carrington was traded for the second time in less than six months, this time to the Minnesota Lynx.

In Minnesota, Carrington immediately found a rhythm she hadn’t had in Dallas. Playing for a loaded contender, she saw fewer minutes (she’s averaged 16.6 minutes per game with the Lynx, down from 24.9 minutes in Dallas) but became much more efficient; her field goal percentage increased from 35.4% in Dallas to 48.5% in Minnesota.

A marked improvement in outside shooting was also noticeable; Carrington shot 45.5% from three in 11 games with the Lynx, up from 26% with the Wings.

And, on Wednesday night, that three-point shooting bump made all the difference in a tight contest against the Golden State Valkyries. With a trip to the WNBA semi-finals on the line, the Lynx trailed by as many as 17 in Game 2.

Carrington attempted two threes in the fourth quarter of Game 2 and sank both, helping Minnesota erase a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit. Her second three, a corner attempt with just over three minutes to play, cut Minnesota’s deficit to just one point.

On the defensive end, she helped force a shot clock violation and kept Valkyries’ star guard Veronica Burton — her former Sun teammate — scoreless in the fourth.

Carrington wasn’t the star for the Lynx on Wednesday night. MVP candidate Napheesa Collier led the way with 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, while fellow All-Star Kayla McBride poured in 18 points on 8-13 shooting. Bridget Carleton hit 4 of 6 threes, and Courtney Williams hit the biggest shot of the night, a midrange jumper to give Minnesota a three-point lead with just under 30 seconds to spare.

But, two Carrington three-pointers — and her trademark lockdown defense — made a massive difference in a game with a razor-thin margin of error. As Carrington’s shots fell, Minnesota inched closer to the next round of the playoffs.