Lynx return from break to face Mystics while in playoff mode

The Minnesota Lynx and Washington Mystics will return from their Olympic break when they tip off Thursday night in Minneapolis.

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve and star player Napheesa Collier will have to find a place to stash their gold medals during the game. So will Mystics general manager Mike Thibault, who served as an assistant coach on head coach Reeve's staff for Team USA.

"It was really wild," Collier told reporters in Paris about the Olympic atmosphere. "They packed the house. They had the face paint, the drums, the cheering. It was a really loud environment. It was great."

Collier hopes the good vibes continue as she and her Lynx teammates reconvene.

Minnesota (17-8) is tied for third place in the WNBA standings, four games back of the New York Liberty and 1 1/2 games behind the Connecticut Sun. The Lynx boast an 11-3 record on their home court and are 6-5 on the road.

Meanwhile, Washington (6-19) is tied with the Dallas Wings for the worst record in the league as action resumes. The Mystics dropped two straight games before the Olympic break and are looking for their first victory since July 10 against Indiana.

Mystics guard Jade Melbourne also returns from Olympics action in Paris, where she earned a bronze medal with Team Australia. The 21-year-old averaged seven points per game during the Olympics, including an 18-point game against Serbia.

Melbourne will rejoin teammates such as Brittney Sykes, who expects to be back from a foot injury that hindered her for much of June and July.

"It's been a grind, but it's been a good grind," Sykes said. "It's been a lot of learning curves and just getting back to the basics and just understanding, like, grace is going to be our best friend in the second half of the season."

Lynx guard Kayla McBride said she traveled to her home in North Carolina during the Olympic break. Many players not involved in the Olympics used part of the break to relax at home before getting back into the gym with their teammates.

McBride said she was ready to ramp up the intensity again.

"The main thing is hitting the ground running," McBride said. "I think we put ourselves in a really good position, and we want to maximize that. ...

"We have to treat these last 15 games like playoff games. As long as we stay on the same page and stay healthy, I think we have a great chance at a great finish."

--Field Level Media