With a pair of games left, the Minnesota Lynx controls their playoff destiny.
Aerial Powers scored 14 points off the bench and provided a fourth-quarter spark, and Minnesota won 86-77 at Phoenix on Wednesday night.
Moriah Jefferson scored just six points, including a dagger with 35 seconds left, but added a career-high 12 assists. Jessica Shepard scored 15 points and added a dozen rebounds.
Minnesota has won 20 of 23 regular-season games against Phoenix since August 2015, including 10 straight in Arizona.
Minnesota, Atlanta, New York and Phoenix are tied for seventh place in the standings at 14-20 with Los Angeles one game back. Only two will make the postseason; however, the Lynx own the first tiebreaker over the other three teams.
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The Lynx, who have won four of their past five, have two tough games left: home against Seattle (20-13) on Friday and at Connecticut (22-11) on Sunday.
Powers, who’s started 30 of 33 games, returned to the Lynx lineup after missing Sunday’s game with left knee soreness.
She scored on a drive with 2:46 left and converted a pair of free throws after getting fouled next time down the floor for a six-point lead with 2:09 to go.
“I think she’s gotten to a place where she’s confident what’s going on medically, but now the next step is to not think about it,” coach Cheryl Reeve said pregame. “This is one of those things that’s going to continue to bother her, much like Moriah, that you just have to keep working though it.”
Sylvia Fowles converted a feed from Jefferson before the latter iced the win with a long jumper. Fowles finished with 16 points and nine rebounds.
Kayla McBride led the Lynx with 18 points.
Minnesota shot 46.2 percent but missed too many shots in the paint and open jumpers.
Still, it’s a win.
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In her second game back after giving birth May 25, Napheesa Collier overcame early foul trouble, looked more comfortable in the offense and finished with 11 points.
Sophie Cunningham (24 points) and Shey Peddy (21) hurt the Lynx from deep, going a combined 11 of 20 on 3-point shots. Phoenix played without guards Diana Taurasi (quad) and Skylar Diggins-Smith (personal reasons).
Minnesota, thanks to a 13-5 run to end the first half, led 42-40 at the break. It was down 60-59 going to the fourth quarter.
To make room for Powers’ return, the Lynx released forward Nikolina Milić from her hardship exception. The 6-3 rookie averaged six points and three rebounds in 31 games.
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