Lynx Forward Maya Moore Named Western Conference Player of the Month

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The WNBA today named Minnesota Lynx forward Maya Moore its Western Conference Player of the Month presented by Samsung for the month of July. This is the second Western Conference Player of the Month award presented by Samsung for Moore this season (May) and fourth in the past five, having also been honored in both August and September of 2013. The award marks the seventh time a Lynx player has been named Player of the Month, with Lindsay Whalen (August 2011), Seimone Augustus (July 2011) and Rebekkah Brunson (June 2011) also having previously received the award. After being named Player of the Week on Monday (Aug. 4), Moore has now received seven Player of the Week/Player of the Month awards this season.

Moore averaged 26.4 ppg, 8.6 rpg and 3.6 apg for the month, helping Minnesota compile a 9-1 record. She garnered national attention with a club-record 48 points in the 112-108 double-OT win vs. Atlanta on July 22. The point total eclipsed Katie Smith's previous Lynx mark of 46 (set at Los Angeles on July 8, 2001) and is the 2nd-highest total in WNBA history behind Riquna Williams' 51-point outburst for Tulsa last Sept. 8 at San Antonio. It was also her 10th 30+ point game of the year, equaling Diana Taurasi's WNBA single-season record in that category set in 2008. Moore scored 20+ points eight times and 30+ points on four occasions, and also collected three point/rebound double-doubles in the month.

Highlights from Moore’s month include:

• July 10 at Tulsa: Scored 33 points and pulled down 11 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season. Hit 12-of-21 shots from the field and all eight free throw attempts.  
• July 22 vs. Atlanta: Scored a franchise-record 48 points in a 112-108 2OT win over the Dream. Hit a club-record-tying seven three-pointers and grabbed 10 rebounds.
• July 31 vs. Phoenix: Registered a game-high 20 points with nine rebounds and four steals in Minnesota's 75-67 win, snapping the Mercury's 16-game winning streak.

New York Liberty forward Tina Charles was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month presented by Samsung for July. Charles averaged 21.1 points and 11.2 rebounds in the month.

Now in her fourth WNBA season, Moore leads the WNBA in scoring (24.7 ppg) and minutes (35.2 mpg), and ranks 8th in rebounding (8.2 rpg), 15th in field goal percentage (48.2%), 4th in three-pointers made (56), 2nd in free throws made (135) and 6th in steals (1.96 spg). Moore and the Lynx are in action on Tuesday, August 5 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse as they take on the Indiana Fever. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CDT.