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 games played in May. This is the third consecutive Western Conference Player of the Month award for Moore, who also was honored in August and September of the 2013 season. The award marks the sixth time in franchise history 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. Going back to last season, Moore has won five of the past eight Western Conference Player of the Month/Player of the Week awards.

Moore started off the season on fire, setting a WNBA record with four consecutive 30+ point games. The 6'0" forward scored a career-high 38 points to go along with a season-high 13 rebounds at Tulsa on May 23 and led the WNBA in scoring for the month (29.2 ppg). Moore set the four-game stretch record by notching 30 points in the May 24 victory over New York. Moore's all-around play was also at a high level in May as she averaged 8.8 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game and led the WNBA in three-point field goals made (19). She scored 20+ points five times and had five games where she knocked down 2+ three-pointers.

Highlights from Moore’s month include:

·         May 16 vs. Washington: Opened up the season with a game-high 34 points on 11-for-21 shooting. Also pulled down nine rebounds and dished out three assists.

·         May 18 vs. Connecticut: Moore posted 33 points and 12 rebounds, including collecting 10 points and a WNBA-record-tying five steals in the fourth quarter to help Minnesota erase a 16-point deficit in the second half to claim a 90-87 win.

·         May 23 at Tulsa: Scored a career-high 38 points, shot 5-for-9 from three-point range, pulled down a season-high 13 rebounds, dished out two assists and registered two steals. She joined Cynthia Cooper, Epiphany Prince and Angel McCoughtry as the only players in league history with three consecutive 30-point games; she became the first of the group whose effort included a pair of double-doubles.

·         May 24 vs. New York: Became the first player in WNBA history to register four straight 30+ point games as she dropped 30 points against the Liberty. She knocked down five three-pointers for the second straight game.

·         May 30 vs. San Antonio: Recorded 26 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two steals in an 88-75 victory.

Now in her fourth WNBA season, Moore ranks first in the WNBA in scoring (27.6 ppg), ninth in rebounding (8.9 rpg), 12th in field goal percentage (51.5%), first in three-pointers made (20), first in free throws made (33), fourth in steals (2.43 spg) and second in minutes (36.3 mpg). Moore and the Lynx are in action next on Friday, June 6 as they visit the Seattle Storm at Key Arena.