‘Maybe punting on this one…’ – ESPN’s Monica McNutt refuses to give Fever credit for win over Lynx

ESPN analyst Monica McNutt has stirred controversy among fans by attributing the Minnesota Lynx's poor performance to the team itself, rather than crediting the Indiana Fever for their strong showing. Despite the Fever securing a 96-77 victory over the league-leading Lynx, this win may prevent them from making the cut for the top half of the 2026 WNBA Playoffs bracket.

The analysis from Monica McNutt, however, squarely placed the blame on the Lynx for a lack of effort, describing them as "punting" the game. With the Lynx falling behind 23 points at halftime and benching four starters for the remainder of the match, McNutt criticized the team for not giving the Fever the credit they deserved for forcing the situation.

"The Lynx have not helped themselves at all, just flinging the basketball all over the place. This is a team not accustomed to turnovers, but they have 10 in the first half," McNutt said, expressing her dissatisfaction with the Lynx's performance. While Monica McNutt's comments may have been interpreted as biased language, she clearly expressed her disapproval of the Lynx's play rather than dismissing the Fever's victory.

Caitlin Clark led the Fever with 27 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists, while Kelsey Mitchell added 20 points. The fans, however, were not pleased with Monica McNutt's remarks, questioning her professionalism and criticizing her for not recognizing the Fever's exceptional performance.