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Bridget Carleton · Taking a spot along the background during the Commissioner’s Cup ceremony, Bridget Carleton — sporting her usual smile and unselfish aura — disagreed playfully when her All-Star teammate suggested that the game’s Most Valuable Player award should’ve gone to the Canadian sharpshooter. Even amidst the debate, Carleton and the Minnesota Lynx left one notion undisputed during June 25, 2024’s win: from player of the game picks to pull-up jumpers, wrong answers and inaccuracies simply weren’t a part of their DNA on this night. Ahead by eight on the scoreboard and one crunchtime bucket away from pairing perhaps her WNBA career’s greatest performance with a trophy-hoisting milestone win, the veteran sniper loads up from the right 3-point corner, arcing a quick dagger over Jonquel Jones’ contest to all-but-confirm victory with under two minutes remaining. Shining as brightly as any on a stage alongside All-Stars and upper-echelon greats, Carleton proved extraordinary on both ends, erupting for 23 points (on 8-of-10 shooting), four rebounds, five assists, three steals, and six 3-pointers. · State of Mint