The Minnesota Lynx have been the WNBA’s model of both consistency and greatness this century.

Minnesota has won four of the previous eight WNBA titles, led by its core of Seimone Augustus, Rebekkah Brunson, Maya Moore and Lindsay Whalen.

None of those four have played this season due to either injury, sabbatical, or retirement. All but three players are new.

The league-leading Connecticut Sun get to play the new-look Lynx for the first time on Friday at the Target Center in Minneapolis (8 p.m., NESN Plus).

Whalen, who began her career with the Sun, retired after last season and returned to the University of Minnesota to become its women’s basketball coach. She led them to their only Final Four in 2004.

Moore, the former UConn great, opted to take this season off.

Brunson has been dealing with post-concussion symptoms since last season. Augustus is out indefinitely after arthroscopic surgery on her right knee on May 30.

Olympian center Sylvia Fowles is the only starter left from last season for the Lynx (4-3). Fowles, who helped them win world titles in 2015 and ’17, has averaged a team-high 14.9 points and 10 rebounds this year.

Starting point guard Danielle Robinson (8.4 ppg) is one of the few holdovers left as head coach and general manager Cheryl Reeve restocked the roster.

Guards Odyssey Sims (11.9 ppg, 5 apg, 4 rpg, 1.4 spg) and Lexie Brown (10.7 ppg) where acquired via trades with Los Angeles and Connecticut, respectively. The Lynx signed free agent post Damiris Dantas (9.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg). They also had the good fortune of having UConn forward Napheesa Collier (11.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg) drop to them at No. 6 in April’s draft.

The Sun (6-1) continue an odd schedule where they alternate playing home and away. They played home against Los Angeles on June 9, went to Atlanta on Sunday, returned home to play Washington on Tuesday, and left again for Minnesota.

Connecticut hosts the defending world champion Seattle Storm on Sunday (3:30 p.m.) for its annual Burn It Down game.

The Sun described Burn It Down as “a celebration showing the next generation of young girls that there are no boundaries” and celebrate women who are “‘burning down’ stereotypes through their careers or their personal lives.”

Elected female officials from all areas of Connecticut government and the Mohegan Tribe will be in attendance and honored at the game.

Rosa DeLauro, the U.S. Representative from Connecticut’s 3rd district and Jahana Hayes, the U.S. Representative from Connecticut’s 5th district, will each receive the Margo Dydek Award in absentia.

The Margo Dydek Award, named after the former Sun center, is given to an outstanding woman who has distinguished themselves while positively impacting the local community.

Grace Kelly will perform the national anthem. The 6-year-old singer, saxophonist and songwriter/composer has been featured in Vanity Fair.

The first 3,000 fans will receive a special Burn It Down t-shirt.

n.griffen@theday.com