Minnesota Lynx beat Phoenix Mercury 103-86 to reach the WNBA Finals
Minnesota Lynx lived up to their reputation as the favourites to lift this year’s WNBA title as they cut short a three game series and sent Phoenix Mercury packing in game-2 of the Western Conference Finals with a 103-86 win on
Sunday here at the US Airways Center.
Six Lynx players reached double figures on the night. Taj McWilliams-Franklin delivered one of her most brutal performances of the postseason, finishing with a season-high 21 points, six rebounds and seven assists in the victory.
Lynx Coach Cheryl Reeve said of McWilliams-Franklin’s brilliant performance, “I think for Taj she is just so smart,” “She plays the angles and knows exactly what is happening. There is not anything she has not seen after all these
years.”
Minnesota’s forward Maya Moore also posted 21 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out five assists. Moore went 7 for 10 from the field, including 6 for 8 from three-point range. Lindsay Whalen had 18 points, seven rebounds
and four assists while Seimone Augustus totalled 16 points and three steals for Lynx.
Rebekkah Brunson chipped in 12 points and nine rebounds while Jessica Adair came off the bench with 10 points.
DeWanna Bonner and Diana Taurasi were the top scorers for the Mercury with 22 points each. Bonner also pulled down 10 rebounds and ended with a 7 for 18 shooting from the field.
“We tried to switch things up, but they always had a pretty good counter for it,” Taurasi said. “They were well-prepared.”
Candice Dupree also recorded a double-double in the loss. Dupree punctuated 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Mercury, who were swept in the Western Conference Finals by Seattle Storm last season.
Minnesota shot 54.2 percent (39 for 72) from the field, including 57.1 percent (8 for 14) from three-point range and 70.8 percent (17 for 24) from free throw line. Phoenix shot only 43.4 percent (33 for 76) from the floor and 92.9
percent (13 for 14) from the line.
Minnesota blitzed Phoenix right from the start and held a 21-14 lead with 02:33 to go in the first quarter. Mercury however tallied the next six points and trimmed their deficit to one, 21-20. Adair then nailed a free throw and
McWilliams-Franklin hit a jumper to push Lynx’s lead to 24-20, heading into the second.
In the second quarter, Mercury edged back from a four-point deficit in the second quarter and went ahead by 45-39 with 46 seconds to in the first half. Whalen responded with four consecutive points in the last 33 seconds of the
quarter though and made it 45-43 at intermission.
Minnesota raised the bar on the defense after the break and held Phoenix to 20 points in the third quarter, converting the halftime deficit into a 70-65 lead. Lynx stretched their lead to ten points, 77-67, early in the fourth
quarter and did trail for rest of the period.
Minnesota have made it to the WNBA finals for the first time in their franchise history and will now play either Atlanta Dream or the Indiana Fever for the WNBA title.
Tags: