Lynx roll into WNBA Finals by beating Sun 88-77 in decisive closeout game

MINNEAPOLIS — Almost two hours before the game Tuesday, Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, basically, made a promise:

This time the defense would be better.

Reeve was better than her word. The Lynx brought defense. They brought offense. They brought toughness, an edge.

They brought a victory.

In a do-or-die Game 5 of the WNBA semifinals, the Lynx beat the Connecticut Sun 88-77, advancing to the WNBA Finals — which begin Thursday night in New York — for the seventh time, and their first since winning their fourth title in 2017.

The Lynx blitzed the Sun in the first quarter, and scored 53 points in the first half while building a 19-point lead. After the Sun scored the first seven points of the third quarter the Lynx responded with 12 straight to go up 24 points.

Again, Napheesa Collier led the way, scoring 27 points with 11 rebounds and three assists, four blocks and a steal, becoming the first player in league playoff history with three consecutive 25-point, 10-rebound games in a row in the playoffs.

She wasn’t alone. Courtney Williams had 24 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Kayla McBride scored 19.

The entire Lynx team held the Sun to 38.5% shooting, scored 22 points off 19 Connecticut turnovers and basically frustrated the heck out a Suns team that was pretty much out of the game with 2:21 left in the third quarter, when Collier hit a three-pointer to put the Lynx up 24.

In a series that had been so tight — the two teams were separated by a total of six points through four games — this performance allowed the crowd to start celebrating early.

(Perhaps a little too early, considering the Sun trimmed Minnesota’s 19-point fourth-quarter lead to 11 late in the game).

DiJonai Carrington led the Sun with 17 points. Brionna Jones had 16 points, and DeWanna Bonner 14.

The Lynx were down 9-4 to start the game when McBride got the team going. She scored 10 points in a 27-9 finish to the quarter that put the Lynx up 31-18. McBride had 10 in that time, including consecutive three-pointers. Williams scored nine in the quarter.

That rush to finish the quarter began with a 10-0 run stat started with a three by Williams, included two treys by McBride and another from Alanna Smith. The Lynx made 12-of-20 shots in the quarter and four-of-seven threes.

Then the Lynx opened the second quarter on a 13-6 run to go up 20 on Collier’s turn-around over Bonner with 3:18 left in the half.

That lead grew to as many 21 on Collier’s three-point play with 44.8 seconds left, and again on Williams’ jumper with 8.7 left before two free throws by Harris made it a 53-34 game at the half. The Lynx hit nine-of-18 shots in the quarter, Connecticut nine-of-23. The 53 points were the most scored against the Sun in the first half of a game this season.

And then the Sun came out and scored the first seven points of the second half with the Lynx offense in a temporary funk.

Finally, 4:22 into the quarter, Smith took a pass from Bridget Carleton and hit a three-pointer. After a Sun miss, Collier hit a baseline turnaround. Then Smith stole the ball and fed a streaking Collier for a basket, a 9-0 run and 21-point lead.

After another Sun turnover Collier hit a three and the lead was 24.

____