Lynx vs. Sun WNBA playoffs: Alyssa Thomas nearly had a triple-double in Connecticut's hard-fought victory

Game 1 of the semifinal series between the Minnesota Lynx and Connecticut Sun was just as physical and low-scoring as everyone expected. The Sun thrive in situations like this and were able to hold on until the end with a 73-70 win and a 1-0 lead.

The old cliché “It’s a running game” was never truer than in the first half of this game. There was a 9-0 Sun win, a 15-0 Lynx surge and a 13-3 Sun response. The end result of all these wild swings was a four-point lead for the road team.

After the break it was exactly the opposite. Neither team could sustain any offense, and the largest lead either team had was five points. That was the Lynx's advantage at the end of the third quarter after Courtney Williams hit a huge three-pointer just before the buzzer.

However, the Lynx were unable to carry that momentum into the fourth frame and actually only managed eight points in the final frame. The Suns weren't particularly good on offense either, but they were better. Alyssa Thomas, not known for her scoring prowess, hit a push shot from the free throw line with 12 seconds left to extend the Sun's lead to three. This proved to be enough, as eventual ownership of the Lynx was a disaster.

Thomas nearly posted another triple-double, but had to settle for 17 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and three steals, while Marina Mabrey added six 3-pointers and 20 points. Despite having a difficult shooting night, DeWanna Bonner made some big plays down the stretch, posting 10 points, 11 rebounds and five assists.

Napheesa Collier led the Lynx's loss with 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals. As a team, the Lynx, who led the league in 3-point shooting during the regular season, made just five of their 20 attempts from behind the arc.