WNBA Playoffs: Lynx find their identity and get a win out of the Finals

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Cheryl Reeve sees no similarities between her Minnesota Lynx and the Connecticut Sun.

“We are very, very different,” she said. “We are similar in terms of the results of the games, the results and the proximity to each other. And we’re close, but we couldn’t be more different.”

The Lynx like to spread the floor and find shooters, while the Suns, Reeve said, rely more on physicality.

But whether she sees it or not, there are a few things that connect the two teams.

They've both been written off – Connecticut was the forgotten contender in Uncasville for years, and Minnesota was picked as the ninth-ranked team in the preseason this year.

Neither team was afraid to make a big change late in the season. The Suns traded Marina Mabrey to bring shooting to Connecticut and the Lynx acquired Myisha Hines-Allen to bolster their post presence. No other team made a major midseason trade.

They are both defensive-minded teams and rank 1st and 2nd in defensive rating. Both limit possession and use grit and intensity – even when it's ugly – to win basketball games.

And on Friday it was ugly in places. Like from the 3-point line, where the teams combined made just 22% of their attempts. But it was also pretty in places. Like the Lynx's play inside the arc, where they made 65% of their attempts.

The result was also pleasing for Minnesota, as it secured a 90-81 victory on Friday night to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five semifinal series.

“We recognized different matchups, our passing game was good and we recognized when to throw it [inside] and when not,” Reeve said. “I think there were times in the first two games where we were under pressure and still tried to create something.”

On Friday, Reeve said her players took what came at them instead of trying to force shots.

“This group will always bounce back,” Reeve said. “They know how to solve problems. They always work things out together.”

On the other hand, in New York and Las Vegas, it's about high-profile offensives. This series is about the essentials.

And when it comes to defense, Reeve has the same thoughts on both teams.

“It’s hard to play against us,” she said. “I think both teams would like to get some easier stuff. The game is a little more fun when a lot of balls go through the basket, but neither team will allow that.”

Both teams had their shooting problems. In Game 1, it was the Lynx who struggled, making only 25% of their shots from long range. In Game 2, the Suns shot 36.4% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc. In both games, the team that shot better from the 3-point line won.

It was similar in Game 3. Aimed shots from long distances were difficult to obtain. The teams combined to make just eight 3-point shots.

This time the game was won inside the arc.

The Lynx found a way to be efficient in a physical contest and secured a win despite taking 12 fewer shots than the Sun.

“They could do pretty much anything they wanted on offense,” Sun coach Stephanie White said.

Napheesa Collier led the Lynx with 26 points and bounced back from a difficult Game 2 by finishing with nine points. Minnesota established Collier early, scoring eight goals in the first quarter.

Every time the Sun went on a run and extended the double-digit lead that Minnesota held for most of the game, it was Collier who took the momentum away from them. With 2:43 minutes left in the game, Connecticut made one last attempt, cutting the lead to eight with two free throws from DeWanna Bonner. But the bid was immediately cut short when Collier swung one of her trademark turnaround jumpers on the next possession.

“These are just normal shots that I normally take,” Collier said. “Obviously I knew I had to be aggressive in crunch time, especially in the paint with one-on-one coverage.”

Collier led the team in scoring, but it was Courtney Williams who led the attack. Their ability to get to the rim and finish opened up opportunities for the rest of the Lynx.

Williams is known for her midfield play and she has hit some shots from outside the key, but on Friday she made it her goal to get to the rim. She finished the game with 16 points and eight assists.

“Phee was great tonight,” Reeve said. “But Courtney Williams, her piece, she did that for us.”

The Lynx will try to close out the series on Sunday in Connecticut. Game 5, if necessary, will be played in Minnesota.