Napheesa Collier had 27 points and 11 rebounds and Courtney Williams scored 24 points while contributing at both ends of the court to lead the Minnesota Lynx past the Connecticut Sun 88-77 and into the WNBA finals for the very first time in 7 years. Kayla McBride sustained a strong start with 10 of her 19 points in the very first quarter for the Lynx, who advanced to deal with the top-seeded New York Liberty in Game 1 on Thursday night. The Lynx, who ended up second in the league and 2 video games behind the Liberty throughout the routine season, have actually won 3 of 4 matches with New York this year. That consists of the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup on 25 June to take the in-season competition title. DiJonai Carrington had 17 points and 12 rebounds and Brionna Jones had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Sun, who shot just 38.5% from the flooring (25 for 65) on Tuesday night, and were flustered into 19 turnovers that the Lynx transformed into 22 points. DeWanna Bonner had 14 points on 4-for-13 shooting for the Sun, who were ousted in the semi-finals for the 4th time in 6 years. They lost in the finals in those other 2 seasons, 2019 and 2022, when Williams became part of the core that still hasn’t cleared that last difficulty to the franchise’s very first title. Williams, who’s in her very first year with Minnesota, was on an objective to make it there from the suggestion. The intense ninth-year point player was the driver on both ends of the flooring, assaulting the basket, pressing the rate on the break and plaguing the Connecticut ball-handlers. Williams had her most points in a championship game considering that 2019 and included 7 helps, 5 rebounds and 2 takes. The Lynx constructed a lead as big as 21 points in the 2nd quarter, 6 more than their most significant of any of the very first 4 video games. They had a slow start to the 2nd half that was silenced by the Sun’s cold shooting, before Alanna Smith swished a three-pointer to end a 4:22 scoreless skid. Williams swiped the ball away from Bonner as she drove to the basket and sped the other method for a layup and a 58-41 lead. Collier drained pipes a three-pointer to cap that 12-0 run. Connecticut got rid of Minnesota here in the definitive Game 3 of the preliminary last season. Given that winning Game 5 of the WNBA finals in 2017 for their 4th champion in 7 years, the Lynx were simply 1-4 in winner-take-all video games in the playoffs. The environment at Target Center matched the minute, with a raucous crowd that consisted of previous Lynx star and Hall of Fame member Lindsay Whalen and Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones. Collier, who balanced 40 points in the two-game sweep of the Phoenix Mercury in the preliminary and had 29 points and 13 rebounds at Connecticut in Game 4, was her typical cool self with the self-confidence and decision of a star chasing her very first champion. Alyssa Thomas had a peaceful 7 points and 6 helps for the Sun, who tracked by double digits for all however 12 seconds of the last 3 quarters. Marina Mabrey, who came off the bench for the 2nd straight video game, harmed her leg in the very first half from an uncomfortable action on the standard and played 14 minutes.
Sun down as Lynx established WNBA finals date with New York Liberty
