WNBA playoffs: Lynx settle into their identity to move one win from Finals

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Cheryl Reeve doesn’t see the similarities between her Minnesota Lynx and the Connecticut Sun.

“We are very, very different,” she said. “We’re similar in terms of the outcomes of the games, the scores, how close they are. And we are closely matched, but we could not be more different.”

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

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

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

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

They’re both defensive-minded teams, ranking 1 and 2 in defensive rating. Both limit possessions 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 to make just 22% of their attempts. But it was pretty in places as well. Like the Lynx’s play inside the arc, where they made 65% of their attempts.

The result was pretty for Minnesota as well, as it secured a 90-81 victory Friday night and took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five semifinal series.

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

On Friday, Reeve said her players took what came to them, rather than trying to force shots.

“This group is always going to bounce back,” Reeve said. “They know how to problem solve. They always figure things out collectively.”

On the other side of the bracket, with New York and Las Vegas, it’s about high-powered offenses. This series will come down to the nitty gritty.

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

“We are both hard to play against,” she said. “I think both teams would like to get some easier stuff. The game is a little more fun when there are lots of balls going through the hoop, but neither team is going to let that happen.”

Both teams have had their shooting woes. In Game 1, it was the Lynx who struggled, making just 25% of their shots from long range. In Game 2, the Sun 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.

In Game 3, it was more of the same. Made shots from long range were hard to come by. The teams combined to make just eight 3-pointers.

This time, the game was won inside the arc.

The Lynx found a way to be efficient in a physical contest, securing a win despite shooting 12 fewer shots than the Sun.

“They got to do pretty much whatever they wanted on the offensive end,” Sun coach Stephanie White said.

Napheesa Collier led the Lynx in scoring with 26 points, bouncing back from a difficult Game 2, when she finished with nine. Minnesota established Collier early, and she scored eight in the first quarter.

Each time the Sun made a run, chipping into the double-digit lead Minnesota held for most of the game, it was Collier who killed their momentum. With 2:43 left in the game, Connecticut made one final push, cutting the lead to eight on a pair of DeWanna Bonner free throws. But the bid was instantly cut short as Collier swished one of her signature turnaround jumpers on the following possession.

“Those are just normal shots that I usually make,” Collier said. “Of course, in crunch timeI knew I had to be aggressive, especially in the paint with one-on-one coverage.”

Collier led the team in scoring, but it was Courtney Williams who ran the attack. Her ability to get to and finish at the rim created opportunities for the rest of the Lynx.

Williams is known for her play in the midrange, and she finished a few shots from outside the key, but on Friday, she made it a point to get to the rim. She finished with 16 points and eight assists.

“Phee was terrific tonight,” Reeve said. “But Courtney Williams, her play, she did this for us.”

The Lynx will look to close out the series on Sunday in Connecticut. Game 5, if necessary, will take place in Minnesota.