Lynx top Sun 77-70 in Game 2 to even WNBA semifinals behind Collier's supporting cast
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Courtney Williams scored 17 points and Alanna Smith had 15 points to help the Lynx offset an off night for star Napheesa Collier and beat the Connecticut Sun 77-70 to even the best-of-five WNBA semifinal series at one game apiece on Tuesday.
Collier, who scored 80 points in the two-game sweep of Phoenix in the first round, was held to nine points on 3-for-14 shooting. She led the Lynx with 12 rebounds and five assists, content to let her supporting cast lead the charge past a feisty opponent.
“We’ve got to match their energy. First game, they was chirping and chatting so you have to give it back to ’em,” Williams said. “Playoff basketball, man.”
Alyssa Thomas had 18 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for the Sun, who shot just 5 for 20 from 3-point range. DeWanna Bonner scored 17 points and Marina Mabrey added 15 points on 4-for-14 shooting after she had 20 points in the opener.
“We weren’t happy with how we approached the first game. I think we played OK, enough to only lose by 3. We knew that we had to take it to another level and we had to have each other’s backs,” said Smith, who played with Williams for Chicago last year.
Connecticut will host Game 3 on Friday and Game 4 on Sunday. Then Game 5, if necessary, would be in Minnesota on Oct. 8. New York leads defending champion Las Vegas 2-0 in the other semifinal series.
The Lynx never lost consecutive home games this season on their way to a 30-10 record for the No. 2 seed in the playoffs, and their 73-70 defeat in Game 1 clearly fueled a fierce follow-up in this persistently physical matchup that resembled football at times more than hoops.
Myisha Hines-Allen hit an off-balance bank shot from the corner to beat the halftime buzzer, giving the Lynx a 36-30 lead and some extra energy to take into the break.
“They were the aggressor tonight. They were aggressive on the defensive end. They were physical. They wouldn't let us get into our offense. They responded to every run, ” Sun coach Stephanie White said.
Smith, the shot-blocking specialist who is on her fourth team in four seasons, has revitalized her career in Minnesota under coach Cheryl Reeve two years after being released by Indiana. She swished a 3-pointer early in the third quarter for a 41-30 lead that triggered a Connecticut timeout.
Williams had 11 points in the third for half of her team’s output, helping tilt the frustration more toward the Sun in the second half after the Lynx had their flustered moments earlier. Reeve won four WNBA titles with a legendary group that's all gone. This is the first true playoff test for the current core.
“I believe to be successful you do have to experience adversity. You have to get through the adversity, go through it, go through the lumps, bumps, all of that to get through the promised land,” Reeve said. “That’s the only way. If it was easy everybody would be doing it.”
The two best defensive teams in the regular season - the Sun allowed an average of 73.6 points per game, the Lynx 75.6 - were on full display in a meat grinder of a first quarter in which the first 14 shots misfired and each side had two turnovers in less than four minutes.
Collier saw constant double-teams and started 1 for 6. The Sun did their best to not only deny the four-time All-Star her favorite spots on the floor but get under her skin, too. Mabrey applied some extra force at one point when she and Collier were scrapping for a loose ball near the paint, prompting a stare down between the two stars.
“It’s playoffs, so it’s going to be physical, it’s going to be dicey moments. It’s win or go home,” Bonner said. “Everybody wants it, so emotions are high. It’s just two competitive teams going after it.”
Later in the second quarter, Kayla McBride extended her forearm into Mabrey’s neck as she took a fast break to the basket. McBride was given a technical foul after the two former Notre Dame stars - they missed each other by two years - exchanged words and a bump on the way back.
McBride had 11 points for the Lynx to help lead them back from a 2-for-15 start from the field, even with Collier never finding a rhythm.
“We got into our switches. We tried to make catches difficult. We tried to make shots difficult. But certainly they showed as a team why they’ve been successful. They’re so balanced,” White said. “Yes, we were able to limit Phee, but they got off on the 3-point line and that’s something we have to remedy. We’ve got to keep them off the offensive glass.”
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
10:00 | Start of the 1st Quarter | |||
10:00 | Jump Ball: Brionna Jones vs. Napheesa Collier. | |||
9:44 | Napheesa Collier misses a jump shot from 17 feet out. | |||
9:44 | Alyssa Thomas with a defensive rebound. | |||
9:19 | Alyssa Thomas misses a jump shot from 12 feet out. | |||
9:19 | Marina Mabrey with an offensive rebound. | |||
9:14 | DiJonai Carrington with a turnover - Bad Pass | |||
8:55 | Napheesa Collier misses a jump shot from 14 feet out. | |||
8:55 | Alanna Smith with an offensive rebound. | |||
8:49 | Courtney Williams misses a jump shot from 18 feet out. | |||
8:49 | Bridget Carleton with an offensive rebound. | |||
9:14 | DiJonai Carrington with a turnover - Bad Pass | |||
8:37 | Alyssa Thomas steals the ball from Napheesa Collier. | |||
8:31 | Napheesa Collier blocks a DiJonai Carrington layup. | |||
8:31 | Alyssa Thomas with an offensive rebound. | |||
8:26 | DiJonai Carrington misses a jump shot from 8 feet out. | |||
8:26 | Alyssa Thomas with an offensive rebound. | |||
8:24 | Shooting foul committed by Courtney Williams. | |||
8:24 | +1 | Alyssa Thomas makes free throw 1 of 2. | 1-0 | |
8:24 | +1 | Alyssa Thomas makes free throw 2 of 2. | 2-0 | |
8:12 | Kayla McBride misses a jump shot from 22 feet out. | |||
8:12 | Alanna Smith with an offensive rebound. | |||
8:04 | Alanna Smith misses a 3-point jump shot from 26 feet out. | |||
8:04 | DiJonai Carrington with a defensive rebound. | |||
8:37 | Alyssa Thomas steals the ball from Napheesa Collier. | |||
7:58 | Napheesa Collier with a defensive rebound. | |||
7:39 | DeWanna Bonner steals the ball from Courtney Williams. | |||
8:31 | Napheesa Collier blocks a DiJonai Carrington layup. | |||
7:19 | Kayla McBride misses a 3-point jump shot from 23 feet out. | |||
7:19 | Napheesa Collier with an offensive rebound. | |||
7:06 | Marina Mabrey blocks a Napheesa Collier layup. | |||
7:06 | Marina Mabrey with a defensive rebound. | |||
8:26 | DiJonai Carrington misses a jump shot from 8 feet out. | |||
6:51 | DeWanna Bonner with a defensive rebound. | |||
6:51 | Alanna Smith blocks a Brionna Jones layup. | |||
6:51 | Courtney Williams with a defensive rebound. | |||
8:26 | Alyssa Thomas with an offensive rebound. | |||
6:31 | Courtney Williams with a defensive rebound. | |||
6:26 | +2 | Courtney Williams makes a layup. | 2-2 | |
6:01 | Brionna Jones misses a jump shot from 17 feet out. | |||
6:01 | Napheesa Collier with a defensive rebound. | |||
5:46 | +3 | Napheesa Collier makes a 3-point jump shot from 28 feet out. Courtney Williams with the assist. | 2-5 | |
5:30 | Shooting foul committed by Bridget Carleton. | |||
5:30 | +1 | Marina Mabrey makes free throw 1 of 2. | 3-5 | |
5:30 | +1 | Marina Mabrey makes free throw 2 of 2. | 4-5 | |
5:14 | Alanna Smith misses a layup. | |||
5:14 | Brionna Jones with a defensive rebound. | |||
5:04 | Marina Mabrey misses a layup. | |||
5:04 | Sun with an offensive rebound. | |||
4:57 | Official TV timeout. | |||
4:57 | Substitution: Veronica Burton in for DeWanna Bonner. | |||
4:49 | +2 | Brionna Jones makes a jump shot from 3 feet out. Marina Mabrey with the assist. | 6-5 | |
4:30 | Courtney Williams misses a jump shot from 15 feet out. | |||
4:30 | Veronica Burton with a defensive rebound. | |||
4:14 | Marina Mabrey misses a 3-point jump shot from 31 feet out. | |||
4:14 | Bridget Carleton with a defensive rebound. | |||
4:04 | Napheesa Collier misses a 3-point jump shot from 27 feet out. | |||
4:04 | DiJonai Carrington with a defensive rebound. | |||
3:41 | +2 | Alyssa Thomas makes a jump shot from 7 feet out. Veronica Burton with the assist. | 8-5 | |
3:15 | Bridget Carleton misses a 3-point jump shot from 32 feet out. | |||
3:15 | Sun with a defensive rebound. | |||
3:00 | Courtney Williams steals the ball from Marina Mabrey. | |||
2:37 | Courtney Williams misses a jump shot from 15 feet out. | |||
2:37 | Alyssa Thomas with a defensive rebound. | |||
2:21 | Kayla McBride steals the ball from DiJonai Carrington. | |||
6:51 | DeWanna Bonner with a defensive rebound. | |||
1:45 | Marina Mabrey misses a jump shot from 23 feet out. | |||
1:45 | Sun with an offensive rebound. | |||
1:45 | Sun with a turnover: Shot Clock Turnover | |||
1:45 | Substitution: Tyasha Harris in for DiJonai Carrington. | |||
1:45 | Substitution: DeWanna Bonner in for Brionna Jones. | |||
1:45 | Substitution: Natisha Hiedeman in for Courtney Williams. | |||
1:36 | DeWanna Bonner steals the ball from Natisha Hiedeman. | |||
1:32 | +2 | DeWanna Bonner makes a layup. | 10-8 | |
1:12 | Napheesa Collier misses a jump shot from 12 feet out. | |||
1:12 | DeWanna Bonner with a defensive rebound. | |||
48.8 | Alyssa Thomas misses a jump shot from 18 feet out. | |||
48.8 | Alanna Smith with a defensive rebound. | |||
43.2 | Kayla McBride misses a 3-point jump shot from 28 feet out. | |||
43.2 | Alanna Smith with an offensive rebound. | |||
40.2 | +2 | Alanna Smith makes a layup. | 10-10 | |
16.0 | Sun with a turnover: Shot Clock Turnover | |||
16.0 | Substitution: Cecilia Zandalasini in for Kayla McBride. | |||
03.0 | +2 | Napheesa Collier makes a jump shot from 8 feet out. | 10-12 | |
0.0 | Alyssa Thomas misses a 3-point jump shot from 35 feet out. | |||
0.0 | Sun with an offensive rebound. | |||
0.0 | End of the 1st Quarter | |||
1:45 | Substitution: Natisha Hiedeman in for Courtney Williams. |
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
10:00 | Start of the 2nd Quarter | |||
9:39 | +3 | Marina Mabrey makes a 3-point jump shot from 28 feet out. Alyssa Thomas with the assist. | 13-12 | |
9:20 | +2 | Natisha Hiedeman makes a layup. Alanna Smith with the assist. | 13-14 | |
9:02 | Tyasha Harris misses a 3-point jump shot from 24 feet out. | |||
9:02 | Cecilia Zandalasini with a defensive rebound. | |||
8:45 | Shooting foul committed by Marina Mabrey. | |||
8:45 | +1 | Bridget Carleton makes free throw 1 of 2. | 13-15 | |
8:45 | +1 | Bridget Carleton makes free throw 2 of 2. | 13-16 | |
8:37 | +2 | Alyssa Thomas makes a layup. | 15-16 | |
8:19 | Substitution: Myisha Hines-Allen in for Alanna Smith. | |||
8:11 | +2 | Bridget Carleton makes a jump shot from 14 feet out. Myisha Hines-Allen with the assist. | 15-18 | |
7:54 | DeWanna Bonner misses a jump shot from 18 feet out. | |||
7:54 | Napheesa Collier with a defensive rebound. | |||
7:40 | +2 | Myisha Hines-Allen makes a layup. Napheesa Collier with the assist. | 15-20 | |
7:22 | Alyssa Thomas misses a jump shot from 14 feet out. | |||
7:22 | Alyssa Thomas with an offensive rebound. | |||
7:09 | +3 | Marina Mabrey makes a 3-point jump shot from 27 feet out. | 18-20 | |
6:53 | Offensive foul committed by Bridget Carleton. | |||
6:53 | Bridget Carleton with a turnover | |||
6:53 | Substitution: Olivia Nelson-Ododa in for Marina Mabrey. | |||
6:53 | Substitution: DiJonai Carrington in for Veronica Burton. | |||
6:41 | Olivia Nelson-Ododa misses a layup. | |||
6:41 | Natisha Hiedeman with a defensive rebound. | |||
6:24 | +3 | Bridget Carleton makes a 3-point jump shot from 28 feet out. Natisha Hiedeman with the assist. | 18-23 | |
6:02 | Shooting foul committed by Bridget Carleton. | |||
6:02 | +1 | DeWanna Bonner makes free throw 1 of 2. | 19-23 | |
6:02 | Substitution: Kayla McBride in for Bridget Carleton. | |||
6:02 | +1 | DeWanna Bonner makes free throw 2 of 2. | 20-23 | |
5:47 | Natisha Hiedeman misses a jump shot from 14 feet out. | |||
5:47 | Napheesa Collier with an offensive rebound. | |||
5:42 | +3 | Cecilia Zandalasini makes a 3-point jump shot from 28 feet out. Napheesa Collier with the assist. | 20-26 | |
5:19 | DeWanna Bonner misses a 3-point jump shot from 24 feet out. | |||
5:19 | Olivia Nelson-Ododa with an offensive rebound. | |||
5:14 | +2 | Olivia Nelson-Ododa makes a tip shot from 6 feet out. | 22-26 | |
4:59 | Cecilia Zandalasini misses a 3-point jump shot from 28 feet out. | |||
4:59 | Olivia Nelson-Ododa with a defensive rebound. | |||
4:54 | Lynx take a full timeout. | |||
4:54 | Substitution: Courtney Williams in for Natisha Hiedeman. | |||
4:54 | Substitution: Marina Mabrey in for Tyasha Harris. | |||
4:33 | +2 | Marina Mabrey makes a jump shot from 12 feet out. Alyssa Thomas with the assist. | 24-26 | |
4:16 | Courtney Williams misses a jump shot from 23 feet out. | |||
4:16 | Napheesa Collier with an offensive rebound. | |||
4:11 | Jump Ball: Napheesa Collier vs. Marina Mabrey. | |||
4:03 | Shooting foul committed by DiJonai Carrington. | |||
4:03 | +1 | Kayla McBride makes free throw 1 of 2. | 24-27 | |
4:03 | +1 | Kayla McBride makes free throw 2 of 2. | 24-28 | |
3:40 | DeWanna Bonner misses a jump shot from 18 feet out. | |||
3:40 | Courtney Williams with a defensive rebound. | |||
3:27 | Myisha Hines-Allen misses a layup. | |||
3:27 | Sun with a defensive rebound. | |||
3:26 | Jump Ball: Olivia Nelson-Ododa vs. Napheesa Collier. | |||
3:17 | DiJonai Carrington misses a jump shot from 18 feet out. | |||
3:17 | Napheesa Collier with a defensive rebound. | |||
3:06 | Courtney Williams with a turnover - Bad Pass | |||
2:55 | Personal foul committed by Napheesa Collier. | |||
2:55 | Official's timeout. | |||
2:42 | Marina Mabrey misses a 3-point jump shot from 31 feet out. | |||
2:42 | Sun with an offensive rebound. | |||
2:32 | Kayla McBride steals the ball from Marina Mabrey. | |||
2:28 | +2 | Kayla McBride makes a layup. | 24-30 | |
2:26 | Technical foul committed by Kayla McBride. | |||
2:26 | +1 | Marina Mabrey makes free throw technical. | 25-30 | |
2:09 | DeWanna Bonner misses a layup. | |||
2:09 | Courtney Williams with a defensive rebound. | |||
2:00 | DeWanna Bonner steals the ball from Courtney Williams. | |||
1:47 | +2 | DiJonai Carrington makes a layup. DeWanna Bonner with the assist. | 27-30 | |
1:36 | +2 | Kayla McBride makes a jump shot from 24 feet out. | 27-32 | |
1:21 | DeWanna Bonner misses a 3-point jump shot from 29 feet out. | |||
1:21 | Lynx with a defensive rebound. | |||
1:19 | Substitution: Veronica Burton in for DiJonai Carrington. | |||
1:07 | Shooting foul committed by Olivia Nelson-Ododa. | |||
1:07 | +1 | Cecilia Zandalasini makes free throw 1 of 2. | 27-33 | |
1:07 | +1 | Cecilia Zandalasini makes free throw 2 of 2. | 27-34 | |
48.0 | Veronica Burton misses a jump shot from 22 feet out. | |||
48.0 | Alyssa Thomas with an offensive rebound. | |||
34.2 | +3 | DeWanna Bonner makes a 3-point jump shot from 24 feet out. Alyssa Thomas with the assist. | 30-34 | |
24.3 | Marina Mabrey steals the ball from Cecilia Zandalasini. | |||
19.6 | Marina Mabrey misses a 3-point jump shot from 27 feet out. | |||
19.6 | DeWanna Bonner with an offensive rebound. | |||
13.6 | Napheesa Collier blocks a DeWanna Bonner layup. | |||
13.6 | Lynx with a defensive rebound. | |||
0.0 | +2 | Myisha Hines-Allen makes a jump shot from 18 feet out. Cecilia Zandalasini with the assist. | 30-36 | |
0.0 | End of the 2nd Quarter |