With their season at stake, Alyssa Thomas and Ty Harris stepped up to help Connecticut force a crucial Game 5.
Thomas scored 18 points, had 11 assists, and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Sun past the Minnesota Lynx 92-82 on Sunday in their semifinal series. This win sets up a winner-take-all fifth game on Tuesday night in Minnesota.
“Both of these franchises have been here before. We have many players on our team who understand what it takes, and tonight’s effort isn’t enough,” said Connecticut coach Stephanie White.
“We expect them to make changes. We’ll adjust as well. It’s about players stepping up, making extra efforts, and finding something inside that helps you come out on top.”
The winner will advance to face the Liberty in the WNBA Finals, which start Thursday in New York. Earlier this season, the Lynx and the Liberty competed for a championship, with Minnesota winning the Commissioner’s Cup.
Harris returned to the starting lineup for the first time since injuring her ankle in Game 1 against Indiana. She led the Sun with 20 points, as they aim to reach the Finals for the third time in six seasons, still seeking their first WNBA championship.
White informed Harris about her starting role during the morning shootaround. After playing only seven minutes in Games 2 and 3, she was able to contribute for 30 minutes on Sunday.
“Stay composed, be poised, and be ready when your number is called,” said Harris, who didn’t score in her limited time during Games 2 and 3.
Napheesa Collier did everything she could to help Minnesota win, ending the game with 29 points and 13 rebounds.
“We’re not happy with how we played in the last two games. Our offense helped us win last time, but if that’s not working, we need to depend on our defense,” Collier said. “Our defense hasn’t been good the last two games, so we need to go home and protect our court. We’re both fighting for our season, so we have to play with that kind of intensity.”
Minnesota is aiming to reach the Finals for the first time since 2017, when they won their fourth championship in seven years.
The Sun came back from a seven-point deficit at halftime thanks to Thomas and Harris. The game was tied at 61 before the Sun scored seven of the last nine points in the third quarter, leading 68-63 going into the fourth.
Harris made a 3-pointer with 5:48 left, pushing the lead to 10 points and ending any chance the Lynx had to win the series on Sunday. Minnesota could only get within eight points for the rest of the game.
“Typical AT, she’s a stat stuffer who steps up in big moments,” White said. “We put the ball in her hands a lot; she made plays for herself and for others. We rely on her a lot on both ends of the floor. We got a lot from her and will continue to need contributions from everyone as we move forward.”
Collier helped the Lynx take a seven-point lead after the first quarter, and they were up 47-41 when DiJonai Carrington stole the ball from Natisha Hiedeman and scored.
Hiedeman responded by hitting a 3-pointer from just inside halfcourt right before the buzzer, giving the Lynx a 50-43 lead at halftime. Collier scored 14 points in the first half, while Hiedeman added 12 against her former team.
