It wasn’t always easy, but Alanna Smith pushed through a back injury and made a big impact late in the game on Friday night as the Minnesota Lynx tied the WNBA Finals by defeating the New York Liberty.
Smith, who is a 6-foot-4 center for Minnesota, took a hard fall on her back during the Lynx’s Game 3 loss on Wednesday. She returned to play but clearly looked in pain, and her availability for Friday’s Game 4 was uncertain.
However, when the starting lineups were announced, Smith was in her usual spot, just like in 39 of Minnesota’s 40 regular-season games this year.
The beginning of the game was tough for her. Smith missed three layups in the first quarter and seemed unsure when facing New York’s Jonquel Jones and Nyara Sabally.
But she ended up playing 30 minutes—more than her regular-season average of 26.5—and her determination paid off with 12 points, seven rebounds, two steals, and one blocked shot.
Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said this is what the team expected from Smith, who was named to the WNBA’s all-defensive second team this year.
“All season long (Smith has) been in those positions for us, and we just appreciate her ability to turn around and buck up and do what her team needed her to do,” Reeve said. “It’s important for her to be on the floor for us.”
After Minnesota led by one at halftime, Smith started the second half with a 3-pointer on Minnesota’s first possession. She added another corner 3 that helped the Lynx tie the game after they fell behind by six midway through the third quarter.
Smith made another important basket when Courtney Williams passed to her for an open layup, giving Minnesota a 74-72 lead. She was also a key part of a strong defense that challenged New York stars Breanna Stewart (5 for 21 shooting, 0 for 4 on 3-pointers) and Sabrina Ionescu (5 for 15 shooting, 0 for 5 beyond the arc).
“She’s battling against (Jones) constantly, and JJ’s not an easy task for anybody. And she’s a little bit undersized and she battles, makes things as difficult as possible,” said Lynx forward Bridget Carleton, whose two free throws with 2 seconds left broke an 80-80 tie.
