The Connecticut Sun rallied back to defeat the Minnesota Lynx, 92-82. With the victory, the Sun and Lynx will meet for Game 5 tonight.
It's do or die for the Connecticut Sun and the Minnesota Lynx. With a come from behind 92-82 victory, the Connecticut Sun are still alive, at least for now. Winner of tonight's game will advance to play the New York Liberty in the 2024 WNBA Finals.
"We have to go home and defend our home court, said Lynx stat Naphessa Collier post-game three. "We're both playing for our lives, so we have to play with that level of intensity."
When halftime arrived, the Lynx commanded a 50-43 lead, and game three was looking very much in their favor. Carried by WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, Napheesa Collier led the first half with 14 first-half points on 5-7 field goal shooting. Recording a double-double in the first half, Collier looked dominant and unstoppable.
Primarily guarded by Alyssa Thomas, it's been a physical, intense matchup in the playoffs. Thomas, recently named WNBA All-Defensive Second-Team, kept Collier primarily in check early on in the series. Holding Collier to less than 30 percent from the field was monumental, as games one and two were defensive, low-scoring affairs.
The Sun kept their poise through it all
Heading into game 4, the Sun and Lynx were all smiles pre-game. The Sun completed their team drills, with each team performing separate game rituals. That included long-range and mid-range shots and pick-and-roll drills. From two hours prior to the game until the end. There was zero panic, at least from what I observed from the Sun's bench. A veteran team that's been in this spot before, this team showed nothing but professionalism and poise.
Following the victory, Sun head coach Stephanie White had nothing but praise for her team. With that said, Connecticut knows what's ahead. After all, this is a team that's made six straight semi-final appearances. Two years removed from 2022 Finals, they are just one win away from heading back there.
"I'm proud of our team," coach White stated post game. "We bounced back, our backs were against the wall. Our second half effort defensively was outstanding. That's what it's got to be all the time."
This game was different for Sun star DeWanna Bonner, whose daughter was in attendance for the first time. Bonner, 37, has two twin daughters, Cali and Demi. With that said, she had some insight to why the Sun never panicked, despite trailing 15 points at a time.
"I don't feel like we felt that bad at halftime," said Bonner post-game. "I feel like we were playing really hard, and they were getting a lot of shots and threes."
Connecticut pulled out a gutsy come from behind victory
The Sun take a 59-57 lead with the bucket by DiJonai Carrington, who’s up to 13 points#wnba pic.twitter.com/4l0PCqrnLI
— Sara Jane Gamelli (@SaraJGamelli) October 6, 2024
Knowing there were 20 minutes of gameplay left, Bonner admitted no one in the locker room "was ready to go their separate ways." This is a unit that's stuck together and has played together for years. Admitting freaking out before the game can "psyche you out," Bonner stated, "It's basketball at the end of the buzzer, win or lose."
It's been a different story for games three and four, as Collier has found her way in the matchup against Thomas. Coming off a 26-point, 11-rebound performance in game three, Collier showed no signs of slowing down. On Sunday, the former UConn Husky was crisp from the outside, fluid in the paint, and hit the tough shots. As for Connecticut, DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas were limited to a combined nine points at the half.
Then, there was a dynamic shift in the Sun's energy. Amid the third quarter, the Sun's defense looked alive and electric as it's been all season. Limiting the Lynx to 13 third-quarter points, it was Bonner who took on the challenge of guarding Collier. Part of the energy shift was due to Ty Harris appearance back in the starting lineup. Excellent in controlling the pace and hitting big-time shots, Harris was a key part to the Sun's victory.
Having missed game one against the Lynx, Harris played the most minutes, with 30, of the entire playoffs. Finishing with a team-high 20 points, the former Gamecock shot 7-11 and 4-5 from deep. In transition and off-turnovers, Harris was unbelievable. With the crowd as loud as it's ever been at Mohegan Sun Arena, Harris sealed the deal with a three-pointer, putting the Sun up by ten in the fourth.
With Cheryl Reeve admitting the team "didn't guard Harris," Reeve also stated the obvious. The Lynx unequivocally lacked in defense, and that was on full display through the second half of the matchup.
Never doubt Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner
Alyssa Thomas really knows how to get a crowd going! pic.twitter.com/hiHVzAomZF
— Sara Jane Gamelli (@SaraJGamelli) October 6, 2024
Along with Harris raining back-to-back threes, DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas accounted for 27 combined second half points. In an offensive masterclass, Bonner finished the matchup with 18 points, on 8-12 field goal shooting. In addition, the Auburn alum added eight rebounds, four assists, four steals, and one blocks. As for Thomas, the "engine" broke lose for another double-double, 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 11 assists.
Whether it was a coincidence or not, both Bonner and Thomas finished with the same 18 points and eight rebounds. Both a massive part of the Sun's comeback run, it helped that everyone was involved. While they carry the weight of the team on their shoulders, DiJonai Carrington errupted for 15 points.
Calling Thomas a "stat stuffer," coach White gave nothing but praise to the Sun point forward. Although slow to get going, Thomas was a defensive nightmare for the Lynx. Once the Sun had a few defensive stops, she was unstoppable from coast to coast. A menace on both ends of the court, the Sun will look to rely heavily on Thomas and others in game five.
Speaking of defense, Collier was simply not impressed with her own defense, and the coach Reeve called her squads defense "sub-par." With game five ahead tonight, Collier gave some insight on how her team can advance to the WNBA Finals.
"I think my defense, I wasn't super happy with it tonight", said Collier post game. "You know you need to score points, but you can't be giving up points on the other end too. "
The Lynx and Sun are the top two defenses in the WNBA
Boasting the second best defense in the WNBA, the Lynx trailed Connecticut for the top spot, limiting opponents to 75.6 points per game. Having one of the strongest front courts, including Alanna Smith and Collier, the Lynx are an elite team, which Collier hasn't forgotten.
"I think we have to get back to what got us in this position in the first place, which is our defense," said Collier. "As coach said, we're not happy with how we came out the first two games. Our offense was able to lift us up last game. When that's not working, we have to rely on our defense. "
Ice cold in game three, Marina Mabrey seemed to get her shooting form back somewhat. Veronica Burton may not have the stats you would expect. However, Burton was a disruption on the defensive end, and saw some decent looks at the charity stripe. Overall, in the 92-82 game 4 victory, the Sun shot an improbable 53.7 percent from the field, and 53.3 percent from downtown. Scoring 77 points through three quarters, it was also their defense which led them to victory.
The Sun's second half defense was the x-factor
The defense played between the Sun and Lynx is unreal right now pic.twitter.com/LOFCLAvADg
— Sara Jane Gamelli (@SaraJGamelli) October 6, 2024
Finishing with 29 points, the Sun managed to contain Collier by placing Bonner on her defensively. Disrupting Collier's flow through steals and blocks, the Sun were able to capitalize on the fast break points. Although Bonner was much more efficient vs Collier on the defensive end, the Lynx guard managed to score 15 points in the second half.
As it started with defense, the Sun held the Lynx to just 10-29 from the floor, and 1-12 from three-point range in the second half. Forcing six second half turnovers, the Sun carried all of the momentum and energy right until the end.
Aside from Collier, Natisha Hiedeman added a 16 point spark off the bench for Minnesota, which included an incredible half-court shot to beat the buzzer at halftime. Deemed nearly unstoppable, Hiedeman was held to just four second half points. In addition to Courtney Williams 11 points, Collier made up nearly 35 percent of the offense.
Dominating on the second chance points, paint points, and rebounds, the Connecticut Sun will get another chance to defeat the Minnesota Lynx tonight in a sudden death game five. While Connecticut are the underdogs heading into the matchup, coach White admitted "the job's not finished." Although Connecticut was fluid in ball movement and spacing, they have their biggest challenge ahead.
"We've got to come back, and we got to be able to be even better. They're [Lynx] going to make adjustments," said White.
Even 2-2 a piece, the Lynx will host the Sun tonight, with tip-off set for 8 p.m. ET. While the Lynx are looking for their first WNBA Championship since 2017, the Sun have yet to bring a trophy to Connecticut. In an anticipated close battle, only one team will survive.
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Sara Jane Gamelli is a full-time Sportswriter, Content Creator and Social Media Manager for Ballislife Bets. She has a focus on the Women's Basketball and the NBA. Sara Jane currently resides in Connecticut/NYC area with her Cat and Dog. SJ has her undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut in Economics, with a minor in business administration.
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