Courtney Williams barely missed a triple-double, and the Minnesota Lynx used a late 12-0 run to take Game 1 of its WNBA semifinal series against the Phoenix Mercury, winning 82-69 in Minneapolis on Sunday.
Williams scored a game-high 23 points while adding eight rebounds, seven assists and five steals. Kayla McBride added 21 points and Napheesa Collier hit for 18 to go along with a game-high nine rebounds.
Kahleah Copper scored 22 points for Phoenix but went just 10-for-23 from the floor. Alyssa Thomas added 18 to go along with eight rebounds and seven assists. Satou Sabally tallied 10 points but made only 3 of 11 shots.
The Mercury trailed 68-67 after Sami Whitcomb drained a 3-pointer with 5:13 left, but Williams started the game-breaking run with a floater on the next trip. McBride and Bridget Carleton pitched in 3-pointers to seal the outcome.
“We’re in the playoffs, bro, you’ve got to feel the energy,” Williams said after the game. “You’ve got to do your best for the team.”
Game 2 of the best-of-5 series is Tuesday night in Minneapolis before the series shifts to Phoenix.
Phoenix made its gameplan abundantly clear in the first quarter, attacking in the lane every chance it had. The Mercury erased an early 16-12 deficit by carving into it a bucket at a time, taking a 24-22 edge to the second quarter on Thomas’ tip-in with 25.4 seconds left.
Ahead 39-38 after Williams drove and scored with 3:39 left in the half, Phoenix rattled off eight straight points – all on layups – to take a 47-40 lead to intermission. It scored a whopping 42 points in the lane in the half, making just one 3-pointer and two foul shots.
Minnesota tightened up defensively in the third quarter, not allowing a point for the first 2:57 and permitting just 12 points in the period. When McBride sank a technical free throw, it led to a 59-59 tie going to the fourth quarter.
–Field Level Media
