Marina Mabrey’s six 3s lift Sun to 73-70 win over Lynx in Game 1 of WNBA playoffs semifinal

Marina Mabrey contributed 20 points, while Alyssa Thomas recorded 17 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists, leading the Connecticut Sun to a 73-70 victory over the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday evening in the opening game of their semifinal series.

DiJonai Carrington added 13 points, and DeWanna Bonner provided 10 points along with 11 rebounds for the Sun.

Napheesa Collier, who had an impressive average of 40 points in the first round of the playoffs, was the top scorer for Minnesota with 19 points and nine rebounds. Bridget Carleton contributed 17 points, and Kayla McBride added 12 points to the Lynx's efforts.

The second game of the best-of-five series is scheduled for Tuesday in Minneapolis.

“It’s a long series for a reason. We have all the faith in the world that we’ll perform better on Tuesday night and hopefully come out with a win,” Carleton stated.

In their first-round sweep against Phoenix, the Lynx demonstrated strong shooting, achieving 50% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc, surpassing 100 points in both contests.

However, the scenario changed against the Sun, who boasted the league's most formidable defense this season. Minnesota managed only 41.5% shooting from the field and converted 5 of 20 attempts from three-point range. In the fourth quarter, the Lynx struggled significantly, shooting 4 for 18 from the field and scoring a mere eight points.

Our group is defined by its commitment to defense, as emphasized by Sun coach Stephanie White. "This is a team and a franchise that prides itself on defensive prowess," she stated. "We needed to be disruptive and force our opponents into challenging shots."

Mabrey initiated the fourth quarter with her sixth three-pointer of the evening, followed by Carrington's putback that leveled the score at 62 with seven minutes remaining. Bonner then made a three-pointer from the corner and added a layup in transition after blocking a shot from Collier, allowing the Sun to take a three-point lead.

After the Lynx went over three minutes without scoring, Collier's driving layup narrowed the Sun's advantage to 71-70 with just 33.9 seconds left on the clock.

Nevertheless, Thomas successfully made a 15-foot jumper with 11.7 seconds remaining, and following a chaotic final possession, Collier's last-ditch three-pointer fell short.

"We had a few options, but they weren't necessarily for Collier," remarked Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve. "The plays we intended to execute were unavailable, so we were simply searching for a three-pointer."

The Sun emerged victorious in two of their three encounters with the Lynx this season—one in overtime and the other by a five-point margin—while the Lynx secured a two-point win on September 17, thanks to Carleton's long-range shot.

"This series has been physical throughout the season. Every game has been tightly contested in the fourth quarter, and we anticipated nothing less," Thomas noted. "We are among the top defensive teams for a reason."

Entering the third quarter down by four, the Lynx quickly erased the deficit as McBride hit a three-pointer followed by a long jumper on consecutive possessions. With the score tied at 57 in the final minute of the quarter, Myisha Hines-Allen scored on a baseline drive, and after a defensive stop, Williams made a three-pointer to give Minnesota a 62-57 lead heading into the final quarter.

Connecticut established a 23-14 lead late in the first quarter, fueled by a 9-0 run. Carrington ignited this surge by converting a turnover into a breakaway layup and following it up with a corner three on the next possession.

In the second quarter, Minnesota made a significant comeback, highlighted by Williams' steal and subsequent fast-break assist to McBride, which ignited a 15-0 run, allowing the Lynx to take a 35-29 advantage. During this four-minute period, Carleton contributed two three-pointers, and Alanna Smith completed a three-point play, before Mabrey halted the momentum with a three-pointer from the wing.

Mabrey's shot initiated a 13-2 run, culminating in another three-pointer from her, as the Sun secured a 42-38 lead at halftime.