Lynx fall to mercury in Overtime, series Now Tied 1-1
MINNEAPOLIS – the Minnesota lynx suffered an 89-83 overtime defeat to the Phoenix Mercury in Game 2 of their WNBA playoff series on Tuesday, evening the best-of-five matchup at 1-1. A strong performance from the Lynx starting lineup wasn’t enough to overcome a resilient Mercury team and a notable bench contribution from Phoenix.
Four Minnesota starters – Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, Crystal Dangerfield, and Rachel Banham – combined for 78 of the Lynx’s 83 points. Collier led the way with 24 points and six rebounds, while McBride added 21 points, shooting 4-for-8 from three-point range. Dangerfield and Banham also scored in double figures. However, the Lynx received limited support from their reserves, with Bridget Carleton contributing just two points and Jessica Shepard adding three points and seven rebounds.
Phoenix countered with a 25-point output from their bench, including a crucial game-tying three-pointer from veteran guard Diana Taurasi. As the Mercury focused defensive pressure on Collier and forced seven turnovers from Dangerfield, McBride battled to keep Minnesota in contention throughout the second half.
The series now shifts to Phoenix for Games 3 and 4, scheduled for Friday and Sunday respectively. If the teams split those games, a decisive Game 5 will be played in Minneapolis. The winner of this series will face either the No. 2 Las Vegas Aces or the No. 6 Indiana Fever in the next round.
“Definitely, it’s frustrating, but it’s a series, it’s a long series, tied now,” said Collier. “So we need to go to Phoenix and take care of business.”
