With the second game now behind them, the Minnesota Lynx won 77-70, tying up the best-of-five series against the Connecticut Sun. Game two was full of contact, fouls, and trash talk. The two teams are an electric match; both the Connecticut Sun and Minnesota Lynx have iron-clad defence, crafty fadeaways, and shooting depth.
The Sun’s Alyssa Thomas and Marina Mabrey don’t miss. Thomas’ ability to find space in the paint is unmatched. Mabrey is averaging around 40% in 3-point shooting, and to further stack her bragging rights, hitting one buzzer-beater after another. Dijonai Carrington (2024 Most Improved Player) has done a phenomenal job, both defensively and offensively.
The Lynx’s Napheesa Collier (2024 Defensive Player of the Year) was averaging 40 points per game (PPG) in round one against the Phoenix Mercury, but the defensive prowess of the Sun have brought that average down to 14 PPG. Collier’s phenomenal defensive skills go beyond statistics; her game is all about hustling and saving plays. Game two was a great night for Courtney Williams, dropping a team-high of 17 points. Her speed moving down the court and around screens is amazing. Williams excels in the mid-range, even hitting a few three-pointers too.
The rivalry caused heat throughout all four quarters. Kayla McBride (Lynx) got a technical foul after taunting and charging Mabrey (Sun). McBride was caught up again in a tussle after an attempted-steal sent Carrington (Sun) to the floor. As she stood up, Carrington charged at McBride and had a few choice words to say to her. Mabrey pulled her away to prevent a technical foul call.
Mabrey again was in the centre of conflict as she fell on top of Collier, trying to rip the ball from her hands. When Collier finally got out from under Mabrey, she didn’t hold back her frustration with Mabrey’s physicality.
The Sun and Lynx met up in the first round of the 2023 WNBA Playoffs. The Sun prevailed, advancing to the semi-finals. The Lynx came into the 2024 season hungry. They closed out last year in the sixth seed, and with a clear will to win, finished in second this season. Viewers can watch game three on ESPN2 or TSN2 (region-dependent), airing on Friday, October 4, at 4:30 PM PDT.
Supporting women’s basketball is exciting because you don’t need to have a favourite team; watching these incredible women break records surpasses the fandom. I show up for athletes first, and franchises second. The skillsets of the Lynx and Sun players are mind blowing. When I watch stars like Alyssa Thomas and Marina Mabrey play, I literally have moments when I say “damn” out loud because they are just so good. This is our opportunity to celebrate the incredible athletes on the court and uplift a future generation of girls, all while watching some great basketball.