Lynx Stay Alive
August 31, 2014

Down by 62-56 at the start of the fourth quarter at Target Center, the hearts of the Minnesota Lynx fans sank when Phoenix Mercury reserve guard Erin Phillips canned a three-pointer for a nine-point advantage for the visiting team. Hopes of repeating as WNBA champions seemingly were dashed by the flashy Mercury squad, who, at one point in the game had led by 13 points.

In the first game of the three-game elimination series, the Lynx had stumbled badly, losing by 14 points, Minnesota’s second biggest losing spread in a playoff game. Phoenix out-rebounded the Lynx 45-31 in Phoenix, marking an opponent playoff record for most rebounds for a post-season game against Minnesota. The Lynx looked old and slow in Phoenix and for three quarters at home in Game 2 that image persisted. Most troubling were the antics of league MVP Maya Moore who turned in an unusual performance in Phoenix, playing the role of the Invisible Woman and scoring only nine points.

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve was, to say the least, disappointed in Moore. She acknowledged the strong Mercury defense, but “where Maya had openings, they closed quickly, and her recognition of what came next was not very good.” Certainly, her performance in Phoenix was something less with what is expected from a player characterized as the female LeBron James.

For Minnesota to stay alive in the playoffs, a stellar performance from Moore was required. In the first quarter, she was 0 for 4 from the field as Minnesota fell behind by 22 to 9. She went 4 for 8 in the second period as Minnesota closed the gap to 44 to 36. Phoenix sports five solid players—Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, Penny Taylor, DeWanna Bonner, and Candace Dupree— in the starting lineup. Bonner was pressuring Moore on the perimeter while the 6-8 Griner shut off the paint.

Down 65-56, Moore hit a pair of three-point baskets to close the Phoenix lead to 65-62. Then Seimone Augustus scored twice, and the Mercury lead had evaporated. A Moore jump for three made the score 69-65 with six minutes remaining in the contest. But Phoenix did not go away. Baskets by Griner and Taurasi tied the score, and a layup by Dupree gave the Mercury the lead back. A free throw by Augustus tied the score again. A succession of baskets resulted in a 75-75 deadlock with 55 seconds remaining in the game. Then Augustus scored on a 15-foot jump shot, was fouled and made the free throw for a 78-75 Minnesota lead, one the team did not relinquish. The final score was Minnesota 82, Phoenix 77.

Moore finished with 32 points and Augustus 23. Lindsay Whalen, scoring early to keep the Lynx in the game, finished with 17. The trio received little support from teammates. At the half, starters Janel McCarville and Rebekkah Brunson and the team’s bench players contributed zero points.

For Phoenix, Taurasi had 23 points, Dupree 18, and Griner 14. Each team had 32 rebounds. After a 14 percent (2-for-14) first-quarter scoring average, the Lynx finished at 40 percent, compared with 48 percent for the Mercury.

“It’s all about players making plays, and stars being stars,” Reeve said after the game.