WNBA semifinals: Game 2 winners, highlights, analysis

Minneapolis – The Lynx of Minnesota seemed to be moving to a comfortable victory.

Enter the Phoenix Mercury.

The seeded n ° 6 Mercury overcome a deficit of 20 points to upset the Lynx 89-83 of seeded in extension. According to ESPN Research, it was only the second 20 -point rally on the road to the history of the WNBA qualifiers.

The series goes to Phoenix for match 3 Friday (9:30 p.m. he, ESPN2).

On the other side of the support, the seeds n ° 2 Las Vegas Aces have rout the fever of Indiana n ° 6 to their series.

How did Mercury win their instant classic? Is the lynx still the favorite of the series? And how did Las Vegas rebound for a dominant victory? ESPN breaks down everything we saw on Tuesday.

Plus: Hours | Coaching carousel | Dissessing Guide

Final: Phoenix 89, Minnesota 83 OT

What victory means for Phoenix

They say that a series does not start before the home team lost. If this is the case, the semi -finals between the mercury and the lynx have officially started – and epic. Phoenix has only become the fifth team in the history of the WNBA qualifiers to return from a 20 -point deficit. And now, the series is equal to 1-1.

Before Tuesday Tipoff, Phoenix coach, Nate Tibbetts, said that the series’s opening match always had a period of feeling of test. And although it seemed to continue a little in match 2, the Mercury dragging from 16 to half-time, the grain of the team to retaliate shows how frightening it can be. Phoenix finally found his shot at 3 points, overthrowing 13 beyond the arc, while remaining strong in painting. The 13 assists by Alyssa Thomas (to go with 19 points) are the most by a Mercury player in an eliminatory match.

It was as close to an essential game as for a team that did not face elimination. And now Mercury can go back to the desert with a chance to win a pair of home matches.

What the loss for Minnesota means

In many games this year, Minnesota raised his game while he came out of the locker room after half-time. But there was no magic in the second half on Tuesday.

Now the lynx is heading towards Phoenix and must try to regain their edge. At 14-8, the lynxs were tied for the best road record during the regular season. Being far from the house generally does not seem to beat their confidence. This must be the case in match 3.

Who will the bench intervene?

The Banc de Phoenix has outlined the reserves of Minnesota 22-3 Tuesday, a large part of his monstrous return. Only Jessica Shepard marked the bench for Minnesota. In match 1, the second lynx unit had the advantage.

So far, all the stars in this series have done what is expected of them. Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride were high volume scorers. Thomas and Sutou dominated. Thus, the contributions of others could define this series.

Tuesday, Sami Whitcomb scored 13 points for Phoenix – including a 3 -point pointer that equaled the scoring and sent the match in overtime. Kathryn Westbeld added eight points and Dewanna Bonner had four. In the first match in the series, Maria Kliundikova from Minnesota and Natisha Hiedeman were elite closings. These contributions could be what moves game 3 and the series. – Kendra Andrews

Should the lynx still be favored now that Phoenix has land at home in the series?

I think yes. As much credit as the Mercury deserves for their resilience in one of the greatest feedback in the history of the WNBA qualifiers, it was really a game “Make or Miss League”, to use a sentence popularized by the longtime coach of the NBA, Jeff Van Gundy.

The 3 -point shooting out of the 28 points of the Minnesota (25%) was the worst of the team’s qualifiers so far, and the Lynx was only less precise in four of their 44 games in the regular season. Meanwhile, Phoenix took better than 40% beyond the arc, including 9 out of 21 (43%) after half-time. In a game that went extensive, this shot was the difference, and there is no reason to expect it to happen again.

At the same time, the Mercury must feel good to win a split on the road given their tight reversal in the first round. Match 2 could also have shown where Lynx goalkeeper Miss injured Dijonai Carrington. Four of the five starters from Minnesota recorded more than 36 minutes, including Bridget Carleton, exceeding 40 minutes for the second time in his career and Kayla McBride playing 42.

This fatigue could have caught up with the lynx in the section and in overtime. It is up to the coach Cheryl Reeve to find a way to rest his players without a Carrington, who is absent for the season. – Kevin Pelton

Final: Las Vegas 90, Indiana 68

What victory means for Las Vegas

After losing decisively in match 1, the ACEs not only needed to win match 2, but also had to make a statement. They did exactly that. Las Vegas may not have an advantage at home heading for Indianapolis for match 3 (7:30 pm he, ESPN2), but the Aces have resumed momentum in the series.

Many have turned well for Las Vegas. With a concerted effort to put the ball inside, the Aces scored 48 points in the painting. A’ja Wilson paved the way and came back in MVP form with 25 points out of 18 and nine rebounds. The 18 points of Nalyssa Smith were the most important she has marked since she was exchanged in Las Vegas de Dallas in early July. Las Vegas counted less on his 3 -point shot (a season of 12 attempts) and more on his size advantage.

The defense, which could not slow down the rear area of ​​the fever in match 1, was also much better. Coach Becky Hammon turned Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young and Jewell Loyd on Kelsey Mitchell, and the trio was able to limit Mitchell’s penetration. Without the domination of Mitchell, Indiana had no counterpunch. She finished with 13 points after scoring 34 in match 1.

What the loss for Indiana means

Winning a match in Las Vegas is still a net positive for fever, which obtains the next two home games.

Before the Tipoff on Tuesday, coach Stephanie White said that his team knew that the ACE would come out of the fighting and that it was important that his team responds to this. The fever could not. Odyssey Sims produced another solid performance with 18 points and 7 assists, and Aliyah Boston had a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds, but the firepower and the energy that worn in match 1 was not there on Tuesday.

The close playoffs relate to adjustments. Las Vegas did the necessary needs to win the match 2. Now, it’s the Tour of the Indiana to counter Friday.

What star will the rest of the series be best?

The answer could decide the series. Wilson’s domination was such a large part of the sequence of 16 consecutive victories of the AS to end the regular season. When she did not play well in match 1, pulling 6 out of 22 on the field, Las Vegas had trouble. Mitchell, meanwhile, played one of the best games in his professional career on Sunday and the fever stole the opening.

The two performances have changed in match 2 – just like the result. It could take Mitchell, who finished fifth in the MVP vote, playing at this level of the elite so that the fever removes the series, but the match 2 illustrated how Las Vegas also needs Wilson. – Charlie CREME