Lynx returns to the Finals with an 88-77 win over Sun in Game 5 behind Collier's 27 points and 11 rebounds

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Lynx are three wins from their fifth championship and are aiming for a league record with a much different core than the previous dynasty.

Napheesa Collier is entirely responsible for this group.

Collier had 27 points on 10-for-16 shooting and 11 rebounds and Courtney Williams contributed 24 points and both ends of the court to lead the Minnesota Lynx past the Connecticut Sun 88-77 and into the league WNBA The final will take place on Tuesday evening for the first time in seven years.

necklace, the WNBA Defensive Player of the Yearadded four blocks in a classic all-around performance.

“She has improved every season. She was simply amazing. “Every game she helps our team more than just a goal,” said coach Cheryl Reeve. “If she plays like the MVP, we’ll be hard to beat.”

As soon as the final buzzer sounded and the arena roared, Collier walked to Lindsay Whalen's courtside seat and hugged the Hall of Famer and former Lynx star, who was the point guard for the first four championship teams.

“I definitely want to make them proud,” Collier said.

Kayla McBride scored 10 of her 19 points in the first quarter for the Lynx, who faced the top seeds New York freedom in Game 1 on Thursday night. The best-of-five series It continues with Game 2 in New York on Sunday afternoon before Minnesota hosts Game 3 on October 16th.

The Lynx, who finished second in the league in the regular season and were two games behind the Liberty, have won three of four games against New York this year. This also includes the WNBA Commissioner's Cup on June 25th to win the season's tournament title.

DiJonai Carrington had 17 points and 12 rebounds and Brionna Jones had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Sun, who shot just 38.5% from the floor (25 for 65) and was involved in 19 turnovers that the Lynx converted into 22 points.

“They just hit us in the face, we got shocked and then we couldn’t defend ourselves,” said DeWanna Bonner, who had 14 points on 4-for-13 shooting.

The Sun were ousted in the semifinals for the fourth time in six years. In the other two seasons, 2019 and 2022, they lost in the finals when Williams was part of the core that has not yet cleared the final hurdle to the franchise's first title.

Williams, who is in her first year at Minnesota, had her sights set on getting there from the start. The fiery ninth-year point guard was the catalyst on both ends of the court, attacking the basket, increasing the tempo on the counterattack and harassing Connecticut's ballplayers. Williams had her most points in a playoff game since 2019 and added seven assists, five rebounds and two steals.

She was 6 for 6 in the first half.

“When you start a game like this, you kind of know that the basket feels big, you have a total green light,” Williams said. “I think that’s the confidence that Cheryl gives us.”

The Lynx built a lead of as many as 21 points in the second quarter, six more than their largest lead in the first four games. They got off to a sluggish start to the second half, dampened by the Sun's cold shooting before Alanna Smith hit a three-pointer to end a scoreless deficit with 4:22 to play.

Williams then ripped the ball away from Bonner as she drove to the basket and raced the other way for a layup to take a 58-41 lead. Collier hit a three-pointer to cap the 12-0 run.

Connecticut eliminated Minnesota here in the deciding Game 3 of the first round last season. Since winning Game 5 of the WNBA Finals in 2017 and their fourth championship in seven years, the Lynx have been just 1-4 in winner-take-all games in the playoffs.

The atmosphere at Target Center suited the moment, with a boisterous crowd that included Whalen, Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones and two members of the state's congressional delegation, Rep. Angie Craig and Sen. Tina Smith.

Collier, who averaged 40 points in the two-game win over the Phoenix Mercury in the first round and had 29 points and 13 rebounds in Game 4 at Connecticut, was her usual cool self with the confidence and determination of a star making his first aims for mastery.

“She's just the combination of everything you want in a player, but I think what makes her special beyond the obvious skills is that she doesn't let herself be put under pressure,” Sun coach Stephanie White said. “She stays so poised no matter what, and you can tell the rest of her team benefits from that.”

Alyssa Thomas scored a quiet seven points and six assists for the Sun, who trailed by double figures in all but 12 seconds of the final three quarters. Marina Mabrey, a substitute for the second straight game, injured her ankle in the first half after taking an awkward step near a photographer on the baseline and played only 14 minutes.

“She’s one of the toughest kids I’ve ever been around,” White said. “She tried to give it a try, but she just couldn’t.”

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball