MINNEAPOLIS — Alyssa Thomas flexed, let out a yell and marched toward the sideline. With Napheesa Collier’s 3-point heave falling short, Thomas could finally relax and with that, her emotion finally poured out. In a game that seemed destined to be determined by inches, it was Thomas who gave the Sun the cushion it needed, scoring Connecticut’s final two points and then playing lockdown defense on Bridget Carleton — Minnesota’s best hope at a game-tying 3.
Thomas might’ve ended one assist short of a triple-double (17 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists) but The Engine powered the Sun to a 73-70 win over the Lynx in game 1.
The game was a back-and-forth affair with no team truly establishing control for more than a few minutes at a time and neither team ever being able to grab a double-digit lead. The game more than lived up to its billing as a prime defensive match-up — a battle of the WNBA’s two best defensive teams and four members of the first and second all-defensive teams, including the WNBA’s defensive player of the year, Napheesa Collier.
Connecticut held Collier, who had set a WNBA record by scoring 80 points through the first two playoff games, to 19 points. The Sun switched on Collier often, and despite Minnesota’s best efforts to isolate her in the post through screening actions with mismatches, the Sun forced Collier into taking as many shots outside of the paint as she did in the paint.
The Engine doesn’t stop WORKIN’ 🔥
Alyssa Thomas flipped the playoff switch and never looked back! Tonight, she nearly logged another triple-double with 17 PTS, 9 REB, and 10 AST, leading the Sun to a Game 1 victory#WelcometotheW | #WNBAPlayoffs presented by @Google pic.twitter.com/1JRK8BLQub
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 30, 2024
“It was a team effort,” Thomas said. “Coming into this series, she was hot. Really hot.”
Minnesota’s strength came in the Lynx’s defensive discipline. They forced nine turnovers and tallied seven blocks and eight steals and forced four shot clock violations while fouling Connecticut just 10 times. The Sun only landed on the free throw line three times, giving Minnesota — which lost the battle from beyond the 3-point line — a fighting chance to keep it tight by not giving up points when the clock wasn’t running.
But the Lynx struggled to contain Marina Mabrey, who scored a game-high 20 points and hit six 3-pointers.
This story will be updated.
(Photo: David Berding / Getty Images)
