WNBA: Will the Lynx or Solar meet the Liberty within the Finals?

The No. 1-seed New York Liberty are ready. Will the No. 2-seed Minnesota Lynx or No. 3-seed Connecticut Solar earn the correct to problem them within the 2024 WNBA Finals?

Sport 5 of Lynx-Solar, the primary decisive sport of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs, suggestions off at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Oct. 8 on the Goal Heart in Minneapolis. What should the hometown Lynx do to return to the Finals for the primary time since 2017? How can the Connecticut Solar lengthen the group’s quest for a primary championship?

How the Lynx will win

Picture by David Dow/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs

Nobody believes in Napheesa Collier greater than Lynx followers.

The Minnesota devoted, nonetheless, would in all probability prefer to see a MV-Phee efficiency from her throughout this semifinal sequence. Whereas she turned in a pair of excellent efforts in Video games 3 and 4 in Uncasville, her performances in Video games 1 and a pair of in Minneapolis had been extra muted. The total Collier expertise can be required for Minnesota to prevail in Sport 5.

After all, she’ll additionally need assistance, which was missing in Sport 4. Courtney Williams, who was glorious within the Lynx’s two wins, was quieter in Sport 4, with early foul hassle seeming to disrupt the rhythm of Minnesota’s greatest playmaker. Though the group shot a good 38.5 % from 3, Bridget Carleton hoisted 11 triples, making solely two, whereas Kayla McBride solely acquired off two 3-pointers, making one. That resulted in 11 factors mixed from the pair of sharpshooters. That’s inadequate, as their 3-point capturing not solely places factors on the board for Minnesota but in addition creates extra spacing within the halfcourt, permitting the Lynx offense to hum at most capability.

Defensively, the Lynx need to preserve the Solar out of the paint, or not less than make it tougher for them to attain inside. In Sport 4, Connecticut scored 50 factors within the paint. After Minnesota had assumed the physicality edge in Video games 2 and three, they misplaced it in Sport 4, particularly within the second half. Though Minnesota’s power is their execution, that execution can not come with out aggression. If they’ll rediscover that mixture, on each protection and offense, the Lynx can be again within the Finals, with an opportunity to change into the primary WNBA franchise to win 5 championships.

How the Solar will win

Picture by David Dow/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs

Considerably surprisingly, offense, as a lot as protection, helped the Solar push this sequence to a fifth and remaining sport.

Connecticut shot practically 54 % from the sphere and over 53 % from 3, their highest marks of the playoffs. Throughout 40 common season video games, the Solar solely had two superior capturing performances. So whereas a sizzling capturing afternoon helped Connecticut keep away from elimination, it’s not a sustainable technique for the Solar.

Somewhat than hanging 92 factors on the Lynx’s top-two protection, the Solar ought to search to carry down the Lynx offense. Within the second half of Sport 4, Connecticut did simply that, limiting Minnesota to 32 factors after the break. The Solar doubled down on their defensive rules—guarding their yard, not overhelping, getting again in transition—to gum up the Lynx’s offensive machine, which was whirring within the first half. On Tuesday evening, it is going to require two halves of tip-top protection for Connecticut to advance to the Finals for the third time in six seasons.

Solar gamers additionally should step up and sink well timed photographs. In Sport 4, Ty Harris was prepared for that job. Again within the beginning lineup after an early-playoff ankle damage had restricted her taking part in time, she was 4-for-5 from 3 as she led the Solar with 20 factors. Harris’ return to the primary 5 pushed Marina Mabrey again to the bench. In Sport 5, the Solar want an aggressive, environment friendly scoring evening from her.

It’s going to even be attention-grabbing to see if head coach Stephanie White once more opts for smaller lineups, incessantly taking part in Harris and Mabrey alongside Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and DiJonai Carrington. In Sport 4, Brionna Jones noticed simply 14 minutes, as the sport’s tempo didn’t match the skillset she brings as a conventional large. Will White and the Solar once more search to neutralize the Lynx’s efforts to push the tempo by taking part in smaller? Or, might Jones’ publish play function a dependable supply of offense in a do-or-die sport, which, like most decisive video games, might change into a grind?

The Finals countdown

Though this matchup might have lacked the glitz of the opposite semifinal sequence, the place starry tremendous groups from New York and Vegas renewed their rivalry, it’s supplied loads of high-level, but heated, hoops. Prepare for a chippy and uneven Sport 5, that includes shoves, scowls, stares and, hopefully, some down-to-the-wire suspense.

Sport info

No. 2-seed Minnesota Lynx (2-2) vs. No. 3-seed Connecticut Solar (2-2)

When: Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 8 p.m. ET

The place: Goal Heart in Minneapolis, MN

The best way to watch: ESPN2

Lynx damage report: none

Solar damage report: Tiffany Mitchell (out; sickness)