The WNBA Playoffs are upon us and we got one of the best 1st Round matchups you will see this year when Connecticut takes on the Minnesota Lynx. The regular season series is 3-1 as the Lynx dropped 3 out of the 4 games to the Sun but this is a different Lynx team. Those games were right before this team started gelling as they’ve played tremendously from August through right now. The Lynx have been one of the hot teams coming down the stretch.
The Connecticut Sun finished with a record of 27-13 and have been playing without one of their key pieces Brionna Jones who got hurt in June. Brionna Jones was there for the 1st matchup between the Lynx & Sun but she wasn’t there for a couple of those matchups.
Missing Jones has put more on Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonners plate but both have been up to the task. In the regular season Alyssa Thomas averaged 15.5 PPG, 9.9 REB, and 7.9 AST and DeWanna Bonner averaged 17.4 PPG, 5.6 REB, and 2.2 AST. Both will be a key part to how far this Sun team makes it in the WNBA Playoffs. During the season in the matchups against the Lynx both Thomas/Bonner combined to average 19 PPG, 8.8 REB, and 6.1 AST. Both Bonner and Thomas are All Stars and will be looking to apply pressure all series long as it starts tonight in Connecticut. Thomas has played great against the Lynx with triple double like numbers so the Lynx will need to slow her down if they want to be successful in this series.
On the Minnesota Lynx side of things Napheesa Collier has been a Superstar all season long. Collier finished the regular season with 21.5 PPG, 8.5 REB, and 2.5 AST. Everything that Coach Reeve has asked of Collier she’s met the challenge and answered with Mamba Mentality. Napheesa has been a true leader and has shown that her all around game is top tier throughout the whole league. One thing that Napheesa was able to do this season was put her two way playing ability on display. Collier has been blocking shots and making shots for the Lynx all season. They will need their Superstar to show up this series as on the season she’s averaging 25.5 PPG, 4.5 REB, and 3 AST in 2 games against the Connecticut Sun.
You can’t have the Lynx success without newly extentioned Kayla McBride as all season long the veteran has showed up on both ends of the floor as well. The Lynx will go as far as Kayla and Napheesa bring them this postseason. Kayla McBride averaged 12.5 PPG against the Sun during the season but the way that KMac has played to finish the season is all that matters now. Her experience in these playoff moments will help get the Lynx to that next level especially the way she plays alongside Napheesa Collier.
The Rookies Diamond Miller and Dorka Juhasz have both exceeded all expectations this year for the Lynx fanbase and they’ve been playing like sophomores because of the impact on the game. Diamond’s defense and her play making ability have been amazing this season and Dorka has showcased her ball handling skills with her dominance on the boards.
This will be a great series and with the familiarity of both teams this should be a true battle as we find out who wants to get to the next round in the WNBA Playoffs.
Photo Credit: Jordan Johnson,
John Minchillo / AP file
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