Lynx try to close out Mercury in Game 3
The Minnesota Lynx can take their familiar place in the WNBA Finals with one more win over the Phoenix Mercury in Game 3 of their semifinal series Sunday night at U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix, Ariz. Top-seeded Minnesota holds a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series after winning each of the first two games by double digits. The Lynx, who won WNBA titles in 2011, 2013 and 2015, can advance to the finals for the fifth time in six years. They have an opportunity to join the defunct Houston Comets as the only teams in league history to win four championships. "It's a team that's experienced in trying to close out a team on the road," Minnesota head coach Cheryl Reeve said. " ... Our mindset is to win Game 3." Eighth-seeded Phoenix will try to stave off elimination against a Minnesota team that went 13-4 on the road during the regular season. The Mercury is trying to win its second championship in three years and its fourth since 2007. Phoenix was on a roll before running into Minnesota. The Mercury had won four in a row and five of six, including road wins over the fifth-seeded Indiana Fever and the third-seeded New York Liberty in the first two rounds of the playoffs. Minnesota, which went 28-6 during the regular season and swept the season series against Phoenix, has proven to be a much more daunting opponent. After enjoying 10 days off with a double-bye through the first and second rounds of the playoffs, the Lynx cruised to a 113-95 victory over the Mercury in Game 1 of the series and posted a 96-86 victory in Game 2. Maya Moore scored 31 points in the first game and 26 points in the second. After making 12 of 19 field goal attempts in Game 1, she was held to 6-of-18 shooting in Game 2. Seven-time WNBA All-Star Diana Taurasi has been sensational for Phoenix, scoring 25 points in the first game and 31 points in the second game. |