With the series tied 1-1, tight WNBA Finals heads to L.A.
Well, it's hard to imagine a better start to the WNBA Finals than this.
After the first two games in Minnesota, the series between the Minnesota Lynx and the Los Angeles Sparks is all tied up, 1-1. The total point differential in the first two games was a mere three points. Combined. Is it too late to petition to get this series changed to a best-of-seven?
In Game 1, Los Angeles stunned the home crowd – and the home team – as it darted out to a staggering 28-2 lead. But a team led by Cheryl Reeve can never be counted out. The Lynx almost pulled off the biggest comeback in WNBA history, leading to a nail-biting finish that saw four lead changes in the final minute. Chelsea Gray, who had career-high 27 points on the day, scored the winning basket with two seconds left on the clock to seal a 85-84 victory for the Sparks.
Game 2 was almost a mirror image. The Lynx dominated from the tip-off, and went into the locker room at halftime with a 19-point lead. But Candace Parker and Nneka Ogwumike came alive in the second half, and it was a one-possession game in the final seconds. Thanks to a stifling defense, the Lynx held on for a 70-68 victory.
As the series moves to the Staples Center, where Game 3 will be played on Friday and Game 4 on Sunday, here's what needs to happen for each team to come out on top.
Minnesota's keys to victory
In the first quarter of Game 1, the Lynx had zero rebounds – an unfathomable statistic for a team anchored by MVP Sylvia Fowles.
But starting in the second quarter, Fowles woke up and started forcing her will on the Sparks in the paint and it changed everything. She finished the game with 22 points and 13 rebounds and in Game 2 she had 17 rebounds, a WNBA Finals record. It's crucial for the Lynx have a rebounding advantage, particularly on the offensive boards. In order to do that, this team has to commit to running the offense through Fowles going forward.
And do you know what helps allow the offense to run smoothly inside? An aggressive Rebekkah Brunson.
The four-time WNBA champion had a rough Game 1, going 1-for-6 for only two points, three rebounds, zero blocks, and zero steals. In Game 2, she showed why she is the lynchpin of this offense, with 6-for-14 for 12 points, three rebounds, three blocks, and one game-sealing steal in the final seconds. That Brunson has to show up going forward.
But it's not all defense. The Lynx got away with only scoring 70 points in Game 2, primarily thanks to a subpar shooting day from the Sparks. No matter how good the Lynx defense plays, you're not going to have too many games where the Sparks shoot only 38.7 percent from the field and 25 percent from beyond the arch. Maya Moore is going to get her shots, but Alana Beard is targeting her on defense. So it's going to be key for Seimone Augustus, and particularly Lindsay Whalen, to sink shots early, preferably from outside of the paint, to keep the Sparks defense on its toes.
Los Angeles's keys to victory
Look, every game is pivotal in a five-game series, but this Game 3 is as close as it gets to a must-win game for both teams in a game without a trophy on the line.
While last year the Sparks and Lynx both blew a chance to win the championship on their home court, it's hard to see that scenario repeating itself. So for the Sparks to have a chance to win it all at the Staples Center and celebrate directly with their fans, they are first and foremost going to need to do a better job of taking care of the ball.
The Sparks were one of the better teams in the leagues when it came to turnovers this season, and all throughout Game 2 the team had done a good job protecting the ball. However, the Sparks had two turnovers in the final 13.4 seconds of the game – one on a five-second violation from Alana Beard, and another when Brunson stole the ball from Gray to effectively end the game.
Turnovers are one of the only categories where the Sparks hold an advantage, and they need to hold onto that.
Beyond that, it just comes down to pushing the pace on offense, particularly at home where a high-scoring, fast-paced game will bring out the best in a crowd. Candace Parker and Nneka Ogwumike just cannot afford to have another entire half where they combine for 0-for-11 from the field, like the did in the first half of Game 2, and the shooters have to make the some three-pointers in order to open up space for Parker and Ogwumike to do some damage.
It's easier said than done, of course, but if that happens, the Sparks could be celebrating on their home court in just a few days.
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