It's win or go home time for the Minnesota Lynx. Luckily, they get to try and stay alive in the WNBA Playoffs in the friendly confines of Target Center.
Lynx star forward Napheesa Collier says it's crucial to have the home fans behind them at Target Center.
"Yeah, this is why, obviously, you work so hard in the regular season is because you want this advantage," Collier says. "Obviously we wish we didn't have to go home for that game. But since we are, it's really nice to have that home court advantage. We'll be playing at home, we love playing in front of our fans and so we have to go there and defend our home."
But, the Connecticut Sun are no strangers to needing a win in Minnesota to advance in the playoffs.
The Sun eliminated the Lynx in the first round last season with a victory at Minnesota in the decisive Game 3. They’re in a similar position one year later. The teams meet Tuesday in Game 5 of their semifinal matchup with a trip to the WNBA Finals at stake the opportunity to face New York.
Connecticut won Sunday to force the winner-take-all showdown. The Sun took Game 1 of this series in Minnesota before losing the next two games.
“The atmosphere over there the first two games was absolutely insane. I can only imagine what it would be like in a Game 5,” Sun forward DeWanna Bonner said after the Game 4 win Sunday. “We just got to focus in on each other and we have each other. ... They’re championship fans, they won multiple championships. So, they’re hungry for another one. So, you know it’s going to be crazy.”
The first two games of the series had a chippiness to them with physical play and trash talking contributing to the intensity. There was less physicality in Game 3 but that changed on Sunday. In the elimination game, the intensity increased as players on both teams were physical and there was on-court jawing after several plays.
Players said it is just playoff basketball.
“I think we’ve been here, thank goodness, for the first two games. So we know what it kind of feels like,” Bonner added. “And, we’ll be prepared to to handle it. Just gonna stay locked down.”
Collier had 29 points and 13 rebounds for Minnesota in Game 4 but the Lynx know she needs more scoring help if they're going to advance.
The Lynx are 2-1 in Game 5’s with all of those appearances coming in the WNBA Finals, the last of which was in 2017 when they beat Los Angeles. That year, the Lynx won their fourth championship in a span of seven years.
Since that victory the Lynx are 1-4 in winner-take all games in the playoffs. Connecticut has had more success, going 5-2 in it’s last seven winner-take all contests.
“Both of these franchises have been here,” Connecticut coach Stephanie White said. “We have a lot of players on our roster that have been here that understand certainly what it takes and tonight’s effort is not going to be good enough.
“We expect them to make adjustments. We’ll make some tweaks and adjustments as well. ... It’s about players making plays,” White added. “It’s about the extra efforts, the hustle plays. It’s about not being denied and finding something deep inside of you that just allows you to come out on top.”
Whoever wins Game 5 will have a short turnaround to the Finals. Game 1 is Thursday in New York.
GAME PREVIEW: WNBA PLAYOFFS SEMIFINALS GAME 5
Connecticut Sun (28-12, 14-6 Eastern Conference) at Minnesota Lynx (30-10, 14-6 Western Conference)
Minneapolis; Tuesday, 7:00 p.m.
BOTTOM LINE: The Minnesota Lynx take on the Connecticut Sun.
The Lynx are 16-4 on their home court. Minnesota is sixth in the WNBA averaging 82.0 points and is shooting 44.8% from the field.
The Sun have gone 14-6 away from home. Connecticut is ninth in the WNBA with 33.5 rebounds per game led by Alyssa Thomas averaging 8.4.
Minnesota averages 82.0 points, 8.4 more per game than the 73.6 Connecticut allows. Connecticut has shot at a 44.4% clip from the field this season, 3.4 percentage points higher than the 41.0% shooting opponents of Minnesota have averaged.
TOP PERFORMERS: Alanna Smith is averaging 10.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.5 blocks for the Lynx.
Thomas is averaging 10.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 1.6 steals for the Sun.
LAST 10 GAMES: Lynx: 7-3, averaging 82.2 points, 31.3 rebounds, 21.9 assists, 6.6 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 46.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 78.8 points per game.
Sun: 6-4, averaging 81.8 points, 33.8 rebounds, 22.0 assists, 5.9 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 44.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 75.4 points.
INJURIES: Lynx: None listed.
Sun: None listed.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.