The Minnesota Lynx had a commanding 72-49 lead over the Phoenix Mercury heading into the final period on Friday night, after dominating in a 95-71 victory. Alissa Pili led the way with 20 points, including all four of her 3-point attempts, while Napheesa Collier recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Dorka Juhász contributed 13 points and Cecilia Zandalasini added 12 for the Lynx, who improved to 5-2 on the season. Courtney Williams chipped in with 11 points and five assists. Kahleah Copper led the Mercury with 21 points, hitting three 3-pointers, but was unable to bring his team back from the deficit due to an ankle injury that kept Brittney Griner out of action.
The Lynx got off to a strong start, with Alanna Smith scoring seven of her eight points in the first quarter to help them take a 21-12 lead. Minnesota extended their lead to 55-26 with an impressive run of nine unanswered points before halftime, with Williams and Bridget Carleton sinking two threes each. Copper managed to score five points in the second half but was unable to keep up with his teammates’ impressive play.
Collier continued her strong performance in the third quarter, scoring four of the final six points to help maintain Minnesota’s lead heading into the final period. Despite their best efforts, Phoenix was unable to overcome their deficit and fell short in this highly anticipated matchup between two of WNBA’s top teams.
