The Lynx Live On

Lynx 80
Mercury 79

The Lynx season that came.out of nowhere looked like it was about to end tonight, as Phoenix was rushing down the court in the final seconds, and as Skyler Diggins-Smith tossed up a 3 at the buzzer.

Oh well, it was a fun season, with a great deal of promise for the future.

But a funny thing happened. The shot by Phoenix didn't fall. The Lynx won! They move on to a semifinal series against either Seattle or Las Vegas (still undetermined as I write this).

It wasn't always pretty. But this Lynx team has spent this whole shortened season getting themselves into.predicaments and then getting out of them. What's one more?

Early on it looked like another one and done clunker like the last 2 years. Sylvia Fowles was back, but she didn't look very good, and her presence seemed to have knocked the whole team out of sync. This team spent weeks learning to play without her.

And when Fowles hit the bench for the first time the Lynx immediately wiped out their early double digit deficit, led mostly by Damiras Dantas and Rachel Banham.

But then Fowles returned in the 2nd and Phoenix bumped their lead back to 9 by halftime. Fowles was a brutal -20 at halftime.

It wasn't quite as bad in the 3rd, but again the Lynx really caught fire with their last dynasty link on the bench.

Into the 4th, Crystal Dangerfield heated up, and the defense tightened. The Lynx were on their way.

But Diana Taurasi would not let Phoenix die. She hit EVERYTHING, including TWO 4 point plays in the 4th. If not for her the Lynx pull away and win comfortably, and don't have to give people like me heart failure with a would-be buzzer beater.

Phoenix had 2 cracks at the win. But Napheesa Collier and Dantas D'd up and forced a turnover the 2nd to last possession. Then they at least made the final shot harder than it could have been.

For drama it was one of the most compelling playoff games the Lynx have ever played. And it's meaningful to win this game, and get the first playoff win of the post-dynasty era.

Everything is gravy after this. 

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