Can Sun take a 2-0 lead over Lynx? Three keys for Connecticut in Game 2 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Connecticut Sun snatched home-court advantage from the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA semifinals. But going back 2-0 won’t be easy.
The Sun earned a close 73-70 victory over the Lynx in game one on Sunday, limiting Minnesota superstar Napheesa Collier to 19 points on 7-of-16 shooting and getting a 20-point effort from midseason starter Marina Mabrey.
Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday night at 9:30 p.m. ET in Minnesota, and the Lynx — who haven’t lost back-to-back games since mid-July — will almost certainly make adjustments. So what does Connecticut need to do to achieve victory?
NBC Connecticut sports reporter Gabby Lucivero has joined NBC Boston’s Hannah Donnelly on the last On his mark podcast to share his three keys to a Sun victory in Game 2. Lucivero’s first key? Get DeWanna Bonner going offensively.
CT SUN vs. Minnesota Lynx Semifinals | Game 1 Recap | Listen and subscribe
“I think Bonner needs a better shooting night,” Lucivero told Donnelly. “I think DB would say she needs a better shooting night. Because we’re going to see Minnesota step up. (Collier) is going to look at that score and say, ‘That’s not acceptable to me. ‘ So we’re going to see both of those things intensify.”
Bonner scored just 10 points on 4 of 17 shooting (2 of 8 from 3-point range) in the opener, but Connecticut’s strong defense contributed to the victory. Lucivero’s second key was slowing down Collier, who scored 80 combined points in the Lynx’s 2-0 sweep of the Phoenix Mercury in the first round.
“I think they need to find a way to be able to eliminate (Collier) from the game without necessarily needing a four-man rotation,” Lucivero said. “So, number 2 is, what’s the solution for (Collier) knowing that she’s going to come in expecting to play better than she did in the first game?”
Lucivero’s third key focused on Sun guard DiJonai Carrington, who was recently named the WNBA’s Most Improved Player. Alyssa Thomas, Bonner and Mabrey are Connecticut’s three most potent offensive players, so if Carrington — who scored 13 points in the opener — can make a significant contribution on that end, that’s a major X-factor for the Sun .
“I’m going to take Alyssa Thomas out of the game because Alyssa Thomas East the key to the game,” Lucivero said. “So, I want to see more – it seems wrong to say ‘more’ of DiJonai Carrington, because she’s done it all – but we haven’t really talked about her much since that, and she was instrumental in why the Sun is here and I loved her trajectory.
“…The third key is DiJonai with a new look. Just more. I thought she played really well in the first match – now give us more.”
Follow the On Her Mark podcast throughout the WNBA playoffs for The Sun’s reaction and analysis of every game.
