A few weeks after the start of the WNBA 2025 season, we seemed to be intended for a revenge match of the WNBA 2024 final, because the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty seemed to be the Class Class of the League. After the stars break, the AS Resurgent Las Vegas supplanted freedom as an adversary of the Lynx infant final.
And now? Should we be convinced that the ACEs, holding a 2-1 semi-final series advance on Indiana fever, will win this finals, with Phoenix Mercury, at the top of 2-1 on the lynx in their series, on the opposite side? Or, more developments that increased expectations?
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Something, at least, will be decided on Sunday when ACS n ° 2 will win fever n ° 6 in Indiana (3 p.m. HE, ABC) and Lynx n ° 1 to take Mercury No. 4 in Phoenix (8 p.m. He, ESPN). Will the aces and mercury prevail to prepare the field for the very first WNBA final at the best of seven? Can fever and lynx keep their championship hopes alive?
One thing we know for sure is that neither the chief coach of Lynx Cheryl Reeve nor MVP finalist Napheesa Collier will participate in the last lynx stand (potential). Rush was suspended for match 4,, A punishment evaluated by the League For its compliance with officials during and after Friday evening match 3. Reeve’s frustrations took place after the necklace was injured late in the match. Despite Reeve’s protests, Alyssa’s sweeping Thomas, who led her knees and necklace to drop the knees in a way that turned the ankle of the necklace, was not beyond the limits of fair play; It just led to an unhappy injury for his star.
Without necklace, Minnesota will need a savior under the radar to emerge and extend its season. The other three teams that speak on Sunday will also require the contributions of an underestimated hero to obtain the desired results. So who are four players who could do or break the match 4 for their team?
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Las Vegas Aces: Nalyssa Smith
Nalyssa Smith has found a new life with the aces, while giving the aces a new life.
The acquisition of mid-season From the old overall choice n ° 2 of the fever has proven to be the perfect complement of the front zone at A’ja Wilson, prospering as a “star in its role” alongside the MVP now four times. Black-smith expressed his appreciation For the way Wilson’s embrace and encouragement have rekindled his love for the game.
And if the ACE hit their final ticket on Sunday, expect Wilson to realize him with more appreciation for Smith. It was a series less than the Court of Heaven-Haut for Wilson, with Aliyah Boston using her Southern Carolina secrets (and some oscillating elbows) to limit Wilson’s offensive efficiency. In the two victories of the AS series, Smith intensified its secondary source of production in the front zone, going a 15 for 22 combined for 34 points in matches 2 and 3. It also seized 11 plates, including four offensives.
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Obviously, the ACEs would like Wilson to authorize an Exclamation point M’V4 on Sunday, eliminating Indy with the type of performance which earned him the greatest individual honor of the League for a record time. But if the aces have to move forward despite another afternoon of A’JA, look for Lyss to be a great reason.
Indiana Fever: Natasha Howard
Indiana has their own sub-curve player underestimated in Natasha Howard.
Originally from the attention paid to Boston and Kelsey Mitchell, the fever was in fact to be at their best in the playoffs when Howard is on the ground, overlapted by 15 points. Since his stinking When the first round was opened, it was an effective, although infrequent, option for Indiana. Playing less than 20 minutes per game, Howard did not have an average of five shooting attempts, despite the convert of 60% of them.
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Can fever find a way to have it involved more? Its production was limited due to the lack of Indiana of an offensive elite initiator which is capable of making it pass the ball in favorable situations. This left Howard Scraper for his own opportunities, as evidenced by his seven offensive boards in the semi-finals. She recruited more than 12% of the offensive boards available in her minutes, while sporting a percentage of overall rebounds which tends near 20%.
Howard, of course, has shown that she could fuel fever towards hinged victories. She At the MVP trophy of the Commissioner’s Cup to prove it. She also has three championship rings, giving her a level of experience in the playoff series which also suggests that she must be more presented for fever.
Minnesota Lynx: Jessica Shepard
During the regular season, Collier missed seven consecutive games with an ankle sprain. The Lynx, leader of the league, however continued to unscrew the victories, while Jessica Shepard entered the starting formation at Collier’s Stead. A triple -double – in fact, the fastest Triple -double in the history of the league – was the top of this extended option for Shepard.
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She may need to reproduce this performance for Lynx to force a match 5 in Minneapolis.
So far, Shepard has seen its role shrink in the playoffs. In the semi-finals, she was silent in her 11.5 minutes per match, unable to show the forces that did it a precious submarine and a filling starter during the regular season. An effective marker and an efficient rebounder, it pulled 40% in the field and rebounded 13.4% of the available failures against Mercury; Its seasonal brands were 63.8% and 17.7%.
Like a large part of Minnesota, she could not correspond to Phoenix physics. However, by explaining Shepard’s potential as an offensive hub – something she demonstrated with her triple -double of 10 assistants – could activate it alternatively and allow her to increase her impact on the game. It would be quite surprised that Shepard became the first player in this series to record a triple -double. But for the Lynx faithful, it would be pleasant that would surely send this series to a fifth match.
Phoenix Mercure: Dewanna Bonner
The Phoenix season’s formula worked in their two victories in the semi-finals, because their “Big 3” by Thomas, Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper was up to the nickname with elite production while players, in particular the champion double Sami Whitcomb, intensified at key moments.
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For the Mercury to execute its vision in match 4 and won the organization a trip to the final, their other double title winner, Dewanna Bonner, may need to trigger a return performance. She has become empty on listed shots in the semi-finals so far, marking a total of eight points when she has drawn 15% of their land, not making 3 points. It is not all bad to boon, because its 6.7 plates per game contributed to the advantage of Phoenix on the glass.
And despite his bucket drought, Minnesota is experiencing the danger of the database of the playoffs. In 2023 as a member of Connecticut Sun, she dropped six 3s and 24 points on the Lynx in a first round match. In the five -game game series of last year between Connecticut and Minnesota, she pulled almost 40% out of 3 and on average 15 points per game.
The Mercury has shown that they can survive, and even prosper, without the coherence of Bonner’s game score. But, the ideal way to finish the best lynx in the league in four games would be a production sparkle of one of the most accomplished players in the history of the WNBA qualifiers.
Game information
N ° 2 Seeds of Las Vegas Aces (2-1) against Indiana fever n ° 6 Seeds (1-2)
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When: Sunday September 28 at 3 p.m.
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Or: Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, in
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N ° 1 Graine of Minnesota Lynx (1-2) against Phoenix Mercury n ° 4 (2-1)
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When: Sunday September 28 at 8 p.m.
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Or: Phx Arena in Phoenix, Az
