Connecticut Sun next as Lynx dispatch Phoenix from WNBA playoffs

When the Phoenix Mercury tried to get tough Wednesday at Target Center, the Lynx pushed back with a lopsided third quarter that fired up the hometown crowd and a 101-88 victory that swept their first-round playoff series in two games.

“It’s the playoffs,” Lynx forward Bridget Carleton said afterward. “It’s going to get physical.”

It did get physical when Carleton stole the ball, drew a flagrant foul after the Mercury’s Sophie Cunningham knocked her hard to the court and Carleton and the Lynx turned the ensuing two free throws into a 7-0 run and a 27-17 third quarter.

To be sure, it will get physical again when the second-seeded Lynx play third-seeded Connecticut in a best-of-five series starting Sunday night at home.

A sellout audience of 8,769 fans called for more than a flagrant foul Wednesday, when they might have seen WNBA legend Diana Taurasi play her last game. It was a rousing energy the Lynx used to fuel themselves and their defense, even when teammate Courtney Williams got a technical foul after she came to Carleton’s support.

“Obviously it got a little feisty there and the crowd got into it,” Carleton said. “That was a big stop there. It’s always good when we can play off our defense. We were able to do that and get two shots and the ball back. We always stay pretty level-headed, but it’s plays like that, you can play off the crowd’s energy, especially at home.”

They played off it all the way to the playoff’s next round against an opponent that beat them in a three-game playoff series last season and won two of three regular-season games this year.

“We stood in there and took a lot of hits,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. “That’s probably the thing I’m proud about.”

“I know it impacted us,” Reeve said of the foul. “I know how we felt. We had to respond physically in this game, we knew that. That they were going to come after us and play in a way that would knock us off our stride.

“That’s probably the thing I’m most proud of. That we stood in there and we took a lot of hits.”

But the Lynx won the most recent encounter with the Sun when Carleton made a 30-foot shot with eight seconds left in last week’s 78-76 victory that clinched the second seed. It was her first WNBA game winner.

“It’s going to be competitive, two teams going at it, fighting for a chance to play in the championship and competing for a title,” she said. “So it’s going to be fun.”

The Sun is led by five-time WNBA All-Star Alyssa Thomas. The Lynx countered with an All-Star and MVP candidate of their own in Napheesa Collier, who scored 38 points in a Game 1 victory over Phoenix and 42 in Game 2.

The Lynx have the league’s second-best defensive rating, second only to the Sun.

“A.T. is a monster,” Carleton said. “They pressure the ball. They make things hard on you offensively, just trying to take care of the ball. They feed off that. They’re a physical defensive team. They’re going to bring it.”

The Sun needed all three games to defeat the Lynx in last year’s playoff series. They split the first two at home, then went on the road to Minnesota and won 90-75 to advance to the semifinals for the fifth consecutive season.

“We didn’t play very well in that Game 3, but having playoff experience now against them is big,” Carleton said. They’ve had some long runs in the playoffs for a number of years. So they’ve been here and they’re experienced. Hopefully, we can win the home games. That’s the big thing, especially now with a five-game series and three at home.”

Connecticut swept Indiana and WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark in two games on Wednesday. The Lynx will play host to games Sunday and Tuesday, then the series moves to Connecticut for games Friday and, if necessary, Sunday. Game 5 would be Oct. 8 at Target Center.

Now 42, Taurasi is expected to retire after this, her 20th season. She’s a three-time WNBA champion and two-time Finals MVP who fouled out with fewer than three minutes remaining. She didn’t speak to the media, but spent the postgame hugging people in the hallway and posing for pictures.

“She has done things the right way,” Carleton said. “I’m really impressed how good she still is. She still makes her team go. That’s what so special about her. Hopefully, she comes back another year because I love playing against her.”

Can Carleton see herself still playing at 42?

“Absolutely not, there’s no way,” she said. “I’m 27 and my body hurts. I can’t imagine how she’s feeling. It’s incredible.”