Lynx-Sun Game 5 preview: One game at Target Center for a trip to the WNBA Finals

Second round, best-of-five series

Game 1, Sept. 29: Sun 73, Lynx 70, at Target Center

Game 2, Oct. 1: Lynx 77, Sun 70, at Target Center

Game 3, Friday: Lynx 90, Connecticut 81, Mohegan Sun Arena

Game 4, Sunday: Sun 92, Lynx 82, Mohegan Sun Arena

Game 5, Tuesday: at Target Center, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)

Opening bell: In only the third Game 5 in Lynx history — they are 2-1, with all three coming at home (the finals in 2015, 2016 and 2017) — the Lynx and Sun will finish a series that has been evenly matched from the start. Through four games the Lynx have scored 319 points, the Sun 316. The Lynx have hit 28 threes, the Sun 25. Both teams have gained splits on the other’s home court. The Sun is 0-2 in Game 5s, both away, losing in the finals at Washington in 2019, and in the semifinals at Las Vegas in 2020. In Sunday’s 92-82 victory, Sun guard Ty Harris made her first start since injuring her ankle in the first round of the playoffs and scored a team-high 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting, making four of five three-pointers.

Watch her: Napheesa Collier continued her marvelous postseason Sunday. The problem was she didn’t get enough help. She scored 29 points with 13 rebounds, three assists and a block. She is shooting 53.4% and averaging 27.2 points and 9.3 rebounds in six playoff games. She has two 25-point, 10-rebound, 1-block games in this postseason and three in her career.

Injuries: Sun G Tiffany Mitchell (illness) is out.

Forecast: The right to play this game at home was what the Lynx worked so hard for during the regular season. Don’t expect them to waste the opportunity.