Lindsay Whalen scored the Lynx's last seven points of the game, two on a rebound of her own miss with one second left, as the visitors held on to beat the Washington Mystics 79-77 at the Verizon Center.
Whalen's late basket enables Lynx to edge Washington
The Lynx played great basketball for a half, then apparently thought the game was over. A 24-point lead early in the third quarter vanished, but they won by two to go 5-0.
May 31, 2012 at 11:40AM
The Lynx led by 20 points at halftime, 51-31, and led by as many as 24 points early in the third quarter at 59-35 with 3:24 gone. But the Mystics starting hitting shots, forcing turnovers and stopping the Lynx in the second half.
The Mystics (1-2) took their first lead of the game at 74-73 with just over three minutes left on Michelle Snow's basket underneath.
Whalen, who had four points at the time, answered with a baseline jumper to put the Lynx ahead by one. Then she made one of two free throws, two free throws and finally drove to the basket, missed, but got the rebound and scored to break a 77-all tie.
The Mystics, of course, called timeout while Whalen celebrated with a big hand pump near mid-court.
Washington still had one tick of the clock left, but a long three-point attempt by center Ashley Robinson was blocked.
The victory continued several Lynx winning streaks:
* They are 5-0, matching the franchise's best start in 2008.
* They have won 11 in a row going back to last year's playoffs
* They have won seven in a row on the road
The Lynx shot 56 percent, the fourth time they have shot more than 50 percent this season. They outrebounded Washington 37-28, especially crucial were three offensive rebounds in a row when they ran off more than one minute on the clock late in the game.
Maya Moore and Rebekkah Brunson led the Lynx with 16 points, Seimone Augustus had 15 and Whalen 11. Those are four of the team's starters.
Taj McWilliams-Franklin, the fifth starter, had only two points in 16 minutes, 21 seconds. She left the game with assistance in the third quarter holding her back and didn't return. The Mystics announcers said she was having back spasms.
CHICAGO WINS AT SAN ANTONIO
Center Sylvia Fowles had 23 points and 12 rebounds and guard Epiphanny Price had 22 points as Chicago won at San Antonio 77-63, spoiling the Silver Stars' home opener.
Becky Hammon had 21 for the home team.
Fowles has been amazingly consistent so far. Here are her stats the first three games:
* 23 points, 12 rebounds
* 21 points, 10 rebounds
* 23 points, 12 rebounds
WEST: HAVES AND HAVE NOTS
The Lynx (5-0) and L.A. (4-1) are atop the Western Conference with winning records, but the other four teams have two wins between them.
Phoenix and San Antonio are 1-2, Seattle 0-3 and Tulsa 0-4.
Detroit receiver Jameson Williams is giving future opponents – including a certain team from the Twin Cities – cause for concern as the race for the division title and No. 1 seed comes down to the wire.
