Connecticut Sun vs. Minnesota Lynx | FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS | September 29, 2024

Minnesota wearing black and the bright orange uniforms. Mabry, who has been coming off the bench really for the first time in her career. Even though she says she doesn't love to run the point, she's been really good at it. Yeah, she has. She has embraced it and playing it in Cheryl Reeves' system has been perfect. And speaking of perfect, the shooting form. McBride now in her 11th year out of Notre Dame. Lana Bonner banks one in to get things started for Connecticut. WNBA champion as well. Did that with the Phoenix Mercury. Carlton. What a renaissance for Bridget Carlton. And what you see is working right now for Minnesota offensively is the side ball screen action with the curl. And for the Connecticut Sun, who other than Minnesota bringing a double team to Alyssa Thomas. Carlton saw some daylight, took it, and put it home. She's got four points already. Doing what she does best, using her body to get position on the glass, in particular on the offensive glass. Chance for a three-point play. Just keep going. Collier certainly put up MVP numbers herself. Thomas takes contact better than anybody. You can bounce off of her. It starts at the five, but she can stretch the floor. All-time players for Connecticut have to be ready to guard outside. Get it inside. Thomas loves to find that target. Two offensive rebounds for Connecticut early in this one. Getting another opportunity, and they need it because their offense is not as efficient as Minnesota's. Mabry gets the first three, and that is one of the most significant mid-season trades of all time. It's been excellent. Just a magical fit for an offense with a Connecticut Sun that needed three-point shootings. Speaking of threes, the Canadian knocks one down. Bridget Carlton. Connecticut is number one in the WNBA in three-point field goal percentage, so when you get a look, you've got to knock it down. She's 0-for-4 from the floor is Smith. There's that one-handed push shot. I said that she does want her to start hunting her shots more. That's a great play to save it, but it goes into the backcourt. McGry tries to stop Carrington, but just flies by her as Dijonet gets it. Shot clock again getting really skinny. It's up to Fee. Shot, and she got it right as the shot clock expired. We've got two brilliant coaches in this series. It's going to be so fun to watch the adjustments and all the matchups. Yeah, we've got two of the best. When you're playing in a series against a team like Connecticut, you've got to match body for body, and she can play with the best. Wow, shot clock winding down as well as anybody in this league. It's patience. I mean, we just heard Stephanie White say, we're just rotating the ball. We're using both sides of the floor. When the shot clock is winding down and you can still score, that's a good sign. Good drive there by Heideman. You're seeing from Connecticut offensively, but Mabry does have a little bit of a green light to take some shots early in the clock. Shot by Burton. Now Courtney Williams up court quickly to McBride who beats Carrington. Collier with the mismatch against Burton. Wants the ball, finally gets it, kicks it out to Carlton. You can't help off of her. Good transition defense here by Connecticut. Collier now with Carrington on her, and that's all she wrote. You don't want to have to switch. For the sun. K-Map. In and out. Good play by Smith to keep the possession alive. Williams showing the quickness and found Smith out of the corner of her eye. That's her three-point play. Thought to Connecticut. I thought some of the early shots that Stephanie let her come in and just cool down a little bit on the bench, but here she goes. That's what Mabry can do for you. That's why they got her from Chicago. Seven-point lead coming into the second quarter. Into a three-point disadvantage for Connecticut. Bonner still got some quicks. WNBA playoff record by playing in her 83rd playoff game. One more than Wheezy. Lindsay Whalen. Much needed momentum here for two years ago, played a training camp contract, played nine games in Indiana, cut her, and Indiana was not good two years ago. Another block by Smith right there. Carrington able to clean it up, however. Yeah, Atlanta Smith has career highs in points, blocks, steals, three-point field goal percentage, but it's her instincts on defense that impress me. Mid-range menace. Known for making tough twos. Mabry, just enough room to nail the three. Just the intuitiveness of her defense. A couple of blocks named to the second team all-defensive squad today. There's the shot put that goes in for Thomas. We are on triple-double watch. She has had more triple-doubles against Minnesota than any other franchise in her career. McBride nails it. Another rebound for Smith. McBride cut off by Carrington. And then a nice dribble to get herself three. Carrington cutting to the basket, but they decide to get it back to Jones who gets a nice look. We saw Alyssa Thomas hit that free-throw jumper, really not what she prefers. Bree Jones would rather have two feet to paint, so that's a lower percentage look. And the ball. Thomas not expecting the pass. Now the shot. They need one for Mabry. Come on! Usually she hits at a 40% clip, which was in the top 15 in the league. Bonner slipped, but was able to get it over in time to Thomas. One-on-one in those situations. And then offensively, she said, still be aggressive. Look for your shot. Remember at shoot-around today, she said, look. Mabry zips it across to Burton. And Burton knocks the shot down. Without Collier in the game, they will look for Pig Ride to be a primary scorer here. But Connecticut knows that as well with the trap. Yep. Hines-Allen. Wow. A little bit of explosion. Hines-Allen comes up to set a screen. Williams for three. Fancy stuff by Collier. Oh, just short at the rim for Nafisa. Mabry keeping them in the game. Burton landed on Smith's feet. She was a little gimpy, but seems okay now. Harrington cleans up the Mabry miss. Shot clock down to four. Smith rebounded her own miss. Collier saves the day. You got to be willing to do the little things, like offensive rebound. First points for the Lynx in this quarter. Bonner finally gets a three to fall. And what a big one it is. You want to move the ball. That's Stephanie White's key. Eight rebounds for Smith. Makes it look so easy. Smooth. Thomas bottled up by Smith, but was able to find Carrington. Collier. Blocked by Bonner. Two on one. Carrington to Bonner. Unselfish. And they finish. Mabry. Mabry has been better shooting from three than she has from two tonight. Carlton attacks the basket. They've been very good when they've moved the ball and taken their time to find a good shot. Thomas goes in. Just kidding. Yeah. Carlton inbounds. Long pass to Smith. Collier slipped the screen and got the ball. Drawn up by Cheryl Reed. Three players far away from the basket for Connecticut. Thomas Cooley. She's going to pull it out. Now they're going to need a three. Well, short. And the Connecticut Sun hang on and get one in Minnesota.