Lynx, Timberwolves roast Mercury, Suns amid 2024 playoff wins
09/26/2024 01:15 AM
The Minnesota Lynx completed a sweep of the Phoenix Mercury with a 101-88 win in Game 2 of their best-of-three first round series in the WNBA Playoffs. With the win, the Lynx have advanced to the semifinals against the Connecticut Sun, who have also swept Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever. After the game, the Lynx took to X, formerly Twitter, to celebrate their victory over the Mercury, which prompted the Timberwolves to join the fun, recalling their own recent first-round sweep of the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Playoffs.
“Tough year for Phoenix,” the Lynx’s official account posted. Following that, the Wolves’ official account quoted the Lynx’s tweet and gave a sly response.
A tale of two sweeps: Lynx def. Mercury, Timberwolves def. Suns
In their Game 2 victory, the Lynx’s Napheesa Collier tied a WNBA playoff record for points in a game, scoring 42. Breanna Stewart and Angel McCoughtry also hold the same record.
Collier also became the first player in WNBA history to score 38+ points in two straight playoff games. Moreover, she also set a new record for scoring the most points over two playoff games with 80.
Additionally, she also tied the three-time MVP A’ja Wilson‘s record for the longest playoff scoring streak in WNBA history, having scored at least 30 points in three consecutive playoff games. (She had scored 31 in a Game 3 loss to Connecticut last season.)
However, Collier wasn’t alone. Kayla McBride chipped in with 15 points, while Bridget Carleton and Alanna Smith each put up 12. Meanwhile, Courtney Williams scored 11 points, helping the Lynx comfortably eliminate the Mercury from the WNBA Playoffs.
The Lynx sweep of the Mercury mirrors the Timberwolves’ sweep of the Suns, whose Big 3 of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal could not overcome the Wolves’ team defense led by Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels.
Superstars doing superstar things
Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards starred in the series, leading his team in scoring with 31.0 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns contributed with 19.3 points.
Edwards also erupted for 40 points in Game 4 to clinch the sweep, a playoff career high he would surpass multiple times in their seven-game second-round battle with the Denver Nuggets.
All but one of the Timberwolves’ wins over the Suns were in double-digits, but the Suns might have put up a better fight had Bradley Beal averaged better than 16.5 points on 44.1% shooting.
Instead, he put up a stinker in Game 4, scoring only nine points on 4-13 shooting and slapping coach Frank Vogel’s hand away as he sat on the bench for the final time.
Can the Lynx also mirror the Timberwolves all the way to the WNBA Finals?
The post Lynx, Timberwolves roast Mercury, Suns amid 2024 playoff wins appeared first on ClutchPoints.
