Lynx hoping for big crowds in WNBA Finals like last season

Lynx officials are optimistic that the crowds for the WNBA Finals will be bigger than they have been for the first two rounds.

Last year, the Lynx averaged just under 10,000 fans (9,845) for the three games in the first two rounds. This season through three games -- two in the conference semifinals and one in the conference finals just like last year -- the Lynx are averaging 8,583.

That's a pretty significant dropoff, more than 1,200.

But there's hope. The WNBA Finals are next, starting Sunday, and the Lynx will have at least two home games. The first two games in the best-of-five series are at Target Center, Sunday and the following Wednesday..

"Tickets are selling well, but I don't have an exact number,:" a Lynx spokesperson said.

There is something to be said of a team's first run to a WNBA championship, especially one so unexpected. There is a little magic there. A desire to root for the hometown underdog.

This year, everything is different. The Lynx are the defending champions, had the best record in the league at 27-7 for a second year. And most league observers, before the playoffs began, picked them to win the title again.

Hard to say. What is certain is the Lynx will have to sell a lot of tickets to come close to last year's numbers when they averaged almost 12,000.

Here is how the Lynx drew in the 2011 WNBA Finals:

Western Conference Semifinals

Lynx 66, San Antonio 65 ... Att--11,891

Lynx 85, San Antonio 67 ... Att--8,734

Lynx 95, Phoenix 67 ... Att--8,912

WNBA Finals

Lynx 88, Atlanta 74 ... Att--15,258

Lynx 101, Atlanta 95 ... Att--15,124

Comments: Playoff opener drew well, but then there was a dropoff in Games 2 and 3.The first three games drew 29,537, for an average of 9,846.

And here are the turnstile numbers so far:

Western Conference Semifinals

Lynx 78, Seattle 70 ... Att--9,213

Lynx 73, Seattle 72 .... Att--8,023

Western Conference Finals

Comments: Playoff opener has had the largest crowd so far. Through three games, Lynx have drawn 25,749, that's 3,788 fewer than last season through three games and two rounds of the playoffs. They are averaging 8,583 or 1,263 fewer than last season.

STEADY SEIMONE

Seimone Augustus scored a team-high 21 points on Sunday as the Lnx beat Los Angeles 80-79 at Staples Center. The win clinched a spot in the WNBA Finals for the Lynx and was only the fifth win in franchise history in that arena.

"She was huge for our team," Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. "She had some decent opportunities like I knew she would be getting against a zone. She would make a three and next be in the lane shooting a runner. She is just steady."

LAST WORD