Analysis: Second-half switch-ups propel Minnesota Lynx past Phoenix Mercury

The No. 1-seeded Lynx have set plenty of commendable records this season, sure. But in the first half of Game 1 of the WNBA semifinals against Phoenix on Sunday at Target Center, the Lynx were “setting records in the wrong direction,” coach Cheryl Reeve said.

Phoenix had scored 42 of its 47 first-half points in the paint, a league record for a half in a playoff game. Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas had put up nine triple-doubles this season — more than double the number any WNBA player has completed in a career — and looked well on her way to another. She had 16 points, four assists and four rebounds in the first half, “the Engine” finding little Lynx resistance when she drove to the basket.

And yet the Lynx were down only seven points. Minnesota’s defense changed its tune in the second half, holding Phoenix to 22 points, the second-fewest allowed in a playoff half in franchise history, and the Lynx came away with an 82-69 win to go up 1-0 in the best-of-five series.

Three keys led to the Lynx setting records in the right direction:

Before Game 1, Reeve compared the flat screen that Phoenix likes to run for Thomas — set near the top of the key, with the screener’s back to the baseline — to the Philadelphia Eagles’ controversial “tush push,“ in reference to its physical nature and weak tie to the rules.

“We’ll see how it goes for us, but if it doesn’t go well for us, we’re going be petitioning to get that out of our league,” Reeve joked, including a profanity and, on the way out, throwing a “Go Eagles” over her shoulder in reference to her hometown team.

The Lynx could have started drafting the petition at halftime. But what Reeve called a “collaborative” film review led to more double-teaming of Thomas and defensive tweaks for guard Courtney Williams, who also scored a game-high 23 points.

Phoenix shot just 9-for-36 from the field in the second half, its shots forced farther out as the game progressed. The Mercury finished just 3-for-23 from three-point distance. Thomas was held to two more points. Williams snagged four of her season-high five steals in the second half.

“I just follow my instincts,” Williams said. “So if I see a moment, just instinctually, I go. Sometimes it don’t always work out, but it worked out tonight.”

Maria Kliundikova — or “Masha” — played only four minutes in the Lynx’s first-round series against Golden State, all late in a 101-72 blowout of the Valkyries. But with reserve guard DiJionai Carrington ruled out for the rest of the season because of a left foot sprain, Kliundikova was third off the Lynx bench Sunday.

The 6-4 Russian center played nearly the entire fourth quarter, in which a Bridget Carleton fadeaway jumper gave the Lynx the lead, 61-59, with 9:17 to go.

In eight minutes, Kliundikova scored four points, grabbed four rebounds, made two steals and won a key jump ball while matched up against Thomas. Her plus-minus of 14 was the second-highest on the team.

BOXSCORE: Lynx 82, Mercury 69

“We just got to the point where we felt like we just needed something different,” Reeve said. “Her eight minutes were the best eight minutes of the game.”

Kliundikova, 27, is in her second WNBA stint, having played overseas after two seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks, who drafted her in 2018.

“I’m always really proud of Mash,” guard Kayla McBride said. “It’s hard coming off the bench and playing only eight minutes. But she really gave us a jolt towards the end, and it’s just nice knowing that we’re built that way and we can have anybody step up any time.”

Rebounding was a frequent area of improvement — or frustration, take your pick — emphasized by the Lynx last season. Their opponents held a slight edge in average rebounding, 35.3-34.3, in 2024, according to stats from Basketball Reference.

“When you’re in a series, you just value possessions so much more,” McBride said. “Cheryl’s really called on us, too, as guards, to make sure we’re getting in there.”

McBride shook her head and laughed sheepishly. “I know she did, for me. She sent me a whole statistic of my rebounding. There was a lot of red on there.”

Heading into Sunday’s game, the Lynx had yet to face a healthy Phoenix with the complete set of its “Big Three” — Satou Sabally, Kahleah Copper and Thomas. The four regular-season matchups were all played by July 16. So halftime was the first chance to adjust to this series’ matchup.

“Think about the worst moments of the game for us, you know, which was most of the first half,” Reeve said. “You didn’t go back to the locker room with people blaming. They went right into listening.”