Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said that a strong second half by her team on Saturday night in San Francisco was the byproduct of a combination of things.
“I think we were a little more diligent about playing Lynx basketball,” Reeve told reporters after the game, “and that is making quicker decisions and playing off our defense. And Natisha [Hiedeman] was a one-person show for a while.”
With DiJonai Carrington sidelined by a shoulder injury and Alanna Smith resting, the Lynx got a big lift from Hiedeman, who scored a game-high 24 points off the bench and was 6-of-10 on three-pointers to defeat the Golden State Valkyries 78-72 before an announced sellout crowd of 18,064 at Chase Center.
Hiedeman sparked a turnaround by the Lynx in the third quarter as she scored nine points in a 70-second span, fueling a 16-0 run by the Lynx over the final 3 minutes, 48 seconds of the period.
The Lynx (33-9), who have clinched the top seed in the WNBA playoffs but were only 4-4 in their previous eight games, trailed by five at halftime and were down 52-45 when Napheesa Collier started the comeback with a three-pointer. A layup by Jessica Shepard got the Lynx within two before Hiedeman was fouled on a three-point attempt.
The foul by Veronica Burton was ruled a flagrant and Hiedeman made all three free throws to give the Lynx a 53-52 lead — their first lead since 13-11 midway through the first quarter. Shepard scored again to make it 55-52 with 1:35 remaining. Hiedeman then hit consecutive threes in the final minute of the period.
“It was a team effort,” Hiedeman said. “Anybody can have a hot hand on any night.”
The Lynx outscored Golden State 30-16 in the third quarter and took a nine-point lead into the fourth. The Lynx led by nine with four minutes remaining. But the Valkyries, who are the first WNBA expansion team to clinch a playoff spot in their inaugural season, responded with a 12-5 run — with seven points from Burton — to pull within 74-72 with 45 seconds to play.
