On Whalen's night, Lynx battle back but fall just short

For a second day in a row, a Lynx game seemed to be over entering the fourth quarter. But unlike Saturday -- when Minnesota overcame a 10-point deficit in Chicago, storming back to win its third in a row -- on Sunday the home team's late-game comeback attempt fell just short as the New York Liberty posted its sixth consecutive victory, beating the Lynx 74-72 at Target Center.

"It was an unfortunate game, because we worked so hard to get a road win yesterday, and we wanted to come home and get this win," Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. "But we weren't on it. Our offensive game was stagnant, we didn't get the movement."

On a night when Lindsay Whalen bobbleheads wobbled in 2,500 fans' fists, and the former Gopher was recognized for her 2004 Final Four performance, the point guard looked ready to hit the court and show the crowd of 9,016 she still had it.

However, poor shooting by the Lynx (10-17) -- and a flurry of three-pointers from the Liberty (17-11) -- took them out of the game by the third quarter, despite Whalen's 18 points.

"It was great to see lots of fans out tonight," Whalen said of the spectators, many of whom wore Gophers attire and also honored the Liberty's Janel McCarville, the second half of the Gophers' 1-2 punch in 2004. "But when it's time to play, you just have to play your game."

The Lynx stayed with the Liberty through the start of the third quarter, despite strong play from New York's Nicole Powell, who finished with 21 points, including five three-pointers.

Rebekkah Brunson, who grabbed a season-high 18 rebounds, was unable to spur an offense that shot only 29.3 percent in the first half, which ended with the Lynx trailing 38-34.

Again, the Lynx showed a renewed energy, cutting the margin to five points and back within their grasp on a 22-foot three-pointer from Alexis Hornbuckle with just less than eight minutes left to play. Two free throws from Whalen and a driving layup by Monica Wright cut the difference to a point, before the Liberty responded with four points, and it seemed every shot the Lynx could manage was matched at the other end.

With 30 seconds left, Wright sank an 11-foot jumper from the right side of the key to bring it to 74-72, but the final possession ended with the team unable to find the equalizer.

"We just don't want to put ourselves in this situation to begin with," Whalen said of the late comebacks. "But we do keep fighting back, and we've done that a lot this season."