Sports

Lynx pummel Indiana on boards, force 24 turnovers

The WNBA Finals is tied at 1-1 after the Lynx clobbered Indiana 83-71 on Wednesday at Target Center.

By Roman Augustoviz

October 18, 2012 at 11:27AM

That was fun, wasn't it?

Unless, of course, you were rooting for Indiana.

The Lynx beat the Fever 83-71 on Wednesday at a raucous Target Center. Unlike Sunday, the home team gave 13,500 fans something to cheer about.

There was boardwork. By committee. Each starter had at least four rebounds and backup post Devereaux Peters had five, too. The results was a 32-20 dominance by the home team.

There was shooting. Seimone Augustus took the game over at times. Fever coach Lin Dunn said No. 33 could win a game by herself. And she was a big reason the Lynx won. She had 23 of her 27 points after halftime.

Lindsay Whalen also was good, six of nine, including two for two behind the arc, for 14 points.

Maya Moore chipped in with 23 points. She made three of six three-point attempts.

There was defense. The Lynx hounded Indiana into 24 turnovers -- eight more than the home team had. Guard Monica Wright had five of the Lynx's 16 steals. Cheryl Reeve and Indiana star Tamika Catchings, who matched Augustus with 27 points, said Wright's defense was the key to the Lynx win.

Wright only had two points, but was aggressive. She picked up four fouls.

Indiana, known for its defense, only had nine steals.

There were entertaining moments throughout the game. Here are three that stuck out for me:

* Reeve's sideline tantrum, of course. Upset by a technical foul on Lindsay Whalen -- who was complaining about not getting a foul call -- the Lynx coach went a little crazy. Taking off her jackets and throwing it -- right at assistant Shelley Patterson. Big Jim Peterson, he still has to be 6-10, had to hold Reeve back from charging onto the floor. Good theater.

* Augustus' coast-to-coast basket. Near the baseline, she intercepted a Fever pass on the defensive side of the court for the Lynx. And she starts dribbling, and dribbling. Past one, two Fever players all the way down the lane on the other end and scores. Basketball announcers call that going coast-to-coast.

* In the second half, Taj McWilliams-Franklin made a special. As she was going out of bounds -- with a ball she was chasing -- she threw it backwards, through her legs. The ball hit a Fever player, who had no time to react, and went out of bounds. Lynx ball, the referee said.

What was your game highlight? Lots to pick from.

I predicted the Lynx would sweep Indiana if Katie Douglas doesn't play in the series for the Fever -- she hasn't the first two games -- or win in four if she does. Now after two games, I am changing my mind.

The finals will go five games, with the Lynx splitting in Indiana and winning Game 5 at Target Center next Wednesday. I don't want this series to end. It's too thrilling.

ETC.

* Indiana has already sold 12,000 tickets for Game 3 on Friday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Hopes there are for a sellout crowd of 18,000.

* Douglas, the Fever's second-leading scorer, has missed the first two games of the league finals with a sprained left ankle. But Indiana coach Lin Dunn said she is hopeful one of the league's best three-point shooters will play Friday.