They began as if painfully aware of Minnesota sports history, as if they spent the afternoon dreaming of Gary Anderson's too-easy-to-miss field goal attempt and Brett Favre's Big Easy interception.
The Lynx started the biggest game in franchise history as if flop sweat prevented them from gripping the basketball but not their throats.
Five minutes into the deciding game of their first-round playoff series against San Antonio, the Lynx were trailing 10-2 and their coach was angrily calling a timeout, and jaded observers if not the participants were imagining another upset to add to Minnesota's sordid sports lore.
Not to worry. From that timeout on, the Lynx turned nerves into nerve, playing in the manner that earned the top seed in the WNBA playoffs. Minnesota whipped San Antonio 85-67 to advance to the Western Conference finals by displaying a withering combination of brawn and finesse, as two Minnesota governors -- Mark Dayton and Jesse Ventura -- cheered from the stands.
After the postgame handshakes, a few Lynx players remained on court, as is their custom, and danced. If you haven't attended a Lynx game, that might sound silly. If you have, you'll recognize those moments as symbolic of the relaxed, open nature of the players and this team, as just about everybody in the announced crowd of 8,734 stayed and cheered, erupting when rookie forward Maya Moore yelled, "It's not over yet!"
Minutes later, Lynx post Taj McWilliams-Franklin was asked whether she felt a sense of accomplishment or relief after a tenser-than-it-should-have-been three-game series.
"I think it's both," she said. "It's an accomplishment for the Minnesota Lynx, the organization and for [owner] Mr. Glen Taylor and the fans of Minnesota.
"And it's a relief because the Minnesota Lynx has never won a playoff series. So we're relieved.
