How Phoenix reached the WNBA Finals, Indiana forced semifinals Game 5

The Phoenix Mercury are headed to the WNBA Finals. The Indiana Fever and Las Vegas Aces volition play 1 much crippled to find which squad volition look the Mercury.

No. 4 effect Phoenix overcame a 14-point shortage to destruct the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx with an 86-81 triumph connected Sunday and beforehand to the Finals for the archetypal clip since 2021.

The Lynx dominated the standings passim the play but mislaid back-to-back games successful Phoenix, including a arguable ending to Friday's Game 3, erstwhile prima Napheesa Collier was injured. Collier missed Sunday's deciding game, arsenic did Lynx manager Cheryl Reeve, who was suspended aft getting ejected Friday and blasting officials successful her postgame quality conference.

On the different broadside of the bracket, the Fever bushed the Aces 85-77 to force their semifinal bid to Game 5 connected Tuesday (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2).

Here's however Phoenix won, and what to expect successful the decisive Indiana-Las Vegas game.

MORE: Schedule | Coaching carousel | Offseason guide

(1) Minnesota Lynx vs.
(4) Phoenix Mercury

Final: Phoenix 86, Minnesota 81

What the triumph means for Phoenix

The jubilation of winning the bid and advancing to the franchise's archetypal WNBA Finals successful 4 years besides comes with a suspiration of relief. Playing against the injury-laden Lynx, the Mercury got disconnected to a dilatory start, missing their archetypal six tract extremity attempts, giving Minnesota a motion of beingness it didn't look to person aft the extremity of Friday's game. But different 4th fourth comeback saved Phoenix from a instrumentality travel to Minnesota and a deciding Game 5.

Down by 14 successful the archetypal fractional and 13 entering the 4th quarter, Phoenix dominated the 4th fourth for a 3rd consecutive game. Behind 5 3-pointers, including 2 important heavy shots from DeWanna Bonner, the Mercury outscored Minnesota 31-13 successful the last 10 minutes.

It was the Mercury's 2nd 14-point comeback successful the series. Alyssa Thomas was large successful the fourth, scoring 10 of her 23 points. She besides assisted connected a Sami Whitcomb 3-pointer that brought Phoenix wrong 70-69 with 4:47 to play, and Bonner's 2nd 3 that pushed the pb to 77-73 with 2:02 remaining.

Reaching the Finals is simply a testament to the occupation wide manager Nick U'Ren did successful the offseason. He wholly revamped the roste...