Lynx vs. Mercury, 9 p.m.
Talking Stick Resort Arena
League Pass, BOB 106.1
Only 1.5 games separate the second-place Mercury from the sixth-place Lynx, and it sure would be nice to shrink that gap. Minnesota and Phoenix have had some battles this year, with each winning on their opponent’s home court. If that trend continues, the Lynx could be in a great position to climb the standings.
But it won’t be easy. Phoenix’s inside-out duo of Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi both average 20.6 points per game, making them the highest-scoring duo in the WNBA. Outside of those two and forward DeWanna Bonner, the Mercury don’t get much scoring from anyone else on the roster, but that trio is enough of a threat to make Phoenix a dangerous squad.
To some extent, you need to assume that Griner and Taurasi will be productive, so shutting down Bonner will be key. In Minnesota’s win, Bonner scored eight points, in their loss she scored 24, I’ll let you do the math on that one.
Phoenix is an odd team. They move the ball well, but most of their shots end up in the hands of one of their three stars. They have a great record, but advanced stats aren’t kind to them. They’re one of the worst rebounding teams in the league, and they don’t have the most efficient offense. They have a decent defense, but it’s nowhere close to as good as Minnesota’s.
The Mercury are a perfect example of why it’s dangerous to rely too much on stats. Get caught sleeping on them and they’ll make you pay for it. They’ve been gutting out games and finding ways to win all season, and they’re not about to stop now.
Sylvia Fowles was phenomenal against the Fever, and she’ll need to continue that against stiffer competition in Griner. Maya Moore will also need to be at her best—even if her shot isn’t falling like has been the case lately she needs to stay zoned in on defense and contain Bonner. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Lynx use Cecelia Zandalasini as well to try to put a little bit of length on Bonner.
This should be a great game and features several players that are always a ton of fun to watch. It’s a late tipoff for a West Coast game, so if your Saturday night ends up being more of a night off than a night out, tune in and support your team.
Starting Lineups:
Lynx: PG—Whalen, SG—Augustus, SF—Moore, PF—Brunson, C—Fowles
Mercury: PG—January, SG—Taurasi, SF—Bonner, PF—Little, C—Griner
Injuries:
Lynx: No injuries to report.
Mercury: No injuries to report.