The drive for five remains alive.

The Minnesota Lynx opened up a comfortable lead by halftime and played much better on defense to beat Connecticut 88-77 Tuesday night in the decisive Game 5 of their closely matched WNBA semifinal.

In front of a boisterous, towel-waving full lower deck in Target Center, Napheesa Collier led the Lynx with 27 points and 11 rebounds. Courtney Williams had a season-best 24 points to go with seven assists and five rebounds.

Aiming to become the first WNBA franchise with five crowns, second-seeded Minnesota begins the best-of-five finals Thursday in Brooklyn against the top-seeded New York Liberty, a franchise yet to claim a title.

The Lynx last appeared in the finals in 2017, winning their fourth title in seven seasons.

Game 2 is Sunday in Brooklyn with Game 3 next Wednesday in Target Center. If necessary, Game 4 is scheduled for Oct. 18 in downtown Minneapolis and Game 5 Oct. 20 in the Big Apple.

A top-notch defense has been the lynchpin of Lynx success this season, but in three of six prior postseason games Minnesota opponents have shot at least 50% from the field, a mark not reached during the 40-game regular season.

Before the game, coach Cheryl Reeve said the Lynx defense “will be (better) tonight.”

It was.

Playing against a more aggressive bunch, the Sun shot 38.5%, including a combined 7 for 29 in the middle two quarters. In Sunday’s Game 4, Connecticut shot 53.7% from the field. The Sun committed 19 turnovers Tuesday night.

Minnesota, which shot 49.3%, led 53-34 at intermission, the most first-half points allowed by Connecticut this season.

In an apt play to describe much of the two quarters, Williams fed Collier for a layup in traffic. With most of the 8,769 in attendance roaring, Collier and Williams both smiled widely and chest-bumped before Collier sank a free throw to complete the 3-point play for a 51-30 Lynx lead.

Getting out better in transition, the Lynx shot 55.3% in the first half, including 6 of 15 from 3. Williams had 15 points and four assists, and Kayla McBride found her stroke with 14 of her 19 points, including a couple of 3-pointers. A nearly 41% shooter from deep in the regular season, she was 5 for 17 in the series’ first four games.

Connecticut began the third quarter on a 7-0 run to get within 12 but did not score for the next 5:33. In that time, back-to-back-to-back baskets by Collier capped a 12-0 run for a 65-41 Lynx lead, their largest of the night.

A pair of treys from DeWanna Bonner got the Sun within 78-65 with 3:40 to play, but McBride scored on a drive and hit a 3 around a Sun basket for a 15-point Lynx lead.

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