Minnesota claimed Game 2 of the WNBA semifinals over Connecticut by edging the Sun in a carbon copy of each of the previous meetups between the two teams this season: Physical, defensive-based slobber-knockers.

Game 3 in Connecticut was different.

Minnesota baffled the Sun with its movement-based offense for much of the night, exploding on that end of the floor for a 90-81 victory to claim a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series. Minnesota could potentially clinch a spot in the WNBA Finals with a win in Game 4 Sunday back in Connecticut.

Alyssa Thomas, #25 of the Connecticut Sun, is defended by Natisha Hiedeman, #2 of the Minnesota Lynx ,during the first half of Game Three of the WNBA playoff semifinals at Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024 in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)

It will do so if its offense is as efficient as it was Friday. The Lynx shot 57 percent from the field in the win. Napheesa Collier, who was relatively bottled up for the first couple of games of the semifinals, again showed herself to be one of the league’s top players. She finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds.

Four of Minnesota’s five starters scored in double figures, with Courtney Williams tallying 16 points.

Likely in search of more offense after stalling out on that end in Game 2, Connecticut opted to stick with center Brionna Jones for much more of Friday’s contest after playing Jones sparingly in Minnesota. It worked for the Sun in the sense that Jones finished with 21 points. But those lineup combinations made Connecticut’s defense slower and less versatile.

The Lynx ate it up. For the first time all season, Minnesota made Connecticut’s league-best defense appear, well, defenseless. The Sun tried blitzing Minnesota’s pick and rolls, which led to a rolling Collier dissecting the defense for easy buckets. Then the Sun tried switching the actions, and Collier scored over smaller defenders.

Collier’s dominance eventually led to open looks for others. The Lynx scored 48 points in the first half alone. Minnesota picked a great time to return to its beautiful movement-based, ball-sharing offense that had Connecticut on its heels all evening. Nearly every shot was of high quality, and the Lynx knocked more than enough of them down.

Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams (10) shoots over Connecticut Sun guard Veronica Burton during the first half of a WNBA basketball semifinal game, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in Uncasville, Conn. (Jessica Hill / Associated Press)

And Connecticut had no way to respond on the other end, especially on a night where sharpshooter Marina Mabrey went a meager 1 for 11 from beyond the arc, missing her first nine shots from deep. The Sun’s shooting threats are sparse. The fact Mabrey wasn’t hitting allowed Minnesota to pack in even tighter.

Minnesota led by 14 early in the final frame. But Connecticut made enough shots to stay on the fringe of striking distance until Collier finally landed the knockout blow late. With Minnesota leading by eight with three minutes to play, the star forward drilled an 8-footer to re-extend the lead to 10. On the ensuing defensive possession, Collier collected a steal, then found Alanna Smith on the other end for a triple to put the Lynx up 13 with just more than two minutes to play.

Goodnight, Connecticut.

Only one win — 40 minutes of basketball – stands between Minnesota and the WNBA Finals.

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