Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier scored 27 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as she helped the team eliminate the Connecticut Sun in Game 5 of their semifinals matchup on Tuesday.
The Lynx topped the Sun, 88-77, to advance to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2017.
Collier, the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, also had four blocks.
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“She’s improved every season. She’s just been incredible. Every game, it’s more than scoring how she helps our team,” Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve said. “When she plays like the MVP, we’re tough to beat.”
Courtney Williams added 24 points after making her first six shots, and Kayla McBride contributed 19.
“When you start a game like that, you kind of know the hoop’s feeling big, you’ve got the super green light,” Williams said. “I think that’s the confidence that Cheryl gives us.”
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Minnesota jumped out to a 21-point lead in the second quarter and never really looked back.
“They just kind of punched us in the face, and we got shellshocked and then we couldn’t fight back,” Sun star DeWanna Bonner said.
The Lynx will now take on the New York Liberty in hopes of winning a fifth WNBA title.
The Liberty have never won a WNBA championship but have built a super team with Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones, who helped them to 32 wins for the second straight season.
New York knocked off the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces to get to the finals.
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