WNBA
Finals Game 3: Atlanta D. - Minnesota L. 77-86
Date: October 10, 2013
It wasn’t as easy this time, on the road. The Atlanta Dream was a little tougher than it had been. They were at home, after all, and there was pride involved. But it only delayed the inevitable. For the second time in three seasons, the Lynx are WNBA champions. Minnesota, locked in a physical battle early, used a 13-2 third-quarter spurt to beat the Dream 86-77 at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. The Lynx did enough to keep the Dream at bay down the stretch, giving them a three-game sweep in the WNBA Finals. And it was the end of a dominant postseason run. The Lynx, the team with the best record during the regular season, raced through the playoffs with a perfect 7-0 mark, becoming only the second team to do so since the finals went to a best-of-five format in 2005. Maya Moore, playing on the same court where she won three high school championships, led the way. In a performance that earned her the series MVP title, she scored 23 points — going 9-for-10 from the free-throw line — to lead a balanced Lynx team, with all five starters in double figures. Rebekkah Brunson, who became the league’s career rebounding leader in the finals (130) was strong, with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Guard Lindsay Whalen had 15 points and six assists. Janel McCarville had 10 points and four assists, including one that was as pretty as you’ll ever see. And Minnesota needed it all. Tiffany Hayes and Alex Bentley came off the bench to combine for 38 points as the Dream, blown out by 25 in each of the first two games in this series, played tough all night. Angel McCoughtry, 11-for-42 from the field in the first two games, scored 13 points. Erika de Souza added 12. Ultimately, the game turned on that third-quarter run. It began with the Lynx leading 47-42 after McCoughtry had scored with 7:50 left in the period. Brunson made one of two free throws. At the other end McCarville stole the ball, dribbled down the court, then sent a between-the-legs pass to Brunson who scored, was fouled and made the free throw. After McCoughtry scored again, Moore hit two free throws. A Whalen steal turned into two more free throws for Moore and the lead was 11. Brunson scored, then McCoughtry’s turnover turned into Monica Wright’s three-point play and the lead was 60-44. Atlanta didn’t go away. The Dream pulled within 10 by the end of the third. Multiple times in the fourth quarter, Atlanta got within seven. But each time the Lynx — with Seimone Augustus getting eight fourth-quarter points — did just enough. The way the game started, it appeared the Lynx would run the Dream out of the gym before halftime. In a sloppy first few moments, the Lynx — with McCarville scoring six points — ran to an early 13-3 lead. That lead was still at ten when, for a stretch, the Lynx stopped making shots and stopping defending in the post. The result: deSouza scored three consecutive times to kick-start a 10-5 Atlanta run that drew the Dream within 22-17 on Bentley’s three-pointer from the top of the key near the end of the quarter. But, fouled on a three-point attempt of her own with less than a second left in the quarter, Whalen hit all three free throws to make it 25-17. The second quarter was a completely different story, with the Lynx holding a 40-37 halftime lead. Courtesy of: startribune.com
Terms:
Field Goals : 2PM-A (2 point Field Goal made-attempts) 3PM-A (3 point Field Goal made-attempts) FTM-A (free throws made-attempt)
Rebounds : OFF (Offensive) DEF (Defensive) TOT (total)
Fouls : CM (Committed) RV (received)
Blocks : FV (In Favor) AG (Against)
Other terms : MIN (minutes) AST (assists) ST (steals) TO (Turnovers) PTS (points) RNK (ranking)
Finals Game 3: Atlanta D. - Minnesota L. 77-86
Date: October 10, 2013
It wasn’t as easy this time, on the road. The Atlanta Dream was a little tougher than it had been. They were at home, after all, and there was pride involved. But it only delayed the inevitable. For the second time in three seasons, the Lynx are WNBA champions. Minnesota, locked in a physical battle early, used a 13-2 third-quarter spurt to beat the Dream 86-77 at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. The Lynx did enough to keep the Dream at bay down the stretch, giving them a three-game sweep in the WNBA Finals. And it was the end of a dominant postseason run. The Lynx, the team with the best record during the regular season, raced through the playoffs with a perfect 7-0 mark, becoming only the second team to do so since the finals went to a best-of-five format in 2005. Maya Moore, playing on the same court where she won three high school championships, led the way. In a performance that earned her the series MVP title, she scored 23 points — going 9-for-10 from the free-throw line — to lead a balanced Lynx team, with all five starters in double figures. Rebekkah Brunson, who became the league’s career rebounding leader in the finals (130) was strong, with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Guard Lindsay Whalen had 15 points and six assists. Janel McCarville had 10 points and four assists, including one that was as pretty as you’ll ever see. And Minnesota needed it all. Tiffany Hayes and Alex Bentley came off the bench to combine for 38 points as the Dream, blown out by 25 in each of the first two games in this series, played tough all night. Angel McCoughtry, 11-for-42 from the field in the first two games, scored 13 points. Erika de Souza added 12. Ultimately, the game turned on that third-quarter run. It began with the Lynx leading 47-42 after McCoughtry had scored with 7:50 left in the period. Brunson made one of two free throws. At the other end McCarville stole the ball, dribbled down the court, then sent a between-the-legs pass to Brunson who scored, was fouled and made the free throw. After McCoughtry scored again, Moore hit two free throws. A Whalen steal turned into two more free throws for Moore and the lead was 11. Brunson scored, then McCoughtry’s turnover turned into Monica Wright’s three-point play and the lead was 60-44. Atlanta didn’t go away. The Dream pulled within 10 by the end of the third. Multiple times in the fourth quarter, Atlanta got within seven. But each time the Lynx — with Seimone Augustus getting eight fourth-quarter points — did just enough. The way the game started, it appeared the Lynx would run the Dream out of the gym before halftime. In a sloppy first few moments, the Lynx — with McCarville scoring six points — ran to an early 13-3 lead. That lead was still at ten when, for a stretch, the Lynx stopped making shots and stopping defending in the post. The result: deSouza scored three consecutive times to kick-start a 10-5 Atlanta run that drew the Dream within 22-17 on Bentley’s three-pointer from the top of the key near the end of the quarter. But, fouled on a three-point attempt of her own with less than a second left in the quarter, Whalen hit all three free throws to make it 25-17. The second quarter was a completely different story, with the Lynx holding a 40-37 halftime lead. Courtesy of: startribune.com
 ATLANTA D.77 |
| FIELD GOALS | REBOUNDS | FOULS | BLOCKS | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | NAME | MIN | 2PM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OFF | DEF | RB | AS | F | RV | ST | FV | AG | TO | PT | RNK | +/- |
| 88 | HRQQajDUIj, SQBajUaR | 44 | 3-9 (09.6%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5-8 (5%) | 6 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 63 | gR AIuJi, qQaVi | 48 | 0-66 (30.0%) | 5-5 (5%) | 8-3 (05%) | 4 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 68 | 2 | 5 |
| 34 | WallajDhiB, vR'CIR | 45 | 5-8 (5%) | 5-6 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| bZCIuDhUQF, SjDRl | 82 | 4-7 (44.4%) | 8-0 (35%) | 6-6 (655%) | 6 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 64 | 0 | 5 | |
| 60 | HiFRs, waffijF | 81 | 6-0 (85%) | 3-1 (11.9%) | 1-7 (11.9%) | 6 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 85 | 62 | 5 |
| 8 | mRjUlRF, SlRx | 80 | 3-7 (33.3%) | 4-0 (15%) | 6-6 (655%) | 8 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 62 | 64 | 5 |
| 0 | whIBis, zisBajR | 61 | 6-3 (80%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 8 | -8 | 5 |
| 64 | HRjQF, SjRaVi | 65 | 8-3 (05%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| wIUil | 85-06 (47.8%) | 7-69 (08.7%) | 65-69 (02.2%) | 2 | 86 | 87 | 62 | 85 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 61 | 99 | 04 | |||
 MINNESOTA L.86 |
| FIELD GOALS | REBOUNDS | FOULS | BLOCKS | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | NAME | MIN | 2PM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OFF | DEF | RB | AS | F | RV | ST | FV | AG | TO | PT | RNK | +/- |
| 48 | mQujsIj, eRMRVVih | 49 | 0-66 (30.0%) | 5-5 (5%) | 0-9 (96.3%) | 8 | 65 | 68 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 60 | 69 | 5 |
| 44 | SuDusUus, ARaBIjR | 49 | 1-66 (03.0%) | 5-8 (5%) | 8-8 (655%) | 5 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 63 | 68 | 5 |
| WhilRj, vajdsiF | 44 | 4-0 (15%) | 5-5 (5%) | 7-66 (26.2%) | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 60 | 62 | 5 | |
| 84 | bIIQR, biFi | 46 | 3-1 (11.9%) | 8-0 (35%) | 7-65 (75%) | 6 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 84 | 61 | 5 |
| 3 | bZCiQLallR, zijRl | 89 | 0-1 (24.4%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 65 | 65 | 5 |
| 88 | WQaDhU, bIjaZi | 83 | 3-2 (05%) | 5-5 (5%) | 6-6 (655%) | 5 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 5 |
| 63 | ORURQs, gRLRQRiux | 66 | 5-6 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 8 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| ziQQF, eiZhRl | gXO - CIiZh's gRZasaIj | |||||||||||||||||
| 60 | eIdDRQs, AuDiQ | gXO - CIiZh's gRZasaIj | ||||||||||||||||
| 5 | bIIQR, vajdsRF | gXO - CIiZh's gRZasaIj | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | HiQQas, SBMRQ | 5 | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| wIUil | 89-32 (01.4%) | 8-9 (82.1%) | 81-46 (24.7%) | 0 | 80 | 45 | 61 | 69 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 64 | 21 | 26 | |||
Terms:
Field Goals : 2PM-A (2 point Field Goal made-attempts) 3PM-A (3 point Field Goal made-attempts) FTM-A (free throws made-attempt)
Rebounds : OFF (Offensive) DEF (Defensive) TOT (total)
Fouls : CM (Committed) RV (received)
Blocks : FV (In Favor) AG (Against)
Other terms : MIN (minutes) AST (assists) ST (steals) TO (Turnovers) PTS (points) RNK (ranking)
