The Connecticut Sun defeated the Minnesota Lynx 73-70 on Sunday night. The Sun now lead the semifinals series 1-0. One of the primary goals for Connecticut is to contain Lynx star Napheesa Collier. Sun star Alyssa Thomas was asked about defending Collier after the game, via Noa Dalzell of SB Nation.
"She's going to keep attacking you," Thomas said of defending Collier. "She moves around a lot... Team effort. Coming into this series, she was hot, really hot. And I think we did a great job tonight."
Thomas credited a team effort for the Sun's defense against Collier. Collier ultimately recorded 19 points to lead Minnesota. She went 6-17 from the field and 0-2 from beyond the arc. Collier also turned the ball over four times.
Although Connecticut did not completely contain Collier, who finished second in 2024 WNBA MVP voting and won the Defensive Player of the Year Award, they were able to make her work hard for everything on the floor.
Connecticut will continue to rely on the defense as the series continues. The Sun held the Lynx to 25 percent three-point shooting in the game. Minnesota is more than capable of shooting at a more consistent rate, but doing so against this Connecticut defense will prove to be an immense challenge.
Sun lead the series
The Sun did a lot of things well in Game 1. Their rebounding advantage played a crucial role in the win. Connecticut won the rebound battle 39-32. The Sun also had 13 second chance points, which was pivotal in their three-point victory.
Connecticut, as mentioned earlier, played a team game. They ended up finishing the contest with 24 points compared to only 16 for the Lynx. It was an overall strong effort for the Sun, but they cannot take the Lynx for granted as the series moves forward.
Will Lynx bounce back in Game 2 against Sun?
Minnesota is going to reset and they will likely play a much better game on Tuesday. Although this game was competitive, the Lynx did not play up to their standards. Connecticut is going to need to be on top of their game in order to clinch a 2-0 series lead.
Game 2 could end up being another exciting contest. The Sun and Lynx will go head-to-head in Minnesota on Tuesday. Tuesday's game is unquestionably a must-win for the Lynx, as they do not want to head to Connecticut on Friday trailing 2-0 in the series.