The Minnesota Lynx emerged victorious over the Phoenix Mercury on Friday night, securing their fourth consecutive win. Alissa Pili led the way for the Lynx with a standout performance of 20 points, while Napheesa Collier recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Dorka Juhász and Cecilia Zandalasini added 13 and 12 points, respectively, for Minnesota. Courtney Williams contributed 11 points and five assists to the team’s success.
On the other hand, Phoenix suffered their third loss in a row despite Kahleah Copper scoring a game-high 21 points. Diana Taurasi and Sophie Cunningham also made significant contributions with 14 and 13 points, respectively. Natasha Mack had a solid performance with 10 rebounds and eight points. Alanna Smith was instrumental in helping the Lynx establish an early lead by scoring seven of her eight points in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Williams and Bridget Carleton hit critical three-pointers to help Minnesota maintain its lead. The Lynx entered halftime leading Phoenix by a commanding margin of 55-31. In the third quarter, Collier scored four crucial points to push the Lynx’s lead to 72-49.
Unfortunately, Phoenix’s star player Brittney Griner was unable to play due to an injury to her left ankle. Despite this setback, Phoenix fought hard but ultimately fell short, leaving them struggling at 3-5 on the season while Minnesota improved to a strong record of 5-2.