UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Napheesa Collier scored 25 points before passing to Bridget Carleton for the go-ahead 3-pointer with 3.4 seconds left, and the Minnesota Lynx beat the Connecticut Sun 78-76 on Tuesday night to secure the No. 2 seed in the WNBA playoffs.
Minnesota (30-9) will host No. 7-seeded Phoenix on Sunday when the best-of-three playoffs open. Connecticut (27-12) is currently third with one game remaining in the regular season and would be home against Indiana on Sunday. The Sun are home against Chicago on Thursday.
Kayla McBride had 14 points and Carleton added 11 for the Lynx, who lost the first two meetings with the Sun by a total of six points. Courtney Williams had eight points and a season-high 12 assists.
Thomas had 18 points and 10 assists for Connecticut. DiJonai Carrington scored 15 points, Marina Mabrey had 13 and Brionna Jones 10.
LIBERTY 87, MYSTICS 71
WASHINGTON (AP) — Breanna Stewart had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and New York coasted to a victory over Washington to clinch the best record in the WNBA.
The Liberty will be the No. 1 seed in the playoffs and open at home on Sunday against the eighth seed. That could be the Mystics, who are tied with Chicago, one game behind Atlanta heading into Thursday’s finales.
Leonie Fiebich scored 13 points and fellow reserve Nyara Sabally had 12 for the Liberty (32-7). Starters Jonquel Jones and Betnijah Lane-Hamilton both added 11.
Ariel Atkins had 22 points for the Mystics (13-26). They play Indiana on Thursday, while Chicago is at Connecticut and Atlanta is at the Liberty.
DREAM 86, Sky 70
COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP) — Jordin Canada scored 18 points, Tina Charles finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds to tie the WNBA record with the 193rd double-double of her career and Atlanta beat Chicago to move into the eighth playoff spot with one game left.
Atlanta (14-25) broke a three-way tie with Chicago (13-26) and Washington. The Mystics (13-26) lost to New York 87-71 on Tuesday.
Rachel Banham made six 3-pointers to lead Chicago with 22 points.
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