PHOENIX — The Phoenix Mercury have put the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx on the brink of elimination, going up 2-1 in the WNBA semifinals on Friday night.
The Lynx will await the status of Napheesa Collier — who exited the game in the final seconds with an apparent injury — ahead of Sunday’s Game 4 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN). Can Minnesota mount a comeback and force a Game 5? How will the Mercury keep their momentum in what has been a tough series, and return to their first Finals since 2021?
ESPN breaks down a Friday night defined by close semifinals games, including the Las Vegas Aces‘ 84-72 win over the Indiana Fever.
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Final: Phoenix 84, Minnesota 76
What the win means for Phoenix
The fourth quarter was the Mercury’s domain on both Tuesday and Friday night — and their performance in the game’s most crucial minutes put them one win away from the franchise’s first WNBA Finals since 2021. The Mercury have outscored the Lynx a combined 46-26 in the final period of the past two games.
Game 3 didn’t require the epic comeback that Phoenix turned in to win Game 2 in overtime — the Mercury trailed by just four heading into the final quarter — but it did require a typically big performance from Alyssa Thomaswho finished with 21 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists and 4 steals. Thomas’ final steal might have been the biggest play of the game and could be the pivotal moment of the series. She poked the ball away from Napheesa Collier just inside halfcourt with 21.8 seconds left and scored uncontested at the other end, essentially ending the game. Collier suffered an injury on the play and coach Cheryl Reeve was ejected protesting the no-call on the steal.
The rest of the Mercury’s big three also delivered. Kahleah Copperwho scored just 8 points in Game 2, bounced back with a 21-point performance, and Satou Sabally led Phoenix with 23 points, including two big 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, the second of which put the Mercury up 78-76 with 3:05 left. They did not relinquish the lead.
What the loss means for Minnesota
A season that was built exclusively on winning a championship is on the brink of ending without even a Finals appearance. The best team in the WNBA all season finds itself chasing for the first time in 2025.
The ominous sign of Collier being helped off the court after she collided with Thomas casts another shadow over the Lynx beyond being down 2-1 in the series.
If Minnesota cannot return to the Finals to avenge its loss to New York from a year ago, Game 2’s 20-point blown lead will loom large in the offseason — and an inability to make the necessary big plays in the fourth quarter of Game 3 won’t feel much better. Maria Kliundikova played well off the bench with 8 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocks, but missed two layups in the fourth quarter, both of which could have given Minnesota the lead. Nether-hiendmanman played one of her best games of the season, also off the Lynx bench with a team-leading 19 points, but did not score in the fourth quarter. Minnesota scored just 9 points in the final 10 minutes, all from Kliundikova and Kayla McBride.
Will Collier be at full strength for Game 4?
The thought of Minnesota being without its best player — or even a compromised version of her — while facing elimination makes the odds of a series comeback very long.
The Lynx did go 5-2 without Collier after she suffered a right ankle sprain on Aug. 2 against Las Vegas, but this would be a much different scenario. They are playing with the season on the line against a Mercury team whose confidence keeps growing and is playing at home.
Collier, who was second in the league in scoring (22.9 PPG), had 17 points in Game 3. Her status will be the dominant storyline leading into Sunday night’s Game 4.
The performance of the bench, however, is encouraging. With Hiedeman and Kliundikova leading the way, the Minnesota reserves outscored the Mercury’s 27-11. But the Lynx also got no points and just 12 minutes from starter Alanna Smith while McBride was only 3 of 10 from the field (12 points). The Collier injury is top of mind, but Minnesota will need other rebound performances with or without its superstar. — Charlie Creme
Final: Las Vegas 84, Indiana 72
What the win means for Las Vegas
The Aces are one win away from returning to the WNBA Finals with a chance to secure their third title in four years. That would have sounded improbable earlier this season when the team stumbled to a 12-13 record. For Las Vegas to get the win Friday despite an off day from four-time MVP A’ja Wilson — she finished 6-for-20 and missed 12 straight shots after making her first field goal — bodes well for its chances of closing out the series.
Jackie Young (25 points) and NaLyssa Smith (16) stepped up while Wilson struggled, with Smith putting together her second consecutive double-digit scoring game. And the Aces showed their championship pedigree by tightening their defense down the stretch, limiting the Fever to five points through the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter.
What the loss means for Indiana
The magic might be running out for the Fever, who overcame season-ending injuries to Caitlin Clark and four others to make it to the franchise’s first semifinals since 2015. Indiana won two straight elimination games in the first round against Atlanta — but the Aces are a much more experienced and formidable opponent to have to do that against. Game 4 is once more on Indiana’s home floor, though that advantage might not be enough to stave off elimination.
The Fever, who snagged the momentum in the second quarter and led by as many as five in the third, will be kicking themselves after some costly mistakes: a defensive lapse that allowed Young to put the Aces up three at the end of the third quarter, a 13-for-21 shooting exhibition from the free throw line and 8-for-17 shooting from within 3 feet of the basket. They couldn’t get anything going offensively in the fourth quarter until it was too late, not making a shot from the field until the 2:25 mark.
The X factor for Game 4
Can the Fever get more scoring outside of Kelsey Mitchell? Lexie Hull has hit double figures in two straight games but Indiana could use Natasha Howard and/or Odyssey Sims to step up offensively. It’s unlikely Mitchell will be able to pop off for 34 points again like she did in Game 1, so she needs help.
Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon has also talked a lot about her team needing to not get too high after wins; can the Aces do that Sunday with the Finals within striking distance? Will the Fever play free or under pressure trying to save their season? — Alexa Philippou
