The No. 3-seeded Connecticut Sun defeated the No. 6 Minnesota Lynx 90-75 in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series Wednesday to advance to the semifinals. Here’s what you need to know:
- MVP candidate Alyssa Thomas led Connecticut with 28 points on 13-of-20 shooting from the field, along with 12 assists; veteran DeWanna Bonner added 25 points and 10 rebounds with three 3s.
- Lynx forward Napheesa Collier put up a game-high 31 points as Minnesota was held to 43.3 percent shooting; Connecticut shot 55.4 percent as a whole.
- The Sun are heading to their fifth straight WNBA semifinal round, where they will face the No. 2-seeded New York Liberty. The series begins Sept. 24.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
Thomas, Bonner star to avoid upset
The Sun’s star duo of Thomas and Bonner set the tone early on in Game 3. They scored or assisted on all but one of Connecticut’s first-quarter baskets, and were aggressive defensively as well.
As the game progressed, Bonner was again a top perimeter option, making three 3-pointers. But unlike Game 2, the Sun also received a perimeter scoring boost off the bench as reserve guard Ty Harris scored 18 points, on four 3-pointers.
Still, everything for Connecticut keyed around Bonner and Thomas. Thomas set a playoff career high with 28 points,…
