The Minnesota Lynx were the biggest surprise team this season. They used a strong start and an incredible post-Olympics surge to reach the 30-win mark for the first time in franchise history and earn the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. As for the Phoenix Mercury, their major offseason additions didn’t lead to the success they may have hoped for. A late-season swoon saw them fall under .500 and into the No. 7 seed.
This is the seventh playoff meeting between the old rivals, with five of the previous matchups going the Lynx’s way. Can they make it six, or will the Mercury pull off a big upset? Ahead of Sunday’s Game 1, here’s what you need to know:
No. 2 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 7 Phoenix Mercury
- Game 1: Mercury at Lynx, Sunday, 5 p.m. ET — ESPN
- Game 2: Mercury at Lynx, Sept. 25, 9:30 p.m. ET — ESPN
- Game 3*: Lynx at Mercury, Sept. 27, TBD — ESPN2
*If necessary
Players to watch
Lynx: Napheesa Collier
Collier put together an MVP caliber season, her only problem was that A’ja Wilson had the best individual campaign ever at the same time. While Collier won’t win the league’s most prestigious honor this season, she’ll hope she can lead the Lynx to a record-setting fifth championship. The Lynx are more of a collective…
