As Lynx progress in WNBA playoffs, they’re more than a one-player team

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Napheesa Collier was doing just about everything — rebounding, defending, passing — except scoring. The focus of Connecticut’s physical post defense, Collier made only three of 14 shots Tuesday night at Target Center.

And yet the Lynx got a must-win in Game 2 to tie the best-of-five WNBA semifinal series.

During a breakthrough season that has the Lynx vying to return to the league finals for the first time since winning a fourth title in 2017, Collier has been an all-league, all-defensive constant.

But here is another constant: More often than not, some one else is going to step up, too.

In Tuesday’s 77-70 brawl of a victory, two of those were Alanna Smith and Courtney Williams.

In a Game 1 loss, they combined to shoot 5-for-21. In Tuesday’s win, they were the team’s leading scorers.

“I just loved, obviously, Lan bouncing back, Courtney bouncing back,’’ Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. “Recognizing where they need to help us, on both ends of the floor. A collective effort. That’s what we do.’’

The series now moves to Connecticut for Game 3 Friday night and Game 4 Sunday.

In a series between the league’s top two defensive teams, the starters are going to struggle, at times, to score. Then it becomes who else will step up. In Connecticut’s Game 1 win it was Marina Mabrey and DiJonai Carrington.

For the Lynx in Game 2, it was Smith and Williams.

Williams scored 11 of her 17 points in the third quarter. She had five rebounds, four assists.

Smith? A key part of the Lynx’s four-out offense, her ability to hit threes — she shot a career-best 39.8% in the regular season — is crucial. She was 2-for-11 on threes in the playoffs entering Game 2, but she hit three of four among her 15 points, to go with six rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block.

And both came up big late. They combined to score 25 of Minnesota’s 41 second-half points. Williams led the team with 11 in the third, Smith seven in the fourth. Together they were 9-for-11 overall, 3-for-3 on threes.

And they were crucial late.

Connecticut had trimmed a 15-point fourth-quarter Lynx lead to seven when Smith hit a three with 3:09 left. Twice in the closing minutes, the lead back down to seven, Williams scored, first on a 19-footer, the second on a driving layup.

“It’s almost a relief,’’ Smith said. “As a shooter you take hundreds of thousands of shots in your career. Before the game, I’m knowing down everything in warmup. So I know I’m capable of making those shots.

“So when you see the hard work pay off? It’s all worth it. I get that confidence from the people around me. If I miss, everyone is telling me the next one is going in. That’s the mindset everyone perpetuates on this team.’’

For Smith and Williams especially, the collective nature of this Lynx team is special. They were teammates in Chicago last year. And while they were at different points in their career, they both went through some difficult times there.

Smith has talked about it before, without getting specific.

The Sky was a playoff team last year. But there was controversy. Coach James Wade left the team mid-season to join the NBA’s Toronto Raptors. Emre Vatanserver took over as interim. The Sky finished eighth, but were swept by Las Vegas in the first round. After the season the Sky hired a new general manager, a new coach — Teresa Witherspoon, who only lasted one season — and several of the team’s top players, including Kahleah Copper, Williams and Smith, left.

“What we played through last year together makes what we’re doing right now worth it,’’ said Smith, who used an opportunity to start in 2023 as a springboard to coming to Minnesota. “When you go through some hard stuff, some adversity, and then experience success? The fact we were able to do it makes it even better. We know what we’ve had to deal with. No one else knows. We’re the only ones. And we’re on the other side.’’

Williams spent 2023 transitioning to the point on a full-time basis. In Minnesota she has continued to work on facilitating, but has been encouraged to execute her mid-range game.

“Cheryl’s the best ever to do it,’’ Williams said, while sitting next to Reeve. “She got the blueprint. To have someone like that instill so much confidence in us? You can’t help but go out there and go crazy.

“I don’t know if I tell you this enough, Coach, but I’m grateful because you put me in a good place. I didn’t know what the future would look like, and you came along.’’