{"id":38296,"date":"2025-09-23T01:50:34","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T05:50:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/sin-categoria\/lynx-crush-mercury-unyielding-defense-in-wnba-semifinals\/"},"modified":"2025-09-23T01:50:34","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T05:50:34","slug":"lynx-crush-mercury-unyielding-defense-in-wnba-semifinals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/wnba\/lynx-crush-mercury-unyielding-defense-in-wnba-semifinals\/","title":{"rendered":"Lynx Crush Mercury: Unyielding Defense in WNBA Semifinals"},"content":{"rendered":"In an exciting semi-final match, the Minnesota Lynx faced the Phoenix Mercury. After a challenging first half, the Lynx demonstrated their ability to react and strategize.\n\nAfter conceding 47 points in the first half, the team gathered in the locker room for a crucial conversation. The focus was collective, seeking team solutions to improve their performance.\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>It was a collaborative effort in terms of what they wanted to do in terms of schemes. Everyone participated.<\/p><cite>Cheryl Reeve, Lynx coach<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\nThe defensive strategy was key to the Lynx&#8217;s victory, who achieved a 1-0 lead in the series, with a final score of 82-69.\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a3.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2025%2F0922%2Fr1549232_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\"><figcaption>Despu\u00e9s de que Alyssa Thomas (centro) anotara o asistiera en 23 de los 47 puntos de Phoenix en la primera mitad, las Lynx decidieron hacerle un doble equipo, limitando a Thomas a solo dos puntos en el resto del partido.\nDavid Sherman\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nThese conversations are common for the Lynx, often acting as catalysts that help them win the game. Kayla McBride highlighted the importance of teamwork in critical moments.\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>We have been through many adverse situations in the last two years together. We always know it&#8217;s a team effort. We know that in those moments we need to brainstorm. We are never alone. We are doing it together. We are trying to solve problems and do whatever it takes to win. It was another example of that today in the halftime conversation.<\/p><cite>Kayla McBride<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\nAfter allowing 42 points in the paint in the first half, the Lynx limited the Mercury to only 12 in the second, outscoring them by 20 points in the last 20 minutes.\n\nThe key was to adjust their defense, especially against Alyssa Thomas. In the first half, Thomas scored 16 points, but in the second, only two.\n\nThe Lynx double-teamed Thomas on seven possessions, forcing the Mercury to rely on three-pointers, with a poor result of 3 out of 23.\n\nCourtney Williams led the Mercury with 23 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 5 steals, making league history. Kayla McBride contributed 21 points and 6 rebounds, while Napheesa Collier added 18 points and 9 rebounds.\n\nThe game was tied at 59 at the start of the last quarter, but the Lynx secured the victory with a 14-2 run in the last five minutes.\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>We never feel like we&#8217;re down. We&#8217;re a resilient group, so we never look at the scoreboard. We just try to go get kills.<\/p><cite>Courtney Williams<\/cite>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In an exciting semi-final match, the Minnesota Lynx faced the Phoenix Mercury. After a challenging first half, the Lynx demonstrated their ability to react and strategize. After conceding 47 points in the first half, the team gathered in the locker room for a crucial conversation. The focus was collective, seeking team solutions to improve their [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":38297,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[591,3917,5417,382],"class_list":{"0":"post-38296","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-wnba","8":"tag-defense","9":"tag-lynx","10":"tag-mercury","11":"tag-wnba"},"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38296","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38296"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38296\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38297"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38296"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38296"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38296"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}