MINNEAPOLIS – The No. 1 seed Minnesota Lynx decimated the No. 8 seed Golden State Valkyries in the paint and on the scoreboard with a solid 101-72 victory in the first game of the first round series in front of 8,821 at Target Center on Sunday afternoon.
Lynx forward Napheesa Collier scored the game’s first basket, a turnaround jump shot, just 14 seconds into the contest, but it was answered by a layup from forward Temi Fagbenle just 17 second later for the game’s first tie. Valkyries forward Cecilia Zandalasini put Lynx forward Bridget Carleton on the free throw line, which gave Minnesota the 4-2 lead with 7:55 left in the opening quarter.
The Valkyries went on a 15-3 run as guard Veronica Burton made two three-pointers. Fagbenle converted one free throw after getting fouled by Lynx forward Alanna Smith, and then scored a layup in transition. Smith fouled Zandalasini who was in the process of shooting a three-pointer. The Valkyries forward made all three free shots, and forward Janelle Salaun hit a three-pointer with 4:15 left in the first quarter to put the visiting team up 17-7. Collier made a layup and free throw for a three-point play, being the only Minnesota points during the stretch.
Minnesota answered the run with a 7-1 run of their own. Guards Kayla McBride and Natisha Hiedeman each scored layups, and McBride added a three-pointer, while Fagbenle made one of two free throws after getting fouled by forward Jessica Shepard. Golden State led 18-14 with 2:52 left in the first quarter.
The teams traded baskets for the rest of the quarter. Fagbenle’s jump shot was answered with a put back layup by Shepard on her own miss. Salaun scored a layup and Shepard made a put back layup on a missed three-point shot by Hiedeman. Zandalasini and Hiedeman exchanged three-pointers, but the quarter ended on a three-pointer from Salaun. The Valkyries led 28-21 at the end of the first quarter. The Valkyries converted five of eight three-point attempts and shot 50 percent from the field during the frame.
The Lynx settled into their game plan in the second quarter. Hiedeman scored another layup just 1:24 into the quarter and the Valkyries called timeout. When play resumed Minnesota jumped out on a 13-3 run. McBride made a layup, and jump shot and two free throws. Smith converted three out of four free throws after getting fouled by guard Kaila Charles and Burton, and Shepard made a layup, while the best that Golden State could do was a three-pointer by Burton. Minnesota led 34-31 with 4:28 left until halftime.
Fagbenle scored a layup to kill the Lynx run, but then Minnesota began another one. This time, the Lynx ran off a 13-4 run with a put back layup by Hiedeman on her own miss, a fast break layup from Smith, a jump shot and two free throws from Collier, and a three-pointer from McBride. Golden State mustered layups from Fagbenle and Zandalasini in the effort. The quarter ended with a jump shot from Zandalasini and a free throw from Burton after Collier was called for a transition take foul. Minnesota took the 47-40 lead into halftime.
Smith fouled Zandalasini, who made two free throws to cut the deficit to five points, but the Lynx responded with a jump shot from Collier, a three-pointer by Smith, plus a steal and a fast break layup from guard Courtney Williams. Fagbenle fouled Williams on the play, sending the Lynx guard to the line for one free throw. Fagbenle then fouled Smith, forcing the Valkyries to call timeout with 8:02 left in the third quarter with Minnesota leading 55-42.
With the score 60-46 in favor of the Lynx after Collier made a three-pointer, Fagbenle was called for an offensive foul. The Valkyries called timeout to utilize a coach’s challenge but the call was upheld after review.
Lynx forward DiJonai Carrington entered the game for the first time since suffering a subluxed left shoulder in a game against Dallas on Sept. 1. The momentum swung heavily in favor of the home team. McBride made a three-pointer, Smith converted a free throw and Courtney Williams made a monster block on a Zandalasini layup attempt.
Valkyries guard Kate Martin provided a bright spot for Golden State. She hit a three-pointer and then made three free throws after getting fouled by Collier behind the arc. Minnesota led 70-56 with 1:29 left in the third quarter.
Minnesota finished the quarter on a 9-2 run with two three-ponters from Carrington, one from Courtney Williams, with a Salaun jump shot sandwiched in. The Lynx led 79-58 at the quarter break.
The Lynx extended their run to 16-2 with a Courtney Williams midrange jump shot, a three-pointer from Hiedeman and two free throws from Shepard. Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase was hit with a technical foul after arguing with referee Tiara Cruse. Williams made the free throw and the Lynx lead was now up to 29 points. They led 87-58 with 7:53 left on the clock.
Salaun hit a three-pointer and Hiedeman answered with a layup. The Valkyries called timeout again. When play resumed, Minnesota extended their lead to 32 points and then began subbing in their bench. The Valkyries did the same.
Lynx forward Anastasiia Olairi Kosu made three layups for six points but also committed three fouls in just over four minutes of play. Martin hit a three-pointer and made two of four free throws during the last half of the quarter. Valkyries guard Kaitlyn Chen scored the game’s final basket with a mere 4.6 seconds left. Minnesota took home a 101-72 victory when the final buzzer sounded.
Minnesota went 35-for-68 (51.5 percent) from the field; 10-for-24 (41.7 percent) from three-point range; and 21-for-24 (87.5 percent) from the free throw line. They committed 11 turnovers leading to nine Valkyries points.
“We were twisted. We were twisted early,” said Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve. “We settled in and finally found our footing. I thought our post players were terrific. We weren’t perfect but they were really locked in on some of the schemes we were trying to get done.”
Golden State went 20-for-59 (33.9 percent) from the field; 9-for-31 (29.0 percent) from three-point range; and 23-for-27 (85.2 percent) from the charity stripe. They turned the ball over 16 times for 16 Lynx points.
“I thought we were in a great flow. I thought we were shooting really well. I thought we were moving the ball and making the right reads and playing beautiful basketball,” said Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase. “Then all of a sudden the fouls get called. Consecutively. It wasn’t that the fouls are balanced. If the fouls are getting called when we are on a run, it shifts the momentum.”
Minnesota led in all major statistical categories. They held a 44-18 advantage in points-in-the-paint; 9-3 lead in second chance points; 11-8 margin in fast break points, and outscored the Valkyries bench 42-17. There were two ties and two lead changes. Golden State’s largest lead was 10 points while the Lynx held a 32-point largest lead.
“Each team is trying to make choices about what you can live with. A lot of time our three-point shooting leads us to that choice. We were effective at taking what was being given to us,” said Reeve. “It’s a dilemma. We have the same dilemma for them. That’s why they had a 28-point first quarter. That’s [also] what led to our success.”
The Lynx were led by 20 points from Napheesa Collier, 18 points from Natisha Hiedeman, 17 points from Kayla McBride, 12 points from Jessica Shepard and 11 from Courtney Williams. Shepard led the team in rebounding with eight boards. Williams, Hiedeman and Shepard each paced Minnesota with four assists.
“A big part of it is getting out in transition and getting stops. I think that’s a large portion of us getting those points in the paint,” said McBride. “When we’re able to do that and get them [teammates] in the paint, that’s when our three-ball opens up. It’s the balance and versatility we have as a group that we’re able to adjust in a lot of different ways.”
Veronica Burton and Cecilia Zandalasini led the Valkyries with 14 points each. Janelle Salaun pitched in 13 points, Temi Fagbenle added 12 and Kate Martin contributed 11 points. Burton led the team with seven assists while Salaun was the team’s leading rebounder with six boards.
“I think we had a pretty good first half. They have a very good team so if you want to beat them, then we have to be consistent,” said Cecilia Zandalasini. “It’s a 40 minute game and I think we played a solid half. But we need the second half too. That’s what we’ve got to focus on going into the next one.”
Minnesota’s 29-point margin of victory is the largest postseason win in franchise history. This was the first playoff game in Valkyries history.
Game 2 in the best-of-three series will be Wednesday at 9 p.m. CT from the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. The Lynx lead the series 1-0.
