WNBA: Alysha Clark's put-back seals Seattle Storm victory in Game 1 of semi-final series
MVP A'ja Wilson stars as Las Vegas Aces level their semi-final series against Connecticut Sun
Wednesday 23 September 2020 06:28, UK
Alysha Clark's put-back at the buzzer lifted the Seattle Storm past the Minnesota Lynx 88-86 on Tuesday night in the first game of their WNBA semi-final playoff series.
Minnesota Lynx 86-88 Seattle Storm
Alysha Clark's put-back at the buzzer lifted the Seattle Storm past the Minnesota Lynx 88-86 on Tuesday night in the first game of their WNBA semi-final playoff series.
Seattle inbounded the ball with 14.8 seconds left after Napheesa Collier tied the game on an up-and-under move. Sami Whitcomb got it in the corner and drove the baseline for a lay-up that missed but it fell to Clark, who corralled it and released her shot just before the final buzzer.
Seattle, who have won seven straight games against Minnesota, hadn't played since September 13 after earning a double-bye to the semi-finals. The game was originally scheduled for Sunday, but it was postponed because of inconclusive coronavirus tests with three players on the Storm.
Seattle stars Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird had been off since September 9 due to injuries.
Jewell Loyd scored 18 of her 25 points in the first half and Stewart had 21 points and 10 rebounds for Seattle. Bird had 11 points, including two fourth-quarter three-pointers, and eight assists.
Collier had 25 points, nine rebounds and six blocks for Minnesota. Odyssey Sims added 19 points and Rookie of the Year Crystal Dangerfield was held to four points.
Loyd blocked Sims' lay-up attempt and Clark made a lay-up at the other end to giveSeattle an 84-81 lead. After Damiris Dantas tied it with a corner three-pointer, Loyd put Seattle back in front with a driving lay-up.
Connecticut Sun 75-83 Las Vegas Aces
A'ja Wilson had 29 points, seven rebounds and a career-high seven blocks to lead the top-seeded Las Vegas Aces past the Connecticut Sun 83-75 on Tuesday night to even the best-of-five playoff series at 1-1.
Wilson converted a three-point play with 1:03 remaining to break a tie at 75. After Connecticut's 17th turnover of the game, Wilson drove to the basket again, bobbled it and made the lay-up while being fouled. She missed the free throw, but Angel McCoughtry grabbed the rebound and Dearica Hamby made 1-of-2 free throws for an eight-point lead.
"We were going to win this game. I didn't want to be down 2-0," Wilson said of her mindset down the stretch. "Got to find ways to make it happen. Tried my best to do it."
DeWanna Bonner led Connecticut with 23 points and seven rebounds, and Briann January added 20 points. Alyssa Thomas, averaging 15.5 points and nine rebounds, left the game in the first quarter after injuring her right shoulder and did not return.
Connecticut coach Curt Miller said he didn't know what Thomas' status was for the rest of the series.
"I will find out more," he said. "Dislocated shoulder is the rumour that's floating around the bench, but it's not confirmed."
Thomas returned to the bench late in the fourth quarter with her arm in a sling.
Jasmine Thomas, who scored a career-high 31 points in Game 1, was held to 10 points.
Las Vegas coach Bill Laimbeer is 5-1 in his last six playoff series when dropping first game and is now 9-1 in the next playoff game after his team loses by double digits.
McCoughtry, Hamby and Kayla McBride each added 11 points for Las Vegas. It was Wilson's 16th game with 20-plus points this season.
