MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Lynx looked like they were cruising to a comfortable victory.
Enter the Phoenix Mercury.
The No. 6 seed Mercury overcame a 20-point deficit to upend the top-seeded Lynx 89-83 in overtime. Per ESPN Research, it was just the second 20-point rally on the road in WNBA playoff history.
The series shifts to Phoenix for Game 3 on Friday (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
How did the Mercury do it? Are the Lynx still the favorite in the series? ESPN breaks down everything we saw in Game 2 on Tuesday.
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Final: Phoenix 89, Minnesota 83 OT
What the win means for Phoenix
They say a series doesn’t start until the home team loses. If that’s the case, the semifinals between the Mercury and Lynx have officially begun — and in epic fashion. Phoenix became just the fifth team in WNBA playoff history to come back from a 20-point deficit. And now the series is tied 1-1.
Before tip-off Tuesday, coach Nate Tibbetts said the opening game of the series always has a feeling-out period. And while that seemed to continue a bit into Game 2, with the Mercury trailing by 16 at halftime, their grit to fight back shows just how scary this team is. Phoenix finally found its 3-point shot, knocking down 13 from beyond the arc, while also staying strong in the paint. Alyssa Thomas’ 13 assists (to go with 19 points) are the most by a Mercury player in a playoff game.
This was as close to a must-win game as it gets for a team that wasn’t facing elimination. And now, the Mercury get to return to the desert with a chance to win a pair of home games.
What the loss means for Minnesota
In many games this year, Minnesota only elevated its game as it came out of the locker room at halftime. But there was no magic in the second half on Tuesday.
Now the Lynx head to Phoenix and must try and regain their edge. At 14-8, the Lynx were tied for the best road record during the regular season. Being away from…
