Lynx move within a game of title

After dropping the first game of the series at Target Center, the Lynx are now one win away from capturing their second WNBA title in three years.

“We’re very ready to play”, said Maya Moore. “Great individual effort on her part”. After splitting the first two games that season, Indiana routed Minnesota in Game 3.

The Fever is trying to become the first No.3 seed to win a title. “Our veterans on our team have led the way and everybody has jumped on board”. Minnesota trailed 77-74 with 2:08 left before Renee Montgomery hit a 3-pointer to tie it at 77 with 1:11 left. Photo by Matthew Fleegel.

Just as she did to beat the Indiana Fever, though, the 2014 MVP came through with the answer. That’s fun to see.

Moore hopes to be on the court more.

The hosts, however, could not get a shot off as Catchings hit the ball out of bounds, giving Minnesota possession with 1.7 seconds left. Coming out of the timeout, Minnesota just needed Moore time. The horn sounded as the ball passed through the net. When it was over, the fans in Bankers Life Fieldhouse were silent and stunned in disbelief.

In that play, Moore’s teammates all fell down underneath the basket as a trick that confused their opponents. “You can’t ask for anything more than that”.

Minnesota led by seven twice in the second quarter – 28-21 and 30-23 – but with Moore on the bench, Indiana used clutch 3-pointers from Johnson and January along with hounding defense to enter the locker room with a lead. That last second shot, if it doesn’t go, we go to overtime. But it’s a team effort.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul, who was in China for an National Basketball Association preseason game, tweeted about it, posting video of the game-winner that already had been retweeted 2,400 times. “You don’t want a blowout on either side”. It all comes down to turnovers and rebounds for both teams.

Indiana was 30-of-60 from the floor 50 percent and 8-of-17 from the three-point line. Indiana, however, had to rely heavily on Shenise Johnson.

And from their star Tamika Catchings down through virtually every department head in the front office, it has been with the same cast of characters.

Overall, this was a game for the ages. “I’m a little biased”. It was a basketball move and I was able to get it off. Fortunately I have a pretty quick release and it worked out. “Two teams that had great offense and just delivering blows to each other”.

And in the end, there was Maya Moore.

Catchings knows that her team has faced this before and what it takes to win. We did the best we could.

But in the end, what will matter is not preparation or coaching, but execution. “Indiana is so resilient”, Reeve said. “Coaches are going to spend all their time worrying and strategizing. I thought this game epitomized it”.

A Fever victory would force a decisive Game 5 Wednesday at Minneapolis (8 p.m., ESPN2).