Back in action Sunday are the Minnesota Lynx and Connecticut Sun playing their 2nd game of the 1st round. Connecticut came out in the first game and laid a pounding on Minnesota, winning by 30.
The 3rd seeded Sun were not playing around whatsoever Wednesday night and made a statement. It was a good team effort win by the Sun, with DeWanna Bonner leading the way in scoring with 17 points and rebounding with 15 rebounds. Out of the 15 rebounds, 14 of them were defensive so you can see they are not giving second chance opportunities.
Alyssa Thomas had a huge game again. She put up 15 points and had 10 assists to go along with it. Tiffany Hayes added 14 points as well as Rebecca Allen with 15 points of her own.
Connecticut shot well from the field in Game 1. They shot 47% from the field and 53% from 3-point range. On the other hand, Minnesota shot like crap. They only shot 35% from the field and only 20% from 3-point range.
Minnesota’s poor shooting and lack of ball movement was the difference maker. The Lynx normally shoots around 44% from the field and 33% from 3-point range.
They were out matched in assists, while they fell under their season average of 19 per game with only 13 total assists. The Sun had 28 assists and as we talked about, multiple different players with double digit points.
Napheesa Collier had 14 points and 6 rebounds while Kayla McBride stepped up with 16 points. Collier was held under her season averages of 21.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game and this will need to change.
Aside from Collier and McBride, the rest of the team was absent. Diamond Miller and Dorka Juhasz both only had 5 points each.
Minnestoa has to protect the ball better than the 19 turnovers they had in Game 1 if they expect to win. Putting more than 8 points up in the 4th quarter will be necessary if that want to win Game 2 and going forward.
Betting Odds
Spread
- Minnesota Lynx +8.5 (-104)
- Connecticut Sun -8.5 (-118)
Moneyline
- Minnesota Lynx +350
- Connecticut Sun-480
Totals
- Over 157.5 points (-115)
- Under 157.5 points (-111)
Odds courtesy of BetUS
Game Information
- Venue: Mohegan Sun Area, Uncasville, CT
- Date: Sunday, September 17, 2023
- Tip-off: 1PM EST
- TV: ESPN
Minnesota Lynx vs Connecticut Sun Prediction and Picks
Pick: Connecticut Sun -8.5 (-118)
The Sun are a better team in the end, as they showed in Game 1. The fully staffed Lynx team looked completely lost and out matched.
After that game, it’s almost hard to bet against them. They put on a clinic from start to finish and never looked back. Coming back from a game like this is hard, especially playing on the road.
Minnesota will really need to make a lot of adjustments on both ends of the ball to contend. They have the pieces to do it, but it’s also going to take this Sun team to falter, and I don’t see that happening. Give me the Sun to cover and take a 2-0 series lead.
Player Prop: Kayla McBride O14.5 points (-128)
McBride caught fire at the end of the season and carried that into Game 1. She led her team with 16 points and had the second most points in the game.
She has hit this line in her last 5 games straight with a minimum of 16 points. Kayla has now hit the line in her last 3 vs the Sun as well.
Going into Game 2, the Lynx need her to keep it up and will continue to feed her the ball. Watch for her to be shooting early in this game and from the 3-point range. She got off to an early start last game as well.
With this line being the same as last game after what we saw, we’re taking it and see you at the cash counter.
Player Prop: Alyssa Thomas O8.5 Assists (+114)
Thomas has put on an almost MVP performance this year. She is all over the floor offensively and defensively every game.
I mentioned earlier that the Sun moved the ball extremely well Wednesday night and that is because of this young lady right here. She handed out 10 dimes in the game.
She has now hit her assists line in her last 3 games straight vs the Lynx and also in her last 4 out of 5 games vs them. There’s something about the Minnesota defense that Thomas can read right through.
I don’t expect anything to change. We should see the ball move through her again and if Bonner cleans the glass like she did last game, then Thomas will be spending her time away from the rim facilitating. She’s a coin respecter, so let's get it.
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