Can Sun win 2-0 against Lynx? Three keys for Connecticut in Game 2

Can Sun win 2-0 against Lynx? Three keys for Connecticut in Game 2 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Connecticut Sun have taken away home field advantage from the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA semifinals. But a 2-0 lead won’t be easy.

The Sun earned a narrow 73-70 victory over the Lynx in Game 1 on Sunday, limiting Minnesota superstar Napheesa Collier to 19 points on 7 of 16 shooting and getting a 20-point effort from midseason pickup Marina Mabrey.

Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday night at 9:30 PM ET in Minnesota, and the Lynx — who haven’t lost consecutive games since mid-July — will almost certainly make adjustments. So, what does Connecticut need to do to emerge with the win?

NBC Connecticut sportscaster Gabby Lucivero recently joined NBC Boston’s Hannah Donnelly On her cue podcast to share her three keys to a Sun victory in Game 2. Lucivero’s first key? Get DeWanna Bonner working on offense.

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“I really think Bonner needs a better shooting night,” Lucivero told Donnelly. “I think DB would say she needs a better shooting night. Because we’re going to make sure Minnesota steps it up. (Collier) is going to look at that box score and say, ‘That’s not acceptable to me.’ So we’ll see those two things come into focus.”

Bonner scored just 10 points on 4 of 17 shooting (2 of 8 from 3-point range) in Game 1, but Connecticut’s strong defense contributed to the win. Lucivero’s second key revolved around slowing down Collier, who scored a whopping 80 points in the Lynx’s 2-0 win over the Phoenix Mercury in Round 1.

“I think they have to figure out a way to take (Collier) out of the game without necessarily having to have a four-player rotation,” Lucivero said. “So No. 2 is, what’s the solution for (Collier) knowing she’s going to come in expecting to play better than she did in Game 1?”

Lucivero’s third key focused on Sun guard DiJonai Carrington, who was recently named the WNBA’s Most Improved Player. Alyssa Thomas, Bonner and Mabrey are Connecticut’s three most powerful offensive players, so if Carrington – who scored 13 points in Game 1 – can contribute significantly, it’s a major X-factor for the Sun.

“I’m going to take Alyssa Thomas out of the keys of the game, because Alyssa Thomas is the key to the game,” Lucivero said. “So I want to see more — it feels wrong to say ‘more’ of DiJonai Carrington, because she’s done everything — but we haven’t really talked about her that much in this, and she’s been such a big part of the reason why the sun is here and I enjoyed its trajectory.”

“…Key three is more DiJonai with a new look. Just more of it. I think she played great in Game 1 – just give us more now.”

Follow the On Her Mark podcast during the WNBA playoffs for reaction and analysis of every Sun game.