UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Napheesa Collier scored 25 points before passing to Bridget Carleton for the go-ahead 3-pointer with 3.4 seconds left, and the Minnesota Lynx beat the Connecticut Sun 78-76 on Tuesday night to secure the No. 2 seed in the WNBA playoffs.
Minnesota (30-9) will host No. 7-seeded Phoenix on Sunday when the best-of-three playoffs open. Connecticut (27-12) is currently third with one game remaining in the regular season and would be home against Indiana on Sunday. The Sun are home against Chicago on Thursday.
Kayla McBride had 14 points and Carleton added 11 for the Lynx, who lost the first two meetings with the Sun by a total of six points. Courtney Williams had eight points and a season-high 12 assists.
Thomas had 18 points and 10 assists for Connecticut. DiJonai Carrington scored 15 points, Marina Mabrey had 13 and Brionna Jones 10.
LIBERTY 87, MYSTICS 71
WASHINGTON (AP) — Breanna Stewart had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and New York coasted to a victory over Washington to clinch the best record in the WNBA.
The Liberty will be the No. 1 seed in the playoffs and open at home on Sunday against the eighth seed. That could be the Mystics, who are tied with Chicago, one game behind Atlanta heading into Thursday’s finales.
Leonie Fiebich scored 13 points and fellow reserve Nyara Sabally had 12 for the Liberty (32-7). Starters Jonquel Jones and Betnijah Lane-Hamilton both added 11.
Ariel Atkins had 22 points for the Mystics (13-26). They play Indiana on Thursday, while Chicago is at Connecticut and Atlanta is at the Liberty.
DREAM 86, SKY 70
COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP) — Jordin Canada scored 18 points, Tina Charles finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds to tie the WNBA record with the 193rd double-double of her career and Atlanta beat Chicago to move into the eighth playoff spot with one game left.
Atlanta (14-25) broke a three-way tie with Chicago (13-26) and Washington. The Mystics (13-26) lost to New York 87-71 on Tuesday.
Rachel Banham made six 3-pointers to lead Chicago with 22 points.
ACES 85, STORM 72
SEATTLE (AP) — A’ja Wilson scored 21 points and set the WNBA record for most rebounds in a season as Las Vegas defeated Seattle.
Her seven rebounds moved her past Chicago rookie Angel Reese for the most in a season with 451. Reese’s season is complete after a wrist injury earlier this month. Wilson also extended her league record for points in a season, and now has 1,021.
Kelsey Plum also had 21 points for Las Vegas.
Nneka Ogwumike scored 19 points, Skylar Diggins-Smith had 17 and Gabby Williams scored 14 for Seattle.
MERCURY 85, SPARKS 81
LOS ANGELES (AP) —Brittney Griner scored 14 points before being ejected after a scuffle, Natasha Cloud had 13 points and 12 assists, and Phoenix beat Los Angeles.
Griner and Sparks standout rookie Rickea Jackson were thrown out after exchanging shoves while in rebounding position following a Mercury free throw in the closing seconds of the first half. The Mercury, who found out before the game they would play second-seeded Minnesota when the playoffs open on Sunday, trailed by eight at halftime but took control in the third quarter.
Sophia Cunningham also scored 14 points for the Mercury (19-20). Diana Taurasi added 13 and Mikiah Herbert-Harrigan had 10.
Dearica Hamba had 21 points for the last-place Sparks (7-32), who lost their eighth straight in an injury-plagued season. Li Yueru scored a career-high 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and Kia Nurse had 10 points.
The Associated Press
