“The way we came out to start the game and, you know, everything’s going on the last couple days, the way these guys came out and played, and took [Phoenix’s] run in the second quarter and came out doing the same thing again in the second half,” Thibault said, “at a certain point, that’s who you are. That’s who these guys have been now for a long time.”
When the Lynx lost to the New York Liberty in the WNBA Finals last season — a late foul call and lopsided overtime away from a league-record fifth title — the Lynx decided to run it back, rather than retool a roster that had been largely underestimated heading into the 2024 season.
They returned all five starters, all searching for a first championship. They traded for guard DiJonai Carrington, who missed the playoffs with a left foot injury, to strengthen the bench. They earned the target on their back, finishing 34-10 with league-high offensive and defensive ratings, even despite a 6-5 dip to finish the regular season.
And then Phoenix, peaking at the right time with a healthy “big three” of Satou Sabally, Kahleah Copper and Alyssa Thomas, hit that target.
“I mean, honestly, it was a joy, right?” Lynx guard Courtney Williams said postgame, subdued. “I don’t look at this season and think, ‘Oh, this is hard because we got a target on our back.’ That’s what we wanted, right? Like, we got in the gym and we stacked our days, and I mean, got hit with that injury bug.