The Phoenix Mercury dominated the Minnesota Lynx in the first quarter to take a 44-36 lead into halftime of Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals in Minneapolis.
And in keeping with the franchise's newfound appreciation for both ends of the ball, it was the Mercury's defense that stood out most in the first period, which they won 22-9. The Lynx shot just 2-for-14 (14.3%) in the first quarter in addition to committing five turnovers. With nothing working offensively, they scored 5 of their 9 first quarter points from the free throw line and had just one assist.
However, if it felt like Minnesota was missing shots they normally make, the second quarter might have confirmed that: taking very similar shots, the Lynx shot 52.2% from the field and had just two turnovers to win the second period 27-22 with Lindsay Whalen scoring 12 of her game-high 15 points in the second period while Maya Moore scored 9 of her 13.
Diana Taurasi leads the Mercury with 13 points and a game-high 3 assists, but commented that rebounding is a potential area of improvement for her team: the Lynx are killing the Mercury on the offensive boards 8-2 and used that to establish a 10-2 advantage in second chance points.
For more on the game, check out our Mercury vs. Lynx storystream.