5 Takeaways from Game 3 of the WNBA Finals

What an incredible Game 3 between the Minnesota Lynx and Indiana Fever. These two teams went back-and-forth, neck-and-neck until Maya Moore sealed the deal with her heart-stopping 3-point jumper with 1.7 seconds remaining. The Lynx inches the Fever in the end, winning with that incredible 3 point shot, 80-77.

Many things felt different in this game, for better for some and for worse for others. One thing that was very different on Minnesota's end was the absence of Maya Moore throughout the whole game.

Moore picked up two fouls early on in the contest, which took her to the bench, sitting up and down foul after foul again, closing the night with 4 in total. This left the rest of the team to carry one another against the Fever. Though Minnesota did not quite impress defensively tonight, it was their offense that shined.

And the best part about it - they kicked ass without Maya Moore. Selmone Augustus collected 13 points; Sylvia Fowles reached a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, and the bench sure showed up this game. They made a significant impact on the score, which is something they had yet to do in this series.

Renee Montgomery collected 12 points, Anna Cruz with 10 and Devereaux Peters with 6. It is indisputable that the Lynx's combined 28 points from the bench played a huge part in the Lynx's victory tonight.

But, of course, I can't forget to mention that though Moore was only on the court for 22 minutes compared to her average 39.5 in the playoffs, she was the leading scorer for the Lynx bringing in 24 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals.

Another change that worked well for the Lynx tonight was their ability to make shots from downtown. They were 2-10 in game one, and 0-8 in game two for three point attempts.

Game three? 7-13.

Though my initial expectation would be to wonder what the Lynx were going to do without Maya Moore, they proved me wrong by showing tonight how strong they can be without their key player.

On the Fever's end, though they held the Lynx throughout the whole entire game, I just did not see the fire ignite. They fought this game, but I saw a fight to stay alive, not to conquer. All of their starters were impressive tonight, with Shenise Johnson bringing in 17 points for the team, 15 from Briann January as well as 8 assists, 14 from Marissa Coleman, and a double-double from Tamika Catchings with 10 points, 10 rebounds.

Knowing how upset the Fever were with Game 2 makes me wonder what's going through their heads. Especially allowing the Lynx to take the win on their home court, where they are now 22-9 at home. It really is abundantly clear: each game could be anyone's game.

These teams are neck-in-neck for total points in the playoffs, as well as field goal percentages. With the Lynx now leading the series 2-1, it'll be interesting to see if this loss fuels the Fever's fire to come out on top in game four at home once again, or if the Lynx will walk away with the Championship title in Indianapolis.