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Going into tonight's Game 5 of the WNBA Finals, the Indiana Fever look to place a cap on what has been a historic season for them.
Only the Minnesota Lynx are looking to add to their championship mantle as well, and they have no regard for Indiana's history, as they have shown in this series.
Let's take a further look into what Indiana and Minnesota are truly fighting for as they prepare for the final game of the WNBA season.
INDIANA'S CHASE FOR HISTORY
The Indiana Fever have accomplished a lot this season. Despite dealing with a rash of injuries this season, the Fever made it to their 11th straight postseason appearance. Considering they came into the league three seasons after its inception (2000), that is an impressive feat in itself; something that two of the league's original teams (Los Angeles Sparks and New York Liberty) cannot say they have accomplished.
The team captain, Tamika Catchings, has had a career year as well. Besides being named an All-Star for a record 10th time, here is what else she has accomplished this season:
a) passed Diana Taurasi for second all-time in points (6,947 points in career; 393 in 2015)
b) passed Taj McFranklin-Williams and Tina Thompson to become second all-time in rebounds (3,153 career; 213 in 2015)
c) passed Temeka Johnson to become seventh all-time in assists (1,422 career, 67 in 2015)
On top of that, for only being 6'1", she is 11th all-time in blocks. She plans to retire after the 2016 season, but it's safe to say that even if she were to win this second title and retire, she'd be among the best of all-time.
MINNESOTA'S SEARCH FOR DESTINY
As they look to avenge their 2012 loss in the Finals, the Lynx are looking to become the team of destiny. They won the championship in 2011 and 2013, both odd years. They also won in sweeps (beating the Atlanta Dream 3-0 in both years), and this is their fourth trip to the Finals in five years.
The Lynx are a lot like a similar NBA counterpart: the San Antonio Spurs. They may not be the best statistical team in the league (as a team, they did not lead the league in any statistical category), but they do so well in every facet of the game that you expect them to win every game. Coach Cheryl Reeve has the team in lockstep mode, and besides fouls, the Lynx could've easily swept this series.
Minnesota, however, does have the best overall player in the league in Maya Moore. She is the only player to rank in the top ten of every major offensive statistic (second in points per game, eighth in assist and ninth in rebounds), and led her team in points and steals per game this season.
Finishing 22-12 this season set up the expectation that they would cruise right through the West in the playoffs, and, for the most part, they did just that. With Moore, Seimone Augustus and midseason acquisition Sylvia Fowles, they bet both the Sparks and Phoenix Mercury in three games before struggling with Indiana.
The drama surrounding this game has benefited not only the league, but the fans as well. Regardless of who goes home with the title, it is safe to say that everyone ends up a winner with the 2015 WNBA Finals.