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Indianapolis, IN -- Briann January is having one of the best playoff outings of her career in this year's WNBA Finals.
January averaged 8.3 points in the first two rounds of playoffs against Chicago and New York. That's right on par with her season average of 8.1 and career average, 8.8.
However, in Games 1 and 2 of the Finals, January amped it up offensively. She led the Fever in scoring with 19 and 17 points, respectively.
Those 19 points were her season-high, and she also tallied six assists and two steals in the 75-69 Indiana win. She had just two turnovers.
Following January's standout Game 1, Minnesota head coach Cheryl Reeve said it's not Tamika Catchings everyone should be looking out for. Rather, she said January is the key to this Indiana team.
In Game 2, January had five assists and one steal. With Catchings limited to 24 minutes of playing time with foul trouble in that game, it was crucial for Indiana that January have another game like she did.
Though Minnesota came away with the 77-71 win to even the series, Indiana could walk away knowing Game 1 wasn't a fluke from January.
In her career, the 18.0 average is her best of any playoff series. In last season's playoffs, she averaged just 7.0 points.
January has been more known throughout her seven-year career to be an asset on the Fever as a defensive beast, earning a spot next to Tamika Catchings on the WNBA All-Defensive First Team this season.
But with January dominating both sides of the floor, it's no wonder the Fever have a real shot at winning a championship.
This is no unchartered territory for January, as she was part of the 2012 Fever team that took down Minnesota for its first and only franchise title.
In those Finals, she averaged 10.0 points, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals. In the rematch, she's averaging 5.5 assists and 1.5 steals to go with her 18.0 points.
Now January and the Fever will have a chance to take on Minnesota in their house, where they are 11-6 on the season. Game 3 will be held tonight and Game 4 will be held Sunday.