Recaps: Brunch, basketball and buzzer-beaters

WHAT A GAME!

For those who were fortunate enough to wake up and watch this thrilling contest, you got a treat. The Sun and Liberty are two teams that have had disappointing seasons, and both came into their Wednesday game desperate for a win. Thanks to Shavonte Zellous, the Liberty got one. Zellous called game with a three off the glass, sending the game final in a 79-76 result.

The Sun, who are still in the chase for a playoff spot, came into Wednesday’s game not being able to afford another loss to a team at the bottom of the standings. Losers of two straight and playing at home against one of the worst teams in the WNBA, this was a must win. Connecticut can’t keep affording to drop games against bottom feeders with the stakes so high. Yet, they found a way to lose and now find themselves teetering the line of mediocrity, a brief step above disaster and two steps away from truly competing.

On the Liberty side of things, they know their fate will likely not include a playoff berth. The team has been a model for inconsistency and have yet to put together consecutive stretches of good basketball. The Liberty came into this game hungry for a win having lost three straight and it showed. This game was awesome because it was just two desperate teams needing a win in the worst way, even if that win was for very different reasons.

Zellous’ buzzer-beater was a great moment and it extracts a bit of payback for the Liberty who lost to the Sun earlier in the year on a Shekinna Stricklen buzzer-beater. But, as much as it was a great win for the Liberty, it was an equally devastating loss for the Sun, who are watching their playoff hopes disappear like the snap of Thanos’ finger.

Tina Charles’ 19 points and 11 rebounds led the charge for the Liberty. The heroine Shavonte Zellous pitched in 14 points. For the Sun, it was Chiney Ogwumike leading the way with 17 points and 9 rebounds.

While this was a great win for the Liberty, losses like this continue to showcase why the Sun are closer to the Liberty in quality than they are the top-two Mercury or Storm.

Big win for the Dream

The Atlanta Dream scored a huge win over fellow playoff contenders the Washington Mystics, 106-89. With this win, the Dream are making a surge that has them climbing up the standings. If the Dream keep shooting like they did Wednesday, they’re going to begging for more early starts. They were simply on fire, and by the time Mystics wanted to buckle down and play defense, it was too late.

The Dream shot 60 percent from the field and knocked down 11 threes, putting up a 61 percent performance from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the Mystics lost every quarter and never posed a serious threat. Angel McCoughtry scored 24 points and Jessica Breland added a season-high 23 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Dream, who had 4 different players with at least 20 points.

The Mystics took this one on the chin and just have to buckle up and move on.

Lynx take care of Fever

The Minnesota Lynx and the Indiana Fever are two teams heading in completely different directions and it showed Wednesday on the court as the Lynx took care of the Fever, 87-65. The veteran Lynx, even in a disappointing year by their lofty standards, had no problem handling the young Fever. The defending champions, led by Sylvia Fowles’ 20 points and Maya Moore’s 17 points, never trailed in this one and showed why they are still a force to be reckoned with when they are at their best.