Minnesota enter Finals; Atlanta force Game 3 vs. Indiana

The Minnesota Lynx have reached the WNBA finals for the first time in franchise history, thanks to Taj McWilliams-Franklin, who had a season-high 21 points, six rebounds & seven assists in the Lynx's 103-86 win over the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday that completed a two-game sweep in the Western Conference Finals.

Maya Moore had 21 points, seven rebounds & five assists for Minnesota, which needed three games to eliminate San Antonio in the first round before eliminating the Mercury.

The Lynx await the winner of the Indiana-Atlanta series that will be decided on Tuesday night. The WNBA Finals will begin October 2nd in Minneapolis, which had the league's best record in the regular season.




Iziane Castro Marques replaced Erika de Souza in the starting lineup and scored a season-high 30 points as the Atlanta Dream beat the Indiana Fever, 94-77 in Game 2 on Sunday to even the Eastern Conference Finals.

Indiana's Tamika Catchings, the WNBA MVP, hurt her right foot late in the game, leaving her status uncertain for Tuesday night's decisive Game 3 in Indianapolis.

Catchings had only eight points, seven below her average, before leaving with 4:54 remaining after she landed on Alison Bales' foot when attempting to defend Bales' shot. Catchings was in obvious distress on the court as she was surrounded by her teammates, who waved to the Atlanta bench for a doctor.

The seven-time All-Star forward was carried off the court by her teammates.