Bang, bang. Now we have a series, tied at a game apiece as it shifts to Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on Friday night. And it’s now a best-of-three.
There were collisions, fights for loose balls, stifling defense and a focus on taking each team’s star — Alyssa Thomas for the Sun and Napheesa Collier for the Lynx — out of the game. Thomas had six points at halftime. Collier had five. Moreover, Collier didn’t attempt a field goal in the second quarter and went from three seconds left in the first quarter to 4:29 left in the third without a made field goal.
Williams exploded for 11 points in the third, including consecutive possessions in which she pulled up from 17 feed for a basket, then buried a three-pointer — followed by a rebel yell in front of the Sun bench. Moments later, an official had to step in between Williams and Connecticut’s Marina Mabrey — teammates with Chicago last season — as they jawed at each other.
“Oh, we was chatting,” Williams said. “I told her she couldn’t guard me. She told me I ain’t had that many good games. I said, ‘So you think you pressure, because I’m really pressure.’ A little back-and-forth action. It’s playoffs, man. We are gonna talk a little bit.
“We’ll be cool again after we done playing.”