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SPORTS A21
Tuesday 13 October 2015
WNBA Finals between Lynx and Fever go to decisive Game 5
ball. Basketball is basket- three times. She was on the
ball. You can’t deny there’s team that lost to Phoenix in
great competition on both Game 5 in 2009.
sides. Great plays on both “We’ve been very blessed
sides of the ball. It’s only fit- as an organization to be
ting that we go to Game able to make the playoffs
5. We’ll go to Minnesota 11 years straight,” she said.
and the place will be loud. “But making it to the finals,
That’s what you play for.” out of 11 years, we’ve only
Catchings announced been there three times. So
before the season she will this doesn’t happen ev-
retire after the 2016 sea- ery single year, and every
son. She has spent her game you have to take
whole career in Indiana, advantage of your next
getting to the title series opportunity.”q
Indiana Fever’s Briann January, center, heads to the basket as Minnesota Lynx’s Seimone Augus-
tus, left, and Anna Cruz, right, watch in the first half of Game 4 of the WNBA Finals basketball series,
in Indianapolis, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015.
Associated Press
DOUG FEINBERG games. Starting with their the Houston Comets won
run to the franchise’s lone more in a similar stretch
AP BASKETBALL WRITER title in 2012, the Fever are when they took the first four
9-2 in elimination games. WNBA championships. The
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- It’s The only other series to Lynx won their previous two
make it to a fifth game titles on the road, in Atlanta
only fitting these WNBA since the WNBA started in 2011 and 2013.
playing best-of-five in 2005
Finals are going the dis- were in 2006 and 2007. His- They’ll have a chance
tory may be on Indiana’s to win one in front of their
tance. side. The team that won home fans.
the championship in all “Great opportunity for us
“It’s absolutely been a three of those series lost and our fans who have
Game 3. been with us all season,”
great series,” Minnesota Maya Moore, who hit a Moore said.
buzzer-beating shot for the “That’s the beauty of it. Be
coach Cheryl Reeve said. Lynx in Game 3, can ap- ourselves at homes. We
preciate what this series have a really good chance
“Four really, really hard has meant. if we do that.”
“It’s been a fun one to Tamika Catchings has
fought games. Why not watch,” she said. “Espe- been a huge reason for
cially the last few games the Fever’s postseason run,
go to a Game 5? It’s been have been very fun from seemingly willing them to
a fans standpoint. Lots of victories.
that good of a series. It’s great things happening, “This was a great series for
players making plays. If I the WNBA, great for wom-
one of those things that was to say where do I want en’s basketball,” Catch-
to finish my season, it would ings said. “It’s great it’s on
people like to see. I think be at the Target Center.” TV and so many people
Now the Lynx return home are locked into this that
it’s good for the game. with a chance to win their have never seen a WNBA
third title in five years. Only game. Never been inter-
Good to have eyes on our ested in women’s basket-
product right now because
there’s a lot of great things
to watch and a lot of great
people out there putting it
all out there.”
This is the first time since
2009 the league’s cham-
pionship has gone the full
length. Game 5 is Wednes-
day night in Minneapo-
lis, where the Fever won
Game 1.
“It gives us confidence
knowing that we’ve been
able to win on the road
all season long,” Indiana
coach Stephanie White
said. “We’re happy to be
playing another day.”
Indiana won 75-69 on Sun-
day night in Game 4. As
they’ve done all postsea-
son, the Fever found a way
to stave off elimination. In-
diana is 5-0 in the playoffs
this season in elimination
