Minnesota Lynx vs. Indiana Fever - 10/9/15 WNBA Finals Pick, Odds, and Prediction

Fowles had 21 focuses and nine bounce back, and the Lynx leveled the best-of-five WNBA Finals at 1-1 with a 77-71 triumph over the Fever on Tuesday night. She’s a two-time WNBA champion, five-time All-Star, captain, and an excellent point guard in the league since 2004.

“Well, I guess first and foremost I learned a valuable lesson today”. The Indiana Fever are averaging 77.4 points on 42.9 percent shooting and allowing 75.5 points on 44.1 percent shooting.

Though the Lynx entered the WNBA Finals 2015 presented by Boost Mobile as clear favorites, anyone who has watched the Fever over the years - particularly when they beat Minnesota in the 2012 Finals - knows they are as tough a team as they come.

In the hallway as she walked back to the locker room, White said she does not believe the officials had an “intent” behind their calls.

“I challenged Bri to lead this team”, Catchings said postgame.

Moore scored eight of Minnesota’s 14 points in the fourth quarter, two on technical fouls given to Shenise Johnson and Marissa Coleman that helped the Lynx hold off the Fever.

“A fine. Uh-huh”, White said.

“She’s been a huge reason why we’ve been successful this season”, Catchings said. While January’s aggression on the defense end has played a major role, her well-timed buckets on the offensive end have been crucial.

Catchings expressed her frustration at the flow of the game and, more specifically, her own performance. “This game was a bloodbath”. “As a great player, you should never be sitting on the bench”, Catchings said. Never. And to me that’s a travesty.

Coach White, who previously assisted Dunn with Klop, brought him back the experienced coach with a defensive speciality. And we’ve always been (accepting of) what she says. “Is that what you mean?”

But it was Indiana’s second-year guard Maggie Lucas who was the unsung hero for the period when she canned a three-pointer on an assist from January with just 2.6 seconds remaining in the half.

“We didn’t take advantage of the opportunities we had”. “They hear what everybody is saying about whatever else, just like we do”. Minnesota made its free throws (17-for-18), as did Indiana (14-for-15). Starting the fourth quarter, Catchings and Shavonte Zellous were on the floor with five fouls. The Fever was ahead by eight points when she went to the bench with her fifth foul in the third quarter. Minnesota forced Indiana into 13 second half turnovers, which is a recipe that’s destined to cause any team to struggle. They never trailed thereafter.

Lynx guard Seimone Augustus, who had 11 points on Tuesday, played at LSU with Fowles and knows her as well as anyone.

For her part, Reeve played coy, stating - and smiling, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, “I can’t comment on the officiating”. Limit is four per person. Totals 30-71 17-18 77.