Alanna Smith has lifted Minnesota into the WNBA finals, setting up a showdown with her Opals coach Sandy Brondello and New York Liberty.
Smith nailed three-pointers in the first and third quarters as her Lynx prevailed 88-77 in the decisive fifth game of their semi-final series against Connecticut.
The Lynx advanced to face the top-seeded Liberty, with the best-of-five series starting in New York on Friday morning (AEST).