UNCASVILLE, CONN. — The final buzzer had just sounded in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals, with the Sun having won 105–76, when Connecticut star forward Jonquel Jones grabbed a microphone. “We appreciate y’all so much,” she told the crowd of 8,745 people. “Your energy was contagious. We needed it. Let’s get another one.” Jones played her best game of the Finals and scored a team-high 20 points in the win. She was joined by All-Star forward Alyssa Thomas, who recorded the first triple-double in WNBA Finals history with 16 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists. Connecticut now trails the best-of-five series 2–1. Game 4 is set for Sunday at 4 p.m. ET. But before the Sun face yet another elimination game, here are three takeaways from Game 3:
Connecticut’s first-quarter pressure set the tone
It took only 2:15 for Sun coach/general manager Curt Miller to call his first timeout. Connecticut trailed 9–2, having missed two three-pointers and recorded one turnover on its four possessions. “There was no panic, we were still settling into our game plan,” Thomas said. From there, the Sun played their best offensive stretch of the series. They closed the quarter on a 32–10 run, to lead by 15. They shot 82.4% in the contest’s first 10 minutes. “They just kicked our a-- in every way possible,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said. “There’s no two ways about it. If there was a stat on mental toughness and physicality, they would have kicked our a-- there, too.”
