WNBA Finals: Lynx Defeat Dream To Win Championship Final Thoughts

This won't be your conventional recap as I don't see that documenting every play down the stretch really is necessary in this case. The Minnesota Lynx defeated the Atlanta Dream 73-67 to earn their first WNBA Finals. As was the case in each of the first two games of the series, Atlanta led for a good portion of the Game 3 before in the third quarter they simply stopped making shots. It was at that point that it looked like a season full of adversity finally caught up with them.

Sure Atlanta would make a run in the fourth quarter and even cut the lead to one point late in the fourth. By that point though it all felt desperate and was going to take a collapse on Minnesota's part to enable Atlanta to prolong the series. Credit Minnesota, because they were the better team all year and in this series. The gap likely wasn't as wide as their regular season records suggests but make no mistake that this Minnesota team looks like they may only get better.

Which brings me back to the Dream. I covered this team from day one this season which I will talk about a little more later. Internally I probably wrote them off three different times this season. All of the injuries, players leaving to play for their national teams, the 3-9 start, I am not sure I have ever seen a basketball team overcome as much adversity as this group did. In Game 3 of the WNBA Finals, it looked like all of that weight finally crashed on them. Now compare that with the drama free season that the Lynx enjoyed.

Game 3 was a little disappointing end to what was a roller coaster ride for the Atlanta Dream this season. Yet even as they struggled in Game 3, you could never question their effort or their heart. We aren't completely sure what this Atlanta Dream team might look like next season but perhaps the third time will be the charm for this group.