The WNBA Finals are heating up. Following an impressive comeback from an 18-point deficit in Game 1, Cheryl Reeve’s Minnesota Lynx struggled to replicate that success in Game 2. Now, as they prepare to host the New York Liberty in a crucial Game 3 at the Target Center, the question looms: can the energy of their home crowd provide the boost needed to tip the balance in their favor? Well, according to this analyst, it can.

In the latest episode of Good Game with Sarah Spain, analyst and producer Alex Azzi shared her insights on the Liberty vs. Lynx matchup. “It should scare New York that Minnesota can come back from such a big deficit on two different occasions,” Azzi said. She also said that the Lynx won’t necessarily fall behind like they did in the previous games, adding, “I don’t think they’re going to let themselves do it again.” 

These observations from Alex Azzi were based on the frustrations expressed by Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve during her postgame press conference, where she stated, “I’m disappointed that we let it get to 17. I’m more than disappointed, I’m pissed that, that happened again.” The head coach blatantly emphasized the need to avoid similar pitfalls in the upcoming games. While others might see it as just another comment after a frustrating loss, Alex Azzi interpreted it as a slight disappointment.

Alex further elaborated on her interpretation, during the podcast saying, “I just think, you know, Cheryl said postgame she was disappointed that they let it get to 17 points once again, and then she was actually more impressed than disappointed. And I think that should scare New York, right?“ 

Now that Coach Reeve has made it abundantly clear that allowing such a large deficit is unsustainable, especially against an offensive powerhouse like the Liberty, the Lynx must channel Reeve’s frustration into a focused game plan that capitalizes on their home-court advantage and not allow another game with a similar deficit. 

Minnesota’s homecourt advantage: A decisive factor

As Game 3 for the Lynx will unfold on their homecourt, former D1 player and producer Misha Jones, also featured on Good Game with Sarah Spain, hopes that the Target Center crowd will give their team a much-needed boost. “Home nets for them are going to mean more made threes than we saw in Game 2,” Jones said while expressing that the boost in morale for the Lynx will help them pull up their 3-point game in the upcoming matchup.

Elevating their three-point game could make all the difference for the Lynx in Game 3. In their previous matchup, Minnesota struggled from beyond the arc, hitting only six three-pointers and shooting a mere 30%. In stark contrast, the Liberty thrived, sinking 11 threes at an impressive 45.8% clip. On the other hand, in Game 1, Lynx had recorded 9-of-22 3-pointers while Liberty put up 13-of-33.

While Coach Reeve appears confident in her team’s ability to adjust and improve. The head coach will definitely look towards avoiding a slow start that has plagued the Lynx since Game 1.

As the tension builds, the upcoming clash promises to be a historic showdown. There is no doubt that with everything on the line. Game 3 is set to be a defining moment in this tightly contested series, and Minnesota seems more than ready to seize the moment.