Lynx

Bonner, Thomas lead Sun to a 90-60 rout of the Lynx in WNBA playoff opener

September 13, 2023 / 11:31 PM CDT / AP

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DeWanna Bonner scored 17 points and grabbed a season-high 15 rebounds as the Connecticut Sun opened the WNBA playoffs with a 90-60 rout of the Minnesota Lynx on Wednesday night.

Game 2 of the best-of-three series will be in Connecticut on Sunday.

Alyssa Thomas added 15 points and 10 assists for the Sun, who earned the No. 3 seed after going 27-13 in the regular season. Rebecca Allen also scored 15 points on five 3-pointers and Tiffany Hayes had 14 points and four 3-pointers.

UNCASVILLE, CT - SEPTEMBER 13: Connecticut Sun forward DeWanna Bonner (24) defended by Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) during the First Round and game 1 of the 2023 WNBA playoffs between Minnesota Lynx and Connecticut Sun on September 13, 2023, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Sun made 16 of their 30 shots from behind the arc and held Minnesota to 35% shooting overall. Connecticut scored 30 points off 19 Lynx turnovers.

Connecticut led by 14 at halftime and took their first 20-point lead in the third quarter at 56-36 on a layup by Thomas. The Sun closed the game on a 17-3 run.

Kayla McBride had 16 points for the Lynx, who made the playoffs despite losing their first six games this season. Napheesa Collier added 14 for Minnesota, which also lost three of four regular-season meetings with Connecticut.

McBride scored 14 of her points in the first half and the Lynx used a 16-6 second-quarter run to take a 22-20 lead. But the Sun turned up the defensive pressure and went on a 21-3 run to take a 43-27 lead and control of the game.

NOTE: The video above is from Sept. 2, 2023.