Alanna Smith plays key role in clutch win by Minnesota

It wasn’t always pretty, but Australian centre Alanna Smith fought through a back injury and made a big difference down the stretch as the Minnesota Lynx evened the WNBA Finals by beating the New York Liberty 82-80.

Smith fell hard on her back in Minnesota’s Game 3 loss on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT). She returned to play but clearly was in distress, and her status for Game 4 was uncertain.

But when the starting lineups were announced, there was Smith in her customary spot, right where she was for 39 of Minnesota’s 40 regular-season games this year.

The early results were less than promising. Smith missed three layups in the first quarter and appeared hesitant when battling New York’s Jonquel Jones and Nyara Sabally.

But she ended up giving the Lynx 30 minutes – up from her regular-season average of 26.5 – and her perseverance paid off with 12 points, seven rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot.

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said it’s what the team expected from Smith, who was named to the WNBA’s all-defensive second team this year.

“All season long (Smith has) been in those positions for us, and we just appreciate her ability to turn around and buck up and do what her team needed to her to do,” Reeve said. “It’s important for her to be on the floor for us.”

After Minnesota led by one at halftime, Smith opened the second half with a 3-pointer on Minnesota’s first possession. She added a corner 3 that capped a 6-0 run by the Lynx to tie the game after they fell behind by six midway through the third quarter.

Smith hit another key basket when Courtney Williams found her for an open layup, giving Minnesota a 74-72 lead. And she was a big part of a swarming defence that helped frustrate New York stars Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu.

“She’s battling against (Jones) constantly, and JJ’s not an easy task for anybody. And she’s a little bit undersized and she battles, makes things as difficult as possible,” said Lynx forward Bridget Carleton, whose two free throws with two seconds left broke an 80-80 tie.