Thomas and Bonner assist the Solar advance to their fifth straight WNBA semifinals

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Alyssa Thomas tied a career-high with 28 factors, DeWanna Bonner had 25 factors and 10 rebounds, and the Connecticut Solar beat the Minnesota Lynx 90-75 on Wednesday evening to advance to their fifth straight WNBA playoff semifinals.

Connecticut will play the New York Liberty on Sunday in a best-of-five collection. The Solar misplaced all 4 regular-season video games with the Liberty this season. It was the second consecutive season that the Solar went on the highway to win Sport 3 of their first spherical playoff collection.

Tyasha Harris added 18 factors off the bench for Connecticut. She made 4 of the Solar’s 9 3-pointers. Thomas additionally had 12 assists and 6 rebounds.

Napheesa Collier led Minnesota with 31 factors. Kayla McBride, who scored 28 factors in Sport 2 on Sunday, was held to 10 factors on 3-of-12 capturing.

Connecticut made eight of its first 9 pictures and scored 14 straight factors to take a 20-6 lead. Minnesota was inside 32-29 earlier than Connecticut scored the subsequent 11 factors for a 14-point lead. The Solar made 11 of their final 13 pictures of the primary half, together with Bonner’s baseline jumper simply earlier than the buzzer for a 49-34 lead.

Bonner and Thomas scored or assisted on 40 of the Solar’s 49 first-half factors. Bonner was 5 of 6 from the sector within the first half for 14 factors and Thomas additionally scored 14 factors on 7-of-12 capturing.

Bonner made two 3-pointers within the opening 3:05 of the third quarter for a 57-38 lead.

Bonner turned the third participant in WNBA playoff historical past with 1,000 factors and 500 rebounds, becoming a member of Tamika Catchings and Candace Parker.