Pili, Minnesota Lynx advance to WNBA Finals

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Alaska’s Alissa Pili and the Minnesota Lynx are heading to the 2024 WNBA Finals after defeating the Connecticut Sun in a best-of-five series.

The Lynx fended off the Sun 88-77 Tuesday in the winner-take-all Game 5 and will face the New York Liberty in the Finals that begin Thursday.

Pili, drafted eighth overall in April, did not see the floor during the semifinal matchup with Connecticut. The rookie has only played one minute during Minnesota’s playoff run, coming in Game 2 of their series with the Phoenix Mercury.

With a Finals-bound roster, it has been difficult for the first year player from Anchorage to break a sweat throughout the season.

The former Dimond High standout appeared in 22 regular-season games for the Lynx with 18 DNP’s, or Did Not Play.

Pili saw double-digit minutes in seven of those outings, including the regular-season finale where she tallied eight points (3-7 FG), two rebounds, and two steals in 22 minutes.

Her breakout performance came on May 31 when — in just her fifth game as a pro — Pili erupted for 20 points on 7-9 shooting (4-4 from 3) while adding four rebounds and two assists without a turnover in just 15 minutes in a win over the Mercury.

Her regular-season totals saw 53 points (2.4 ppg), 27 rebounds (1.2 rpg), five assists, and five steals on 19-45 shooting from the field (42.2%) and 9-27 from deep (33.3%).

Pili is the sixth Alaskan to play in the WNBA and could become the second to win a WNBA title behind Fairbanks Ruthy Hebard, who won a championship with the Chicago Sky in her rookie season in 2021. Hebard played 12 minutes during those Finals, netting four points on 2-2 shooting.

The Lynx have been led by their pair of All-Stars — Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride. Collier has poured in 20.4 ppg with 9.7 rpg, while McBride is averaging 15ppg on 40.7% from 3.

Courtney Williams (11.1 ppg) and Alanna Smith (10.1 ppg) have also averaged double digit points for Minnesota this year.

Minnesota returns to the Finals for the first time since 2017 and could become the first franchise to win five titles if they take down the Liberty.

New York is led by the superstar duo of Breanna Stewart (20.4 ppg, 8.5 rpg) and Sabrina Ionescu (18.2 ppg, 6.2 apg), who just dethroned the defending champion Las Vegas Aces in four games.

The WNBA Finals are a best-of-5 series with Game 1 coming Thursday with a 4 p.m. AKDT tip-off on ESPN.