UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Cheryl Reeve doesn’t see the similarities between her Minnesota Lynx and the Connecticut Sun.

“We are very, very different,” she said. “We are similar in terms of the outcomes of the games, the scores, how close they are. And we are closely aligned, but we couldn’t be more different from each other.”

The Lynx like to spread the floor and find shooters, while the Sun, Reeve said, relies more on physicality.

But whether she sees it or not, there are a few things that connect the two teams.

They’ve both been written off: Connecticut the forgotten contender for years in Uncasville, and Minnesota was chosen as the ninth-ranked team in the preseason this year.

Neither team was afraid to make a big change late in the season. The Sun traded for Marina Mabrey to bring shooting sports to Connecticut, and the Lynx acquired Myisha Hines-Allen to bolster their post presence. No other team made a major midseason trade.

They are both defensive-minded teams and rank first and second in defensive rating. Both limit possessions and use grit and intensity – even when it’s ugly – to win basketball games.

And on Friday it was ugly in some places. Like from the three-point line, where the teams combined to make just 22% of their attempts. But it was also beautiful in some places. Like the Lynx’s play inside the arc, where they made 65% of their attempts.

The result was also nice for Minnesota, as it earned a 90-81 victory on Friday night and took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five semifinal series.

“We recognized different matchups, our passing was good and we knew when to throw it (in) and when not to,” Reeve said. “I think there were moments in the first two games where we were under duress and still trying to create something.”

On Friday, Reeve said her players took what came to them instead of trying to force shots.

“This group will always bounce back,” Reeve said. “They know how to solve problems. They always work things out together.”

At the other end of the spectrum, New York and Las Vegas are high-powered offenses. This series will come down to the heart of the matter.

And when it comes to defense, Reeve has similar thoughts on both teams.

“We’re both tough to play against,” she said. “I think both teams would like things to be a little easier. The game is a little more fun when there are a lot of balls going through the ring, but neither team is going to let that happen.”

Both teams have had their shooting issues. In Game 1, it was the Lynx who struggled, making only 25% of their shots from long range. In Game 2, the Sun shot 36.4% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc. In both games, the team that shot the best from the three-point line won.

In Game 3 it was more of the same. Shots from long range were difficult to make. Together, the teams made just eight three-pointers.

This time the match was won inside the arc.

The Lynx found a way to be efficient in a physical game and secured the win despite taking 12 fewer shots than the Sun.

“They were allowed to do pretty much whatever they wanted offensively,” Sun coach Stephanie White said.

Napheesa Collier led the Lynx in scoring with 26 points, bouncing back from a tough Game 2 as she finished with nine. Minnesota targeted Collier early and she scored eight in the first quarter.

Every time the Sun made a run and chipped away at the double-digit lead that Minnesota held for most of the game, it was Collier who killed their momentum. With 2:43 left in the game, Connecticut made one final push, cutting the lead to eight on a pair of free throws from DeWanna Bonner. But the bid was immediately cut short when Collier swung one of her signature turnaround jumpers on the next possession.

“Those are just normal shots that I usually take,” Collier said. “Obviously in crunch time I knew I had to be aggressive, especially in the paint with one-on-one coverage.”

Collier led the team in scoring, but it was Courtney Williams who led the charge. Her ability to get to the rim and finish created opportunities for the rest of the Lynx.

Williams is known for her mid-range play and she made a few shots from out of key, but on Friday she made it a point to get to the rim. She finished with 16 points and eight assists.

“Phee was great tonight,” Reeve said. “But Courtney Williams, her play, she did this for us.”

The Lynx will look to close out the series on Sunday in Connecticut. Game 5 will take place in Minnesota if necessary.