Their next challenge comes in the semifinal round against the Phoenix Mercury, with Game 1 on Sunday in Minneapolis. Now, with a clean slate, Minnesota and Phoenix head into the best-of-five semifinals, with the Lynx at home for the first two games. The Mercury advanced by defeating the defending WNBA champion New York Liberty with Friday night's 79-73 triumph in Game 3 of their series. The Lynx won three of four meetings against Phoenix during the regular season, though the teams haven't met since July 16. Reeve is counting on Smith, who joined the Lynx in free agency in 2024, to lead on defense.