Fever lose Game 5 but have plenty to be proud of — and a bright future

Lynx won Game 5 for their third title in five years.

No, it wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t even pleasing to watch.

And that stinks because this WNBA Finals series was terrific. Possibly one of the best, ever. It was competitive, it was back and forth, and it was ultra close.

Until the decisive Game 5 Wednesday night in Minneapolis.

The Indiana Fever had a two-point edge after the first frame but then faded and became an unrecognizable team. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Lynx, champions in 2011 and 2013, continued their good fortune in odd years with a 69-52 win — and the franchise’s third WNBA Championship.

It was the first finals series to go the distance since 2009, when the Fever also came up one loss short … to the Phoenix Mercury.

The Lynx have been the dominant team in the last half-dozen seasons, reaching the finals four times and winning the trophy three times.

What did the Fever look like? Well, not themselves. As many noted on Twitter, remember Butler vs. UConn in 2011? Yeah, that bad.

Their second quarter numbers: Four points, 1-of-11 shooting, nine turnovers. And yet they were only down by six (27-21) at the break.

Their lack of rhythm and flow offensively would continue into the second half. In the third quarter, Minnesota outscored Indiana 21-8 as the Fever managed just three field goals on 12 attempts.

The Fever were settling for jump shots, and when they tried to attack, which had been key to the postseason, they turned it over. With 10 minutes remaining, they already had 20 turnovers (to just 11 field goals). They finished the game with 21.

36-year-old Tamika Catchings paced the Fever with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Briann January added 13 points and three assists.

Sylvia Fowles, who was quiet in Games 3 and 4 in Indianapolis, led the Lynx with 20 points and 11 rebounds. What I don’t like is that Fowles held out, refusing to play with the Sky until being traded to a team of her choosing. She won out, getting both a title and Finals MVP trophy.

Rebekkah Brunson made her presence felt in the final game, contributing 10 points and 14 rebounds. Maya Moore, who hit the game-winning buzzer beating in Game 3, was a non-factor — 1-for-8 with five fouls — and it didn’t even matter.

It’s a shame that Game 5 was not even close. It’s a shame that basketball fans worldwide were watching and they didn’t see something similar to games one through four. Instead, they saw something they probably don’t care to see again. With 18,933 in the stands and (probably) more than a million fans watching, Game 5 lacked excitement, quality basketball, and the drama a Game 5 deserves.

“I think so,” Catchings said on whether fatigue was a factor in their performance. “I think that we were so excited today and everybody was so anxious for the game. It definitely plays into just the performance tonight because everything just kind of felt like it was a slugfest. It was so slow and everybody was trying to move.

“We were doing a decent job in the first half defensively but second half it just felt like … yeah, it was just not a good [showing].”

The Fever and Lynx were separated by just three points (298-295) through four games and no game had been won by more than six points. (6, 6, 3, 6)

Indiana, though, wasn’t supposed to be in the Finals but when the series started, it looked like they deserved it all.

There were growing pains for this Fever team. Plenty of them. They dropped six of their first nine games, including their first three. In July, finally, they came together and stared to click.

Tamika Catchings and Stephanie White are two of the pillars of the Fever organization.

This resilient Fever team fell behind 0-1 in the conference semi-finals and finals against Chicago and New York, respectively. Disposing of Chicago and league MVP Elena Delle Done would have been most impressive — until they fought back from an 18-point hole in a must-win Game 2 against the Liberty to force Game 3.

“No matter what happened tonight I was going to be proud of this group,” Catchings said. “It’s been an amazing journey this year and one thing that I told them in the huddle ‘There’s nothing to hang your heads down for. We played and we fought and we did every single thing that we possibly could, every single thing that the coaches asked of us we did. And so I’m proud of this group and I’m especially proud of this girl right year [Briann January], the way that she performed and led this team the whole series.”

Catchings may plan to play just one more season but the Fever appear to be in very, very good hands for years to come.

First, at the top with President and GM Kelly Krauskopf, the longest-tenured executive in the league. What she’s built, starting but not limited to Catchings in 2011, is special. Rookie head coach Stephanie White, the only first-year coach to lead her team to the finals, has an awfully bright future. She knows the game very well, is an excellent communicator, and has the full support of her players.

Point guard Briann January, who should be considered for the 2016 Olympics with USA Basketball, is locked up for the future, signing a multi-year extension mid-season. Shenise Johnson, who they traded for last spring, is just 24 and has a bright future. Marissa Coleman has been solid in her two seasons with the Fever, and Erlana Larkins is underrated and happily does the dirty work.

Getting the finals any year is incredibly difficult. This was a very difficult way for the Fever to end their season and will sting for a while, but the Fever have plenty of reasons to be proud of their development throughout the season — and especially a special postseason run.

Fans are encouraged to be at Indianapolis International Airport Thursday morning to welcome the team back and celebrate their season. Arrive at the Civic Plaza (food court) by 11:45 a.m. Complimentary snacks and Starbucks coffee will be served.

#Fever @Catchin24 talks to her teammates after they lost to the #Lynx 69-52 in #WNBAFinals. @IndyStarSports pic.twitter.com/scYqvelH4I

— Matt Kryger (@MattKryger) October 15, 2015

Tamika Catchings just went into champagne-filled Lynx locker room to congratulate team. Talk about a class act.

— PBenedictNBA (@PBenedictNBA) October 15, 2015

This is who she is. Amidst popping champagne bottles, @Catchin24 visits celebratory #Lynx locker room. #congrats pic.twitter.com/oJ6L4NiMfx

— Kevin Messenger (@kmess65) October 15, 2015