Game 2 Preview/Thread: Minnesota Lynx vs. Phoenix Mercury

The two best teams in the WNBA face off yet again this afternoon, but this time the Lynx are in an unfamiliar position: facing elimination.

Maya Moore struggled to get it going in Game 1, as the Mercury stifled her with their active defense. ''Early in the game I thought that Maya didn't have an understanding of what was available,'' coach Cheryl Reeve said after the loss. ''I thought that Phoenix, in typical fashion, their team defense was really good. So maybe where Maya had openings, they closed quickly and her recognition of what happens next was not very good.''

Phoenix is now 3-0 in the 2014 WNBA Playoffs, while the Lynx are 2-1. With the win Friday, Phoenix recorded their first postseason win against the Lynx and snapped a six-game Western Conference Finals losing streak that dates back to 2010.

After a tough Game 1, Maya Moore will look to shake off a rare poor performance - 9 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists - and lead the Lynx to a deciding Game 3 back in Phoenix.

"We know we're going to get a harder effort from the Lynx," Brondello said about Game 2. "They're the champions. We're going back home there, but we have to bring the same kind of effort [that we did tonight] and even more."

Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals between the Phoenix Mercury & Minnesota Lynx tips off at 2:30 pm local time this afternoon on ABC. You can listen to the radio call on: BOB FM 106.1

Starters:

Minnesota Lynx (25-9 regular season; 2-1 postseason)

Lindsay Whalen

Seimone Augustus

Maya Moore

Rebekkah Brunson

Janel McCarville

Phoenix Mercury (29-5 regular season; 3-0 postseason)

Diana Taurasi

DeWanna Bonner

Penny Taylor

Candice Dupree

Brittney Griner

To prepare you for the game, here are Maya Moore's top 10 plays this past season.