WNBA Playoffs: Courtney Williams is the straw that breaks the camel's back as Lynx advance to the Finals

It only took one conversation for Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve to realize she had something special with Courtney Williams.

“I knew how real she was as a person,” Reeve said. “That’s probably why we’re doing so well. I can tell Courtney anything and she can tell me anything.”

They spoke on the phone in the off-season and connected immediately. Reeve liked how easy-going Williams was. She also liked what she could bring to the Lynx at the point guard position.

And since coming to Minnesota, both the Williams person and the player are doing well.

She helped the Lynx clinch a spot in the WNBA Finals on Tuesday, with 24 points and seven assists in an 88-77 Game 5 win over the Connecticut Sun. It's the type of play the Lynx have seen from their guard all season.

Williams didn't miss a single shot in the first half. She made it 6 of 6 as the Lynx built a 53-34 lead. The third quarter was a struggle for Williams, who shot 1 of 6 as the Suns mounted a comeback.

Reeve walked out with Williams and the two chatted on the sidelines. Afterwards, Williams returned to her game. She scored seven points and dished out three assists in the final frame.

“(I told her) If she is aggressive and makes plays, we have a chance to get to the Finals,” Reeve said. “We knew she would be a big part of us winning this series.”

When they first spoke, Reeve expected Williams to excel in the Lynx system, but as the season progressed, Reeve developed a new appreciation for the guard.

“I knew Courtney Williams the player, but I didn't know Courtney Williams the person,” Reeve said after Game 3. “Courtney's way with the team is exactly what this team was missing.”

Williams wasn't a point guard before coming to Minnesota, but Reeve and her staff asked her to become the team's primary ballplayer. They also had an idea of ​​how she would play with Napheesa Collier, the team's leading scorer and an MVP candidate.

“We knew their offensive game would help, especially in the pick-and-roll with Phee,” general manager Clare Duwelius said. “But she can also score points herself.”

Williams and Collier were a dynamic duo for the Lynx throughout the season, and the pick-and-roll game that Duwelius loved was the focus of Minnesota's offense.

In the Game 5 win over Connecticut, Williams showed every element of her game. She ran the two-player game with Collier — who finished with 27 points and 11 rebounds — driving and finishing at the rim, knocking down 3-pointers and, of course, showing off her patented mid-range game.

This season, Williams is averaging 6.9 mid-range attempts per game, a percentage of 46.2%. She is by far the most successful mid-range scorer in the WNBA.

“It's a reason to be proud of keeping the midfield sport alive,” said the nine-year veteran.

It's also one of the first things teammate Alanna Smith noticed about Williams.

The two are close now after playing together in Chicago last season. But in 2019, Smith was a rookie playing for Phoenix and Williams was in her fifth season in the league and her fourth with the Suns.

“I remember watching Courtney this season and wondering, 'Who is this girl?'” Smith said. “She had the best middle-order game I had ever seen.”

It was her play that first impressed Smith, but it was Williams' personality that had a greater impact on her future teammate.

Williams, the player, has been important for the Lynx this season, averaging 11.1 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game. Williams, the person, was even more crucial.

“She’s the best,” Smith said. “She pulled me through some really difficult things personally. And that’s what you play for: having teammates like that and being able to win with people like that.”

Together they won the semi-finals. Next up, Williams, Smith and the Lynx face the Liberty with a chance to win the Finals together.

The WNBA Finals begin on Thursday at 7 p.m. in New York.