What happened: Bridget Carleton connected on a 24-foot three-pointer with 9:02 remaining in the fourth quarter, assisted by Kamiah Smalls. The make trimmed the deficit to 56-74. The bucket continued a stretch of late-game perimeter shooting from the Lynx backcourt.

Why it matters: An 18-point hole with nine minutes to play is steep but not insurmountable in the WNBA, and every Carleton three keeps the comeback math alive. Smalls feeding Carleton has been a recurring action in this game, suggesting Minnesota is leaning on the pairing to generate catch-and-shoot looks. The Lynx will need a sustained run rather than isolated makes to threaten the result.

What to watch: Watch whether Minnesota can string together consecutive stops to convert the trailing threes into a real run. The next two-minute stretch will determine if this becomes a one-possession game or stays a comfortable lead.