WNBA playoffs: Courtney Williams is the straw that stirs the drink as Lynx advance to Finals

It took only 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 do so well. I can say anything to Courtney, and she can say anything to me.”

They talked on the phone during the offseason and connected right away. Reeve liked how straightforward Williams was. She also liked what she could bring to the point guard position for the Lynx.

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

She helped the Lynx earn 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 kind of play the Lynx have seen from their guard all season.

Williams didn’t miss a shot in the first half. She went 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 Sun mounted a comeback.

Reeve took Williams out, and the two had a conversation on the sidelines. After that, Williams got back to her game. She scored seven points in the final frame and dished out three assists.

“[I told her] when she’s aggressive and makes plays, we have a chance to be in the Finals,” Reeve said. “We knew she would be a big part of us winning this series.”

From the first time they talked, Reeve expected Williams to excel in the Lynx system, but throughout the season, Reeve gained 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 was missing from this team.”

Williams wasn’t a point guard before coming to Minnesota, but Reeve and her staff asked her to transition into being the team’s primary ball-handler. They also had a vision for how she would play with Napheesa Collier, the team’s main scorer and MVP candidate.

“We knew her offensive game was going to help, especially in the pick-and-roll with Phee,” general manager Clare Duwelius said. “But she can also do her own scoring as well.”

Williams and Collier have been a dynamic duo for the Lynx throughout the season, and the pick-and-roll game that Duwelius was excited about has been at the center of Minnesota’s offense.

In the Game 5 victory over Connecticut, Williams showcased all the elements of her game. She ran the two-player game with Collier — who finished with 27 points and 11 rebounds — drove and finished at the rim, knocked down 3-pointers and, of course, showed off her patented midrange game.

On the season, Williams is averaging 6.9 midrange attempts per game, making 46.2% of them. She’s by far the most prolific midrange scorer in the WNBA.

“It’s a point of pride to keep the midrange game alive,” the nine-year veteran said.

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

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

“I remember watching Courtney that season and being like, ‘Who is this chick?”’ Smith said. “She had the best midrange game I’d ever seen.”

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

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

“She’s the best,” Smith said. “She’s pulled me through some really tough stuff, personally. And that’s what you play for, to have teammates like this and to be able to win with people like this.”

They won the semifinals together. Next up, Williams, Smith and the Lynx will take on the Liberty for a chance to win the finals together.

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