We didn't see any games over the weekend (we were in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania-- long story) so we were glad to get home in time for game three of the Sun vs. Fever series.

Holy cow. Indy took a while to get going. In fact, they spotted the Sun a 22-point lead.

Then the Fever's defense showed up-- what a defense!-- and the Sun's starters got tired. (Good thing for Indy the Sun now has almost no bench.)

By halftime the Sun lead was twelve. One quarter later? Still twelve. Two minutes after that? Sixteen, thanks to Whalen.

But with a minute to go, Indy led by one: the Sun had blown another fourth quarter lead.

And that was when things really got bizarre. First, Le'Coe Willingham sank an outside jumper-- the kind you give her, since she rarely makes them-- to give the Sun a one-point lead.

Then Catchings made free throws to put her team back up by three, Douglas missed a desperation trey with nine seconds to play, and... Sheri Sam, her mind somehow in fast-break mode, made a dangerous pass in her own court: a swift steal put the ball in the hands of Nykesha Sales, who hadn't scored, and barely shot, all night.

Sales for three! Overtime! But-- Douglas didn't realize what had happened, or else thought Sales scored only two: she fouled Catch immediately once Indy had the ball in bounds, and Catchings made-- again-- two key free throws.

Game over! Indy wins! But-- Douglas took the ball the length of the court and made a last-second layup, atoning for her error and forcing yet more overtime after all.

Indy won. Catch and Whit combined for 54: when it was all over, they had led their defense-minded team to the largest comeback in WNBA playoff history. (The previous record came in the only playoff game the Lynx have ever won.)

"In the fourth quarter, they got the stops," said Douglas. "Obviously, this one hurts."

Graham Hays gets it right: both teams have stars, but the Fever got much more from their role players-- and looked more like a team.

Right now it's time to celebrate in Feverland. Their fans have waited a while. But-- can teamwork beat Detroit?

UPDATE: Helen points out that our last sentence may have ensured a New York win tonight. And that, of course, was our intent all along.

UPDATE, AGAIN: Clay examines the game ably for Full Court subscribers. (Nutshell version: thumbs up on Catchings, DeForge, and Sam; thumbs down on Whitmore, Thibault, Douglas and Whalen [!]-- but he has more than that to say.)