Delle Donne, who had been limited offensively throughout the series because of herniated disks in her back, worked to bridge the gap between her healthy and injured selves. With the title on the line Thursday, she attacked the basket as if she had a whole off-season to rest and recover — which, of course, she does.

“I felt pretty decent today, and I also knew today was the last game,” said Delle Donne, who finished with 21 points and nine rebounds. “I can rest now. So I felt like I was able to give a little bit more, especially on the defensive end.”

Jones, however, made sure that whatever sins she committed in this deciding game, they would not be sins of omission. Jones had eight shot attempts at the break, matching her total for all of Game 3. The Sun’s reliance on Jones was tested, as she struggled with foul trouble, though Connecticut Coach Curt Miller kept her in for key stretches.

“It’s a winner-take-all game,” Miller said. “You’ve got to let these guys play through some of their fouls. But with the dedication on their part schematically to throw the ball inside, you know, it’s hard.”