INDIANAPOLIS – Before Maya Moore sent the Lynx into a joyous frenzy with her game-winning three-point shot, it was an unsung hero who rose to the occasion to bring Minnesota level at 77.

With Indiana in front 77-74, Anna Cruz drove towards the foul line and kicked the ball out to reserve guard Renee Montgomery. Without hesitation, Montgomery fired away from a couple of steps beyond the arc. And she drained it.

“(If) she doesn’t hit that three to tie it at 77,” Moore said, “we might have needed my three.  So it was just Renee locking into Renee, and we know she can do that. I think it’s only going to help us, it’s only going to help her mentally going into Game 4 knowing that’s what she’s capable of and remembering that. So it was fun to watch. It was a huge three, huge.”

Friday’s performance marked the second straight pivotal performance from Montgomery and the Minnesota bench. Much has been made about the cohesion Minnesota has with its core of Moore, Whalen, Augustus and Brunson, but Montgomery, Anna Cruz and Devereaux Peters have played integral parts in the Lynx’s postseason run.

Reeve’s bench has steadily improved throughout the series, scoring seven bench points in Game 1, 14 in Game 2 before exploding for 28 in Game 3. And it could not have come at a better time for Minnesota. Moore struggled with foul trouble for most of the game, and Reeve was left with only one option.

She had to call upon her bench to play heavy minutes.

In Game 2, the reserves answered with their defense. In Game 3, it was their offense that ignited the Lynx.

“This came at a good time for us and our bench,” head coach Cheryl Reeve said. “They’ve been knocking on the door to be able to do that. I can’t say enough about what Devereaux Peters and Renee and Cruz have meant to our team through our playoff run.”

Cruz and Montgomery combined for 22 points on a combined 58.3% shooting from the floor, and Peters added six points.

“When you can get some production from those guys,” Fever head coach Stephanie White said, “the way they’re able to pressure you, but then also attack you and get into the paint, they just do a very good job of keeping you off balance with their quickness, and their decision making was very good as well.”