Indiana beats Phoenix 86-85 in Game 3

<p>INDIANAPOLIS(AP) Ebony Hoffman&#39;s two big plays put the Indiana Fever one win away from their first WNBA title.<p>She hit the jumper that gave her team a one-point lead with 57 seconds left, then blocked Tangela Smith&#39;s shot with a second remaining to help Indiana defeat Phoenix 86-85 in Game 3 of the finals Sunday. The Fever took a 2-1 lead in the series and can clinch the championship with a win at home Wednesday.<p>Indiana forward Tamika Catchings said Hoffman has been a force since going through a slump at the end of the regular season.<p>&#34In the playoffs, she&#39;s stepped up her game and done such big things, especially in the Phoenix series, playing unbelievable, out of her mind,&#39;&#39; Catchings said. &#34That&#39;s awesome to see that, especially with the hard work she&#39;s put in over the years.&#39;&#39;<p>Hoffman, who led Indiana with 18 points, did it all with a sprained right shoulder. She left the game with 7:21 left and returned with 3:40 to play.<p>&#34My shoulder just popped out and went back in,&#39;&#39; Hoffman said. &#34It&#39;s just going to hurt.&#39;&#39;<p>Catchings had 14 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, Briann January scored 17 points, and Katie Douglas had 15.<p>Cappie Pondexter led Phoenix with 23 points and Le&#39;coe Willingham added 17. Diana Taurasi, the league&#39;s MVP, scored 18 points but shot 6-for-16 from the field.<p>The lead seesawed throughout the fourth quarter.<p>Hoffman&#39;s long shot from the left corner put Indiana ahead in the final minute. The officials reviewed it to determine if she was behind the arc and concluded it was a 2-pointer, giving Indiana an 86-85 lead.<p>Pondexter rushed downcourt and missed a layup, and Catchings rebounded. Then Indiana missed twice in close, but got the offensive rebound. January dribbled the ball out of bounds with 22 seconds left, though, to give Phoenix a final chance.<p>Pondexter missed a short jumper, and Catchings went for the rebound. She tried to call timeout, but Willingham tied her up and a jump ball was called.<p>Catchings felt she had called the timeout.<p>&#34I got the rebound looking for a referee to call timeout, but Le&#39;coe got there, and I guess they felt like her hands were on the ball,&#39;&#39; Catchings said.<p>Willingham won the jump ball, and Phoenix called timeout with 3.4 seconds left to set up the final shot.<p>Phoenix wasn&#39;t looking for Smith on the play.<p>&#34It was designed for Penny (Taylor),&#39;&#39; Pondexter said. &#34I think I overthrew the pass and it ended up in Tangela&#39;s hands. Tangela got a decent look, and Ebony blocked the shot. We had numerous chances to get a good-looking shot. We didn&#39;t execute. Sometimes, that happens.&#39;&#39;<p>The final margin irked Phoenix because the Fever got a free throw when Taurasi was called for a technical foul that she didn&#39;t agree with.<p>Taurasi had just made a tying layup with 5:14 to play, then took the ball and put it on the baseline for Indiana to inbound. As Taurasi turned around, she ran into Douglas, who fell and briefly held her stomach.<p>Taurasi said the officials told her she had thrown an elbow. Taurasi disagreed, saying her head hit Douglas and the play actually messed up her bun.<p>Catchings made the technical free throw to take a 76-75 lead, then January was fouled on the possession Indiana gained after the technical, and she made two free throws.<p>&#34Lose by a head butt,&#39;&#39; Taurasi joked.<p>There were seven lead changes and three ties in the second half.<p>The series has been tight throughout, with Phoenix winning Game 1 in overtime and Indiana taking Game 2 93-84 on Thursday.<p>&#34Game 3 is probably the hardest we fought out of this whole series, and it&#39;s tough when you lose like that,&#39;&#39; Pondexter said. &#34So now, it&#39;s more mental than anything. Game 4, I think we have to be stronger mentally, and the rest will take care of itself.&#39;&#39;