Brooklyn, NY— Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve has witnessed countless moments throughout her impressive career, which includes four WNBA championships. However, the Lynx’s thrilling 95-93 comeback win over the New York Liberty in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals stands out as one of the most memorable.
“We’re the first team in WNBA playoff history to overcome a 15-point deficit in the final five minutes to win a game,” Reeve remarked. “That speaks volumes about our team’s character. We’ve focused on mental toughness and resilience, and I’m so proud that we persevered.”
After trailing by 18 points in the first half, the Lynx pulled off a remarkable comeback, with Napheesa Collier hitting a clutch turnaround jumper with just 8.8 seconds remaining in overtime to secure the victory.
With the score tied, Collier faked out her defender in the lane to score. The Liberty had one last chance to equalize, but Breanna Stewart’s layup at the buzzer missed its mark.
Courtney Williams led the Lynx with 23 points, including a critical four-point play in the closing seconds of regulation. Collier contributed significantly with 21 points, eight rebounds, six blocks, and three steals.
Game 2 of the best-of-five series is set for Sunday in New York. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced before the game that the Finals will expand to a best-of-seven format starting next year.
Overtime began slowly, but the Lynx established an 88-84 lead as the Liberty struggled, missing their first six shots. Jonquel Jones finally got New York on the board with a corner three-pointer with 1:38 left. Williams quickly answered with a three of her own, and the teams exchanged baskets until Sabrina Ionescu’s steal and layup brought the Liberty within 93-91 with 32.9 seconds to go.
Jones then stole the ball at midcourt, scoring to tie the game just four seconds later. The Lynx played the clock strategically before Collier’s decisive basket.
The Liberty squandered an 11-point lead in the last 3:23 of regulation as Minnesota rattled off 12 unanswered points, highlighted by Williams’ four-point play.
In the closing seconds, Stewart’s initial shot was blocked, but after a review, the officials awarded her two free throws, determining the foul occurred before the buzzer. Stewart made the first but missed the second, sending the game to overtime after Williams’ attempt failed.
“We’ll take it on the chin,” Stewart said. “We had a strong lead and a chaotic end to the fourth. We didn’t start overtime well, but it’s a series. We wanted this win for home court advantage, but we’ll be ready for Sunday.”
Jones led the Liberty with 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Ionescu added 19 and Stewart finished with 18.
The Liberty surged ahead early, taking an 18-point lead in the first half before the Lynx rallied. Minnesota’s comeback matched the Liberty’s record for the largest playoff rally, initially set in 1999.
Both teams are aiming for history: New York seeks its first championship, while Minnesota is after a league-record fifth title. The two franchises were the top performers during the regular season.
The Liberty are back in the Finals for a second consecutive year, looking to rebound from their loss to the Las Vegas Aces in 2023. The Lynx return to the championship series for the first time since 2017, when they captured their fourth title in seven years.
Although New York had lost two of three regular-season matchups against Minnesota, both teams emphasized that those games were not indicative of the Finals.
Minnesota’s defense held Jones, the Liberty’s star center, in check during their previous encounters, but she reached double digits by the end of the first quarter on Thursday. The Lynx limited New York to just 38% shooting, improving their record to 181-11 since 2011 when holding opponents under 40%.
The atmosphere at the Barclays arena, with 17,732 fans, was electric, featuring notable attendees like Spike Lee, Jason Sudeikis, Meek Mill, and New York Mets third baseman Mark Vientos. Lee sported an Ionescu jersey, adding to the vibrant energy of the night.
