The WNBA Finals will head to a Game 5 with the series tied at 2-2 after the Minnesota Lynx took the win over the New York Liberty 82-80 on Friday night.
This game was close from the start and remained that way for all four quarters, with the largest lead being just six points at one point. The Lynx were led by all five of their starters who scored in double-digits, including guards Kayla McBride with 19 points and Courtney Williams with 15.
Both teams got off to a fast pace and shot well from the perimeter in the first quarter. New York center Jonquel Jones and forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton led the way for the Liberty, both putting up seven points. For Minnesota, it was veteran Kayla McBride who provided them with an immediate spark on offense, scoring 11 points. By the end of the first, the Liberty and Lynx were tied up at 23-23.
Lynx guard Courtney Williams had a huge impact in the second quarter, putting up 11 points. Williams had been a difficult player for New York to contain as she’s been quick on her feet and an elite shooter putting defenders off balance with a crossover or step-back move. Liberty rookie Leonie Fiebich added seven points for New York, including a 3-pointer that set the record for most three-pointers (10) by a rookie in WNBA finals history. The Lynx outscored the Liberty in the second quarter by one point with the help of two completed and-1 plays by Williams and McBride, leaving the score 46-45 at the half.
The third quarter saw an 11-0 run by the Liberty, led by Jones with two 3-pointers and a 3-point play by Fiebich. Jones really showed her versatility as a big in this quarter, putting up 3 three-pointers. Ultimately, the Lynx continued to leave Jones open on the perimeter, and she would let it fly every time. Despite NY going on that run earlier in the third, putting them up 61-55, Minnesota responded and went on a 9-2 run to end the quarter, giving them the advantage with a 1-point lead heading into the fourth.
In the last quarter, it continued to be a tight game until the end. At this point, New York’s power duo of forward Breanna Stewart and guard Sabrina Ionescu had both been struggling offensively and were not striking factors for the Liberty.
New York found themselves down three points with over a minute to go when Jones drew contact down low and scored the layup. She made the free throw, completing the three-point play and tying the game at 80-80. The Liberty managed to get back the ball with around 30 seconds left and had two chances to take the lead, but a missed turnaround shot from Jones, followed by a missed jumper from Stewart, left the game tied, with the Lynx receiving the ball back for the next possession.
With 18.3 seconds to go, Williams missed the 19-foot pullup jump shot, but as her teammate Bridget Carleton went in for the offensive rebound, she got fouled by Ionescu. Carleton sank both free throws at the line, putting the Lynx up two points with just two seconds left in the game. It wasn’t enough time for New York to get a quality shot off, as Ionescu received the ball on the inbound and hauled it towards the basket, resulting in a miss off the backboard.
Stewart ended the game on 11 points shooting 5-of-21 from the field and 0-of-4 from the 3-point line, including the missed shot that could have given New York the lead with under a minute to go. Ionescu finished with 10 points on 5-15 from the field and 0-5 from the 3-point line, breaking her streak of 23 consecutive postseason games with at least one made three.
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Ultimately, the Lynx were more aggressive in this game 4, having made a total of 15-20 free throws compared to New Yorks 9-9. The struggles from Stewart and Ionescu truly impacted the team as they have usually been the ones to lead the show, especially down the stretch. The NY Liberty will head back home to Barclays Center for Game 5 this Sunday at 8:00 pm ET to decide who the WNBA finals winner will be.
