WNBA’s New York Liberty One Win from First Title

Eleven different teams have won WNBA titles, and six of the original eight teams that began the league in 1997 have won the championship. The two originals that have not won are the Charlotte Sting, who folded in 2006, and the New York Liberty.

The Liberty are by far the longest-tenured team without winning a WNBA championship. But they are now just one win away from giving up that unwanted distinction. On Wednesday night, they took a 2-1 WNBA Finals lead over the Minnesota Lynx, and they now sit just one win away from winning it all.

Comeback Win

Early on, it was Minnesota’s night. They were up by as many as 15 points in the first half, and even after a good second quarter by the Liberty, the Lynx still led comfortably at halftime by eight. But New York kept making plays, and with 1:31 left in the fourth quarter, they had the lead for the first time since the first minute of the game.

The Lynx held tough, and tied the game with a pair of Napheesa Collier free throws at the 16-second mark. But New York has too many great players, and one of their best, Sabrina Ionescu, won the game with a 28-foot three-pointer with just one second left.

Ionescu, a three-time All-Star and recent Olympic gold medalist, gets the final shot glory. But the Liberty comeback was fueled by their leader, Breanna Stewart. Stewart is a two-time WNBA MVP, a two-time Finals MVP, and she appears to be well on her way to a third.

Stewart finished the game with 30 points and 11 rebounds, and her defense down low was instrumental in keeping the Liberty in the game.

“We don’t win this game without Stewie,” Ionescu said. “What she was able to do, just continued to chip away… that [game-winning] shot is nice, but that doesn’t go against what she’s been able to do for us tonight and how she was able to just will us back into that game.”

Stewart scored 18 points and had nine rebounds and two blocked shots in New York’s Game 1 overtime loss, playing a game-high 43 minutes. In New York’s Game 2 win, she scored 21 points and had nine rebounds and five steals. Her 30-point, 11-rebound performance was just the third 30-point double-double in WNBA Finals history. Stewart has two of the three.

Game 4 Friday

On Wednesday, 19,521 fans packed the Target Center in Minneapolis, making it the largest crowd in Lynx history. More of the same is expected when the two teams meet again on Friday, when Minnesota faces elimination.

The stakes are simple. New York wins, and it wins its first WNBA title. Stewart could also become just the second player in league history to win three WNBA Finals MVP awards. If the Lynx win, then we go back to New York for Game 5 on Sunday.

The Liberty are 3.5-points favorites to win Game 4 and end the series. They are now -800 to win the series, be it in four games or five. But at +550, a bet on the Lynx might have good value. They’ve already proven that they can win in New York, which they did in Game 1. And Minnesota was an eyelash away from taking their own 2-1 series lead on Wednesday night.

“We know we’re one game away from winning the championship, and I think that they are going to give us their best shot,” Stewart said.” They are going to give everything they have got, and you know what, so are we.”

Game 4 is in Minnesota on Friday, October 18, at 8:00 p.m. ET.