Game 5 of the WNBA Finals was an ugly, hard-fought game that required overtime and pushed both teams to the brink. In the end, the New York Liberty persevered and prevailed, winning 67-62 to earn their first WNBA title in franchise history.
The Liberty didn’t get the kind of games they expected from a couple of their stars. Sabrina Ionescu struggled, going 1-for-19 from the field and scoring just five points. Breanna Stewart scored 13 points on 4-for-15 shooting, but hit crucial free throws down the stretch to secure the championship. One player who did not disappoint was Jonquel Jones. She scored 17 points on 50 percent shooting, grabbed six rebounds and was named the Finals MVP.
Nyara Sabally, who has had a limited role in these Finals, also came up big on Sunday. She had 13 points and seven rebounds.
For Minnesota, it was the Naphessa Collier and Bridget Carleton show. Collier had 22 points and Carleton had 21. Unfortunately for the Lynx, no one else was in double figures, and they were unable to score in the final 1:50 minutes of the game.
The Lynx possessions in overtime:
Williams missed jumperWilliams missed layupMcBride turnoverShot clock violationHiedeman turnoverHiedeman turnoverWilliams turnoverCarleton missed jumperCarleton turnover
— Jacob Rude (@JacobRude) October 21, 2024
Postgame, much of the conversation centered on the officiating. A foul was called on Alanna Smith, putting Stewart on the line to tie the game in regulation. A travel on Stewart also was missed, and the free throw differential was glaring, with New York taking 25 while Minnesota attempted just eight.
This could just be an expression of the agony of defeat, but after the game, Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve made it abundantly clear how she felt, saying, “I know all the headlines will be ‘Reeve cries foul.’ Bring it on. Because the shit was stolen from us.”
People might argue calls or wonder why the guards on both sides evaporated on Sunday, but the winners write history, and in the years to come, the biggest takeaway will be that in 2024, the New York Liberty won their first WNBA title.
How it started
The Liberty’s start to this game was less than ideal. New York missed their first five shots and didn’t get on the board until Jones scored inside, ending Minnesota’s 6-0 run.
Throughout the quarter, both teams shot poorly from 3-point range. The Liberty and Lynx went a combined 1-for-8 from deep in the opening frame. Perhaps nerves were in play, causing shooting struggles, but inside the paint, Collier was on a tear early, scoring eight points and helping Minnesota close out the first on a 7-0 run. The rest of the first half continued to be discombobulated for New York. There were careless turnovers, perimeter shooting was nonexistent and Collier continued dominating.
The Liberty were forced to call timeout with 2:36 left in the second, falling behind by 12 points. Jones was able to once again get to the line and stop the bleeding. Stewart and Ionescu were noticeably quiet for New York, as Minnesota did everything it could to make scoring a struggle for the dynamic duo. The Liberty were able to go on a 4-0 run in the waning seconds of the second to cut the deficit down to 34-27 at halftime.
Entering the third quarter, the Lynx had a seven-point lead and were 20 minutes away from their fifth title. The Liberty, however, began to fight back. Stewart and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton had back-to-back baskets, getting within one possession of Minnesota. Midway through the third, Carleton hit a 3-pointer, and Collier came up with a rejection, bringing the lead back up to six.
Then, the Liberty countered with their best run of the game. Jones scored three the hard way, and Sabally continued to step up big, scoring four points on two Ionescu assists, giving New York its first lead, 40-38, with 3:07 left in the third. Sabally continued to be the hero, scoring five more points in the quarter to help the Liberty pull ahead for the first time in this contest.
How it ended
Up 47-44 at home, the pressure was on for the Liberty to finish the job. Offense continued to be absent in this one, with the first two and a half minutes of the fourth featuring only two points from the Lynx.
Jones finally got the Liberty their first points of the period with under seven minutes left in the frame, but the Lynx countered, with Kayla McBride and Natisha Hiedeman scoring to put the Lynx back up by one with 5:29 left.
Both teams stayed close the rest of the way and with 38 seconds left, Stewart had a chance to tie the game with a pair of free throws. She shockingly missed them both, but New York grabbed the rebound. Ionescu then missed a 3-point attempt. Jones grabbed the Ionescu miss and got tied up with Courtney Williams for a jump ball. The Liberty recovered, but Ionescu missed another corner 3; this time, the Lynx recovered.
Collier missed a shot near the basket, and Stewart grabbed the defensive rebound and called timeout with six seconds left. Stewart got the inbounds ball and was fouled by Smith, going to the charity stripe again with a chance to tie it. She exercised her demons and made both to tie the game at 60.
With the Lynx up by 2 points and 5 seconds left in the game, a foul was called on Alanna Smith
The Lynx challenged the call but it was unsuccessful. Breanna Stewart hit both free throws and we are going to OT!!#WNBA pic.twitter.com/DzFra6gIis
— WNBA Universe (@wnbauniverse) October 21, 2024
With 5.2 seconds left, the Lynx tried a 3, but missed it, giving us a Game 5 that needed overtime to decide.
Fiebich opened up the scoring for the Liberty in overtime with a 3-pointer. It was only New York’s second 3 of the night. Sabally came up with a steal and took it to the rim, giving the Liberty a five-point edge with three minutes left in overtime.
McBride finally got the Lynx on the board with free throws, but unfortunately, that was the end of their scoring for the night.
Stewart made another pair from the free throw line with 10 seconds left to give New York the 67-62 edge. Fiebich, who started the scoring for New York in overtime, then ended the game for good, stealing the inbound. She passed the ball to Stewart, who ran out the clock and celebrated her first title with New York, and third overall, as the buzzer sounded.
Closing thoughts
New York was, without question, the best team in the WNBA this season. They had the best record, defeated the defending champs and, when push came to shove, did just enough to win Game 5.
Ionescu should’ve been better, and she definitely should’ve kept shooting down the stretch, but in the end, Jones scoring inside, Stewart hitting the free throws she had missed before and Sabally stepping up got them this ring.
The Lynx pushed things as far as they could. Unfortunately, the offense wasn’t there, and the guard play just wasn’t good enough in Game 5. Did some calls go against them? Yes. Were some of those calls 50/50? Absolutely. However, those things are subjective, and in Game 4, we heard similar complaints from the Liberty when they lost. In the end, they fell short, and this offseason, they’ll have to evaluate whether they have enough of a backcourt to win it all.
Next is an all-night celebration and parade in the city that never sleeps. New York got it done. They are queens of the court.
