September 22, 2024 4:16 pm
• Last Updated: September 22, 2024 7:57 pm
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) celebrates after a 3-point basket during the first half of a WNBA basketball first-round playoff game against the Atlanta Dream, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin)
Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard (10) is defended by New York Liberty forward Leonie Fiebich (13) during the second half of a WNBA basketball first-round playoff game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin)
Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams, right, celebrates with forward Napheesa Collier, middle, and forward Bridget Carleton, left, during the second half of Game 1 of a WNBA basketball first-round playoff game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Liberty 83, Dream 69
Leonie Fiebich hit four 3-pointers and scored a career-high 21 points on 7-of-8 shooting, Breanna Stewart added 20 points and 11 rebounds and New York never trailed Sunday in its victory over Atlanta Game 1 in the first round of the WNBA playoffs.
New York can sweep the best-of-three series with a win Tuesday in New York. Game 3, if necessary, is Thursday in Atlanta.
The Liberty — who made each of their first six field-goal attempts, including four 3-pointers — jumped to a 13-4 lead. Allisha Gray was fouled on a jumper and hit the and-1 free throw to cut Atlanta’s deficit to four with 5:33 left in the first quarter, but the Liberty scored the next 14 points — the final seven by Sabrina Ionescu — to take an 18-point lead. The Dream went scoreless for more than four minutes before Tina Charles hit a fade-away jumper to spark a 7-2 spurt that trimmed their deficit to 29-16 going into the second quarter.
New York made 8 of 11 from the field, 5 of 6 from the 3-point range and 8 of 8 from the free-throw line while outrebounding the Dream 11-3 in the first period. Atlanta, which shot 35.3% (6 of 17) and went 0 for 6 from behind the arc, trailed by double figures for the final 33-plus minutes.
Rhyne Howard scored 14 points and Charles added 12 for Atlanta.
The Dream beat New York 78-67 on Thursday in the regular-season finale to clinch the eighth and final playoff spot — and a date with the top-seeded Liberty in the first round. Atlanta shot 50% (31 of 62) from the field.
Fiebich scored 15 points — one shy of the rookie’s season high — on perfect shooting in the first half, making 5 of 5 from the field, 2 of 2 from behind the arc and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line. Ionescu added 14 points and New York took a 48-30 lead into halftime.
The Liberty, who seek their first WNBA championship, made their fifth WNBA Finals appearance last season but lost 3-1 to the Las Vegas Aces.
New York’s Courtney Vandersloot had four points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Ionescu finished with 17 points and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton scored 10 for the Liberty.
Lynx 102, Mercury 95
Napheesa Collier scored a playoff career-high 38 points and Minnesota blew a 23-point lead before rallying late to beat Phoenix in Game 1 of a best-of-three series.
Minnesota, the Western Conference champions and No. 2 seed, turned a 32-19 first-quarter lead into a 50-27 advantage with 5:35 left before halftime. Phoenix whittled nine points off its deficit, trailing 56-42 at intermission, and closed within 77-69 heading to the fourth quarter.
Kahleah Copper scored five points in a 10-2 run and her 3-pointer followed by two free throws by Brittney Griner gave seventh-seeded Phoenix its first lead since scoring the first four points of the game. Natasha Cloud’s layup put the Mercury on top 92-91 with 2:06 left to play, but Myisha Hines-Allen answered with a layup and Bridget Carleton hit a 3-pointer in a 9-0 spurt to pull out the victory.
Collier sank 11 of 19 shots from the floor with three 3-pointers and 13 of 14 free throws for Minnesota. She added six rebounds and four assists. Kayla McBride hit three 3-pointers and all seven of her foul shots, scoring 20. Carleton had 12 points, six boards and four assists, and Hines-Allen added 10 points, five rebounds and three assists off the bench.
Cloud had 33 points, matching her postseason high, and 10 assists to lead Phoenix. Diana Taurasi made half of her 10 3-point attempts and scored 21. Copper added 16 points, and Griner finished with 10 points and six rebounds.
Collier finished four points shy of Breanna Stewart’s playoff-record 42-point effort. Stewart scored 42 points while playing for the Seattle Storm in a 97-92 loss to the Las Vegas Aces in Game 4 of a Western Conference semifinal in 2022.
Minnesota won three of four games — all by double digits — against Phoenix during the regular season. The Mercury beat the visiting Lynx 81-80 for their lone victory.
The Lynx will host Game 2 at the Target Center on Wednesday. Phoenix will host Game 3 on Thursday if necessary.
