After a grueling 27-year quest for championship glory, the NY Liberty won their first WNBA championship in a compelling 3 to 2 series against the Minnesota Lynx. The Liberty, led by Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu, won the series 67 to 62 in a close overtime matchup in game five.
Prior to winning their first championship, the Liberty had made several finals appearances in the past. However, they fell short each time: 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2023. In addition, their victory marks the first time that all the original remaining WNBA teams have won at least one or more championships: Los Angeles Sparks (3), Phoenix Mercury (3), Las Vegas Aces (2) and finally the NY Liberty (1).
“To be able to bring a championship to New York, first ever in franchise history, it’s an incredible feeling,” Stewart told reporters. “I literally can’t wait to celebrate with the city because I know it’s going to be bonkers!”
Game 5 of the finals series was a proper end to the 2024 season that propelled the league into national stardom and a state of cultural relevance. It featured several key moments — the arrival of young stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, who both had impressive rookie seasons, respectively; A’ja Wilson’s dominant performance this season, averaging 26.9 PPG and 12 RPG, unanimously earning her the MVP award; and the league’s continuing expansion into the mainstream sports realm.
Similar to previous matches throughout the series, game five was a pretty close head-to-head matchup between the two teams.
The first half of the game was a close but difficult outing for the NY Liberty. In particular, Stewart and Ionescu faced significant struggles, specifically on offense. During the first half, Stewart went 2/8, earning herself a 25% FG. However, she made up for her shooting performance in other aspects of the court, more specifically with rebounding. Throughout the first half, she accumulated 10 rebounds — 7 on defense and 3 on offense. As for Ionescu, she also struggled with shooting. During the first half, she went on a 0/6 run. Similar to Stewart, she played solid in other areas on the court. In the first half, she accumulated 5 rebounds (all on defense), 2 assists and 2 steals.
The Lynx, led by Kayla McBride and Napheesa Collier, had the slight upper hand during the first and second quarters. The end of the first quarter saw the Lynx ahead by 10 points with a score of 17 to 10. By halftime, the Lynx maintained their lead. But they extended it by adding three more to their previous 10-point lead, totaling their overall lead at 13 in a score of 34-27.
The game’s momentum began to slowly shift once the third quarter kicked off. The Lynx continued to play good basketball on offense and defense. However, the Liberty started to discover their groove and matched the Lynx’s court pacing. Jones, in particular, began to aggressively heat up on both ends of the floor. She started drawing critical fouls in the post, forcing her to get easy shots at the line. In addition, she also contributed to grabbing several key rebounds, both offensively and defensively.
Along with Jones emerged an unlikely hero, Nyara Sabally. Sabally, a rookie from the University of Oregon had an invaluable performance of her own. By the end of the game, she capped off with a solid 13 points on 71.4% shooting and 7 rebounds.
Throughout the fourth quarter, the match was a constant back-and-forth action between the Lynx and Liberty. As one team scored on one possession, the other would rapidly respond with their own score. By now, Breanna Stewart had recovered from her earlier struggles and began drawing fouls, earning her trips to the line. Ionescu began to slowly bounce back as well, making contributing plays through her sharp playmaking skills. Jones and Sabally continued their roles as game leaders, grabbing rebounds, drawing fouls and making key plays inside the paint.
As the game trickled down into the last minute of the fourth quarter, the Liberty were down by 2 points (60-58), and things started to look worrisome for the team. Ionescu missed several 3-point shots to give the Liberty a slight edge over the Lynx. Stewart, who was given a chance at the line to tie the game, missed both of her shots. When all hope seemed abandoned, an unexpected moment occurred, which likely changed the game’s momentum afterward. Lynx forward Collier missed a crucial layup that could’ve potentially ended the Liberty’s championship glory by extending their lead. However, her miss led to Breanna Stewart getting fouled, earning her another opportunity at the line to tie the game. With five seconds left, Stewart sank both shots to inch the game into overtime.
What looked to be a potential loss for the Liberty instantly transformed into an opportunity for victory once overtime started. By now, the tides had fully shifted. The Lynx lost all momentum they had, only making one point during overtime possession. On the other hand, the Liberty collectively found their rhythm, scoring several layups and free throws to further extend their lead. As the game came to a finish, Liberty players on the court and sideline began celebrating. Eventually, fans began to join in as well, storming the court in joy. The game concluded, with the score being 67-62. Jones, an invaluable piece throughout the postseason, was named the series MVP.
