An unforgettable year in women's basketball came to a thrilling end Sunday night as the New York Liberty defeated the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5 overtime to win the WNBA Finals.
This is the first championship for the Liberty, a rare victory for a team that has appeared in the WNBA Finals five times since 1997, including last year when they lost to the Las Vegas Aces.
However, Sabrina Ionescu, Brianna Stewart, and other Brooklyn stars were not to be ruled out this time around as the Lynx were searching for the organization's fifth ring. And they were doing everything they could to make sure the Liberty had another year of winning in the finals.
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Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams, 10, hits New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones during the third quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA Basketball Finals Series on Sunday, October 20, 2024, in New York. 35 years old). (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
It was no surprise that the final game of this title series was once again a close one, this time requiring overtime after four quarters to determine who would lift the trophy.
The reason Liberty and the Lynx had to get there was because Minnesota star Nafeesa Collier hit two layups with a minute left in the fourth quarter to take a 60-58 lead.
New York had a superstar in Stewart, who stood at the free-throw line with 38 seconds left and a chance to tie the game, but she couldn't make both free throws, and although she had an offensive rebound, Sabrina・Ionescu also couldn't hit. We were able to hit a step-back 3-pointer to try to take the lead.
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But Liberty stopped Collier on the next run down the floor and Stewart grabbed the defensive rebound, giving New York a chance to tie or take the lead.
Stewart had the ball on the other side, and when she went for a layup, officials called Alana Smith a shooting foul, a decision that enraged the Lynx. The call was challenged, but Stewart made two more free throws with five seconds left to tie the game.
This time Stewart made two shots to make it 60-60. The Lynx had a chance to end the game with a final shot, and Kayla McBride got a clean look from 8 meters out, but her 3-point shot was just short and missed the rim before Liberty grabbed the rebound. It hit the front. Out regulation time.
Ionescu and Stewart's offensive prowess has helped Liberty get this far this season, but both struggled to shoot the ball in this game. But it was Leonie Fibich who dominated the first overtime for Liberty, hitting a 3-pointer to take a 63-60 lead.
Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, 24, gets into an argument with officials after being asked to travel during the second quarter of Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center. It became. (Wendell Cruz Imagine image)
Both teams ended up running up and down the court without seeing the ball go through the hoop, as the Lynx's crafty guard Courtney Williams couldn't make shots and Ionescu continued to struggle.
But Nyara Sabally picked off McBride's pass and made an easy transition layup to put Liberty up by five points.
With 1:51 left in overtime, McBride finally hit two free throws to get the Lynx on the board and make it a three-point game. However, the Lynx failed to make a single shot from the field and ultimately lost the title.
Stewart sank two free throws with 10 seconds left, and as Barclays Center erupted, Liberty held a five-point lead for good. The team got even more excited when Fivic intercepted a Lynx inbounds pass to seal the victory.
Ionescu was an incredible 1-of-19 from the floor, including 1-of-10 from 3-point range, and Stewart was 4-of-15, including 5 free throws, for a total of 13. Recorded the score. However, Jonquel Jones was very efficient, scoring 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the floor and a perfect 7-of-7 from the charity stripe. Sabally also contributed 13 points off the bench.
Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu makes a long 3-point shot to help her team win Game 3 of the WNBA Finals
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu, 20, reacts after scoring against the Minnesota Lynx during the third quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA Basketball Finals Series on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. do. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
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For the Lynx, Collier and McBride did their best to take home the trophy, scoring 22 and 21 points respectively. But in the end, it wasn't enough as the Liberty team was full of emotion and celebration on their home court.
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