There’s a widely held view that the scheduling of the 2024 WNBA Finals rematch between Liberty and Lynx was poorly timed, as it was set for late July. Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve didn’t hold back in calling this a “big mistake,” insisting that it was just “common sense” to schedule it sooner.
The top two teams, who are close to building a fierce rivalry, will face off four times within a 21-day span later in the season, both vying for the top ranking.
As for the Lynx, they are nearly at full strength, although they will be without Carly Samuelson due to an ankle injury that requires surgery.
Meanwhile, the Liberty has faced significant injury challenges, playing the rematch without key players like Brenna Stewart (right knee), Kennedy Burke (right calf), and Nyara Sabbery (right knee). Natasha Cloud also dealt with some difficulties but managed to push through, given the Liberty’s limited roster depth.
In this matchup, the Lynx triumphed over the Liberty with a score of 100-93, taking the lead in their regular season series and solidifying their position in the league standings.
Currently, the Lynx (23-5) sit five games ahead of the Liberty (17-9) and are also leading over the third-place Mercury (16-10). If they continue their strong performance, the Lynx seem poised to secure the top seed for the playoffs, which would grant them home court advantage.
The Liberty will be hoping to at least retain home court advantage for the first two rounds of the playoffs. However, the players have expressed that they don’t focus too much on the rankings, as they believe in their ability to compete with anyone when fully powered.
Towards the end of the fourth quarter on Wednesday, the Liberty made a late push against the Lynx, narrowing a 15-point deficit to just four points in mere minutes. It was a reminder that, despite not being at full strength, the Liberty remains one of the league’s more formidable teams, leaving very little room for error from their opponents.
