Liberty snatch WNBA Finals series lead over Lynx on Sabrina Ionescu’s buzzer beater: Takeaways

MINNEAPOLIS — You’d be forgiven if you felt a little déjà vu watching Game 3 of the WNBA Finals.

The home team builds an early lead off the back of the visitors’ turnovers, getting the crowd into it and forcing a timeout up 14-5. But despite spending most of the first half up double digits, the road team claws back and is within eight by halftime.

Then, the home team rediscovers its offense in the third quarter and builds another double-digit lead, only to once again be chased down by the opposition. Pandemonium ensues in a tense, possession-by-possession finish.

The Game 1 script resurfaced in Game 3 at Target Center on Wednesday, with the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx reversing roles from their epic clash in the finals opener. After the Lynx stole a heartbreaker on the Liberty’s home court, New York returned the favor, winning on a Sabrina Ionescu game-winner with one second remaining, 80-77.

SABRINA IONESCU. ICE IN HER VEINS.@nyliberty | #WNBAFinals pic.twitter.com/jk6S70XW9H

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 17, 2024

Breanna Stewart led both teams with 30 points and 11 rebounds and arguably exceeded her defensive effort from Game 2, helping New York erase a 10-point deficit in the second half. Ionescu, Jonquel Jones and Leonie Fiebich added 13 points apiece for the winners.

“We didn’t panic, we continued to play, continued to fight through it because we know how big this moment is,” Stewart said. “And we have the experience of the good, bad, ugly.”

The Liberty needed that resilience after getting punched to start. The Lynx took control of the game with the energy of their home crowd, hosting a finals contest for the first time in seven years. Minnesota resolved nearly all of its issues from the first two games in New York, controlling the ball, gang rebounding, working the clock in the half court and pressuring New York on the perimeter to score in transition.

Minnesota executed about as well as it could have hoped for, but there was one problem for the Lynx: an iconic performance from Stewart.

Stewart wasn’t the reason the Liberty lost Game 1, but she had two chances at the end of regulation and overtime to turn the result in New York’s favor and came up short. She did everything in her power to ensure that the Liberty would be on the right side of the ledger this time around. She defended Napheesa Collier but also protected the rim in help defense when the Lynx tried to spread them out.

Minnesota had no answers for Stewart defensively when she put her head down and got to the paint. The New York superstar scored 12 straight points for her team spanning the third and fourth quarters, as the Liberty went from trailing 62-56 to tying the game at 69. Stewart passed off the scoring load to Jones and Ionescu from that point on, but made plays on the other end. A block on Myisha Hines-Allen, then another on Collier. Then she swallowed up Cecilia Zandalisini, forcing a pass at the end of the shot clock, keeping New York alive while the offense went silent for nearly four minutes.

That’s when Ionescu also got her redemption. After committing the foul that led to Courtney Williams’ four-point play in Barclays Center, Ionescu had a happier moment in the final minutes. She drove to the rack and dumped the ball off to Jones to give the Liberty the lead. On the following possession, she canned what appeared to be the dagger triple, putting New York up four.

Then came the coup de grâce, the 28-foot stepback game-winner that was the fitting retaliation for the Williams three nearly a week earlier, even if Ionescu deflected the credit to her MVP teammate.

“We don’t win this game without Stewie,” Ionescu said. “That shot’s nice. But that doesn’t go against what she’s been able to do for us tonight and how she was able to just will us back into that game.”

As a result, the Liberty find themselves in a position they’ve been in twice before, with a chance to close out their first title in franchise history in Game 4 on Friday. They’ve had to confront so many of their past demons to get to this point.

Now, 40 minutes stand between them and a moment unlike anything they’ve ever experienced before.

Stewart scored eight points in the first half, but she was imposing in the third quarter, scoring 14 points while using her length to be a disruptive force on defense.

Twice in the fourth quarter, she tied the game and she pulled in a critical rebound with 1:12 to go with New York clinging to a one-point lead. Stewart’s 10 free throws were only two fewer than Minnesota had as a team the entire night. Wednesday was also her third 30-point game in a WNBA Finals, tying Angel McCoughtry for the most in finals history. —

Breanna Stewart dropped a 30-ball to power the Liberty to a clutch Game 3 win 🔥

30 PTS | 11 REB | 4 BLK#WNBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV pic.twitter.com/UFgGkhWeT7

— WNBA (@WNBA) October 17, 2024

So much of the Lynx’s defensive success throughout the regular season and playoffs stemmed from how Collier and forward Alanna Smith have played off of each other in Minnesota’s frontcourt. But Smith, who entered Game 3 dealing with a left ankle injury, appeared to be hampered through Wednesday’s contest.

Early foul trouble was the initial culprit, but she landed hard toward the end of the second quarter trying to guard Jones in the post and appeared to injure her lower back. At halftime, Minnesota said Smith was questionable to return to the game with a back injury, and though she started the third quarter, her mobility was limited.

In her absence, Minnesota relied more heavily on Myisha Hines-Allen and New York took advantage. Though she was limited, Smith was a plus-20 in her 20 minutes, while Hines-Allen was a minus-19 in her 18 minutes. —

For Game 3’s first 20 minutes, Lynx All-Star guard Kayla McBride helped her team get off to a torrid start. She scored 10 points in the first quarter as Minnesota jumped out to a 10-point lead. But from there, New York limited McBride’s production.

Liberty coach Sandy Brondello made a crucial adjustment at the start of the third quarter, switching Fiebich off of Williams and onto McBride. McBride scored only six points in the second half on two field goal attempts. —

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Minnesota Lynx, New York Liberty, WNBA

2024 The Athletic Media Company