Liberty Falls to Lynx in Tense WNBA Rematch

MINNEAPOLIS — In a gripping rematch of the 2024 WNBA Finals, the New York Liberty suffered a narrow defeat to the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday, ending 86-80, despite a dramatic fourth quarter.

With under a minute left on the clock and the Liberty trailing 79-78, Sabrina Ionescu drove into the paint against Alanna Smith. After her initial shot was blocked, she chased down the rebound but was denied again, as no foul calls came from the officials. The frustration was palpable, especially for Ionescu, who represents one of the league’s biggest stars alongside Breanna Stewart, absent through injury.

The Lynx, who had been eager to assert their dominance after losing to the Liberty in the previous Finals, capitalized on their rested state. Minnesota had not played since the previous Sunday, and they showed their prowess with a fourth straight victory, including an earlier win over New York on August 13.

Courtney Williams led the Lynx with 26 points, and her three-pointer with just 31.9 seconds remaining extended their lead to four, igniting the crowd at Target Center. The Liberty battled back, but misses on key layups and a stark free-throw margin—33 attempts for the Lynx compared to just eight for New York—sealed their fate.

“It’s just insane,” Liberty player Kennedy Burke said regarding the free-throw difference. “We have to be more aggressive to attack the basket and make them make those calls.”

Despite starting slowly and trailing by as many as 15 points in the first half, the Liberty managed to narrow the gap to just five at halftime. Ionescu contributed significantly, ending the game with 13 points and 10 assists but acknowledged the team’s shortcomings in execution during critical moments.

“It was maybe a lapse of like two minutes there in the fourth,” Ionescu said. “We’re continuing to grow and build. It’s tough to win a game with shooting eight free throws in this league…”

The Liberty now sit at 21-13, still third in the league standings, while the Lynx improve to 28-5. The two teams will meet again for their final rematch of the season at Barclays Center on Tuesday.