The New York Liberty beat the Minnesota Lynx 80-77 in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals, taking a 2-1 series lead. Sabrina Ionescu hit a 3-pointer with 1 second left to break the tie and give the Liberty the victory. Breanna Stewart scored 30 points to lead New York, putting them one win away from their first title. Game 4 will be in Minnesota, with a potential deciding Game 5 in New York.
This win puts the Liberty in a strong position to capture their first WNBA title. Ionescu’s clutch 3-pointer was the deciding shot in a tight game that saw New York come from behind in the closing minutes. The Liberty have a history of making it to the finals but have never managed to come out on top. With the momentum in their favor, they will look to close out the series in Game 4 and avoid a potentially challenging Game 5.
Trailing by four points with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Liberty went on an 8-0 run to take the lead. Jonquel Jones and Ionescu played key roles in this comeback, with Ionescu hitting a crucial 3-pointer to put New York ahead late in the game. The Lynx fought back, with Bridget Carleton scoring to cut the lead to two points, and Napheesa Collier hitting clutch free throws to tie the game before Ionescu’s game-winning shot.
Collier and Kayla McBride led the Lynx with 22 and 19 points respectively, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Liberty in Game 3. New York’s strong team play and defensive efforts helped them secure the victory in a pressure-filled contest. With Game 4 on the horizon, the Lynx will need to regroup and come out with a better performance if they want to keep their championship hopes alive. New York, meanwhile, will be looking to close out the series and secure their place in history as WNBA champions for the first time.
