It wasn’t the WNBA Finals rematch you anticipated.
On Wednesday night, the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx matched up for the first time since the two teams battled in a grueling five-game WNBA Finals series that ended with New York as champions.
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The rematch — a 100-93 Lynx victory — unfortunately lost its luster way before tip-off with the Liberty severely shorthanded: Breanna Stewart (knee), Kennedy Burke (calf) and Nyara Sabally (knee discomfort) all were unavailable for the matchup.
And the trio’s availability for the other three Lynx matchups in August are unclear — leaving the WNBA world to wait for another potential Finals series to see the two teams match up at full strength.
The Liberty, though, put up a fight, but fell victim to an MVP performance by Napheesa Collier: 30 points, nine rebounds, three blocks, two assists and a steal. Collier totaled 19 points by halftime while drawing the matchup of Jonquel Jones, a four-time All Defensive Team selection.
Kayla McBride contributed 24 points and Courtney Williams recorded six points and 13 assists.
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Sabrina Ionescu led her shorthanded team with 31 points five rebounds and four assists.
The defending champions trailed by just six entering the fourth. But the deficit quickly ballooned to double-digits with Natisha Hiedeman’s trey at the 8:42 mark. Bridget Carleton drained two more afterwards, including a 22-footer that gave the Lynx their biggest lead of the night (15) midway through the final period.
Eleven unanswered Liberty points made the game interesting, shortening the deficit to four with a minute remaining.
That’s when MVPhee came through to convert a traditional three-point play over Isabelle Harrison to stop the bleeding.
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It surely isn’t total revenge to get a regular-season win against a team that eliminated you in the WNBA Finals, but it’ll do for Cheryl Reeve’s team for now.
The defeat extend the Liberty’s losing streak to three games and pushes them five games behind the first-place Lynx in WNBA standings.
Despite the loss, the Liberty’s effort and uninspired play — which has been addressed by head coach Sandy Brondello — in defeats to the Los Angeles Sparks and Dallas Wings appeared to be better throughout four quarters on Wednesday night.
The Liberty trailed by as many as 30 points to the lowly Wings on Monday and allowed 31 first-quarter points to them. The Sparks taxed the Libs for 35 in the opening period last Saturday.
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On Wednesday night, the Liberty allowed just 24 as both team entered the second quarter tied.
Marine Johannes, who started in place of Stewart, benefited from space and pace to score eight first-quarter points. And the Liberty were less exposed in pick-and-rolls like in previous matchups. There was more cohesion on the defensive end and less blown assignments — both at the point of attack and in the paint.
But it still wasn’t enough.
Collier shined in the second, scoring the Lynx’s final 11 points in the period to put her team up nine going into halftime.
Ionescu battled ending the third, contributing five points and an assist in a 7-2 run to end the third.
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It got the Liberty within striking range but without co-star Stewart, the defending champions didn’t have enough to stop the Lynx.
The home team on Wednesday night avoided an ending of the decisive game of 2024. That overtime WNBA Finals Game 5 Lynx loss built the hype for a rematch in 2025.
But, the injury bug inside Barclays Center likely ruins any chance to relive that hype in the upcoming regular-season matchups: Aug. 10 in New York, Aug. 16 in Minnesota and Aug. 19 in New York.
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