The 2024 WNBA Finals delivered again on Wednesday night, as Sabrina Ionescu hit a game-winning 3-pointer with one second remaining to give the New York Liberty an 80-77 win in Game 3 and a 2-1 series lead. New York completed a 15-point comeback and is now one win away from the first title in franchise history.
The Liberty advanced to the Finals after eliminating the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces on Sunday with a 76-62 in in Game 4 of their semifinal series. Breanna Stewart led the way with 19 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and four blocks in a monster all-around effort, as the Liberty pulled away with a dominant fourth quarter.
In the other semifinal, the Lynx needed five games to take care of the Connecticut Sun. The winner-take-all Game 5 proved to be anticlimactic, however, as the Lynx led by double digits nearly the entire way. Napheesa Collier put up 27 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and four blocks to lead the way for the Lynx, and in the process became the first player with at least 25 points and 10 rebounds in three consecutive playoff games.
Bracket
Finals (best-of-five)
All times Eastern
Thursday, Oct. 10 (Game 1)
- Lynx 95, Liberty 93 — OT (Lynx, 1-0)
Sunday, Oct. 13 (Game 2)
- Liberty 80, Lynx 66 (Series tied, 1-1)
Wednesday, Oct. 16 (Game 3)
- Liberty 80, Lynx 77 (Liberty lead, 2-1)
Friday, Oct. 18 (Game 4)
- No. 1 New York Liberty at No. 2 Minnesota Lynx, 8 p.m. — ESPN
Sunday, Oct. 20 (Game 5)*
- No. 2 Minnesota Lynx at No. 1 New York Liberty, 8 p.m. — ESPN
*If necessary
Semifinals (best-of-five)
Sunday, Sept. 29 (Game 1s)
- Liberty 87, Aces 77 (Liberty, 1-0)
- Sun 73, Lynx 70 (Sun, 1-0)
Tuesday, Oct. 1 (Game 2s)
- Liberty 88, Aces 84 (Liberty, 2-0)
- Lynx 77, Sun 70 (Series tied, 1-1)
Friday, Oct. 4 (Game 3s)
- Lynx 90, Sun 81 (Lynx, 2-1)
- Aces 95, Liberty 81 (Liberty, 2-1)
Sunday, Oct. 6 (Game 4s)
- Liberty 72, Aces 62 (Liberty win, 3-1)
- Sun 92, Lynx 82 (Series tied, 2-2)
Tuesday, Oct. 8 (Game 5)
- Lynx 88, Sun 77 (Lynx win, 3-2)
First round (best-of-three)
Sunday, Sept. 22 (Game 1s)
- Liberty 83, Dream 69 (Liberty, 1-0)
- Sun 93, Fever 69 (Sun, 1-0)
- Lynx 102, Mercury 95 (Lynx, 1-0)
- Aces 78, Storm 67 (Aces, 1-0)
Tuesday, Sept. 24 (Game 2s)
- Liberty 91, Dream 82 (Liberty win, 2-0)
- Aces 83, Storm 76 (Aces win, 2-0)
Wednesday, Sept. 25 (Game 2s)
- Sun 87, Fever 81 (Sun win, 2-0)
- Lynx 101, Mercury 88 (Lynx win, 2-0)
