NEW YORK – There have been several seminal moments in the Minnesota Lynx’s rich, championship-laden history. Big plays, clutch performances. Maya Moore’s game-winning three, Sylvia Fowles dominating presence. Seimone Augustus, Lindsay Whalen ...
Minnesota Lynx pull off a rally and overtime victory over the New York Liberty in Game 1 of WNBA Finals
Napheesa Collier hit a tiebreaking jumper with 8.8 seconds left in OT after the team overcame an 18-point deficit early and a 15-point deficit late.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
October 11, 2024 at 5:46AM
We could go on.
Here are two more names to add to the pantheon: Napheesa Collier and Courtney Williams.
In a game that the Lynx started by digging an amazingly deep hole, Collier and Williams dragged their team out, dominated down the stretch, forced overtime, won Game 1 of the WNBA Finals 95-93 over a stunned Liberty team and a jam-packed crowd at Barclays Center that started the game partying but finished it in stunned silence.
“It ranks pretty high,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. “I think it defines our team, being able to get through difficult times. That’s what we’ve been talking about. You have to be mentally tough, resilient. You have to look inward, not blame other people. You have to give each other confidence. We were that team.”
It is the first time in finals history a team has trailed by 15 with five minutes left and won. Given that the Lynx were in six of those previous Finals series, that makes this one of the most dramatic victories (with apologies to Moore’s game-winner in Game 3 of 2015 against Indiana) in team history.
“We’ve been in these situations before, where we’ve had to lean on our defense,’’ Collier said. “Getting stops, in a row. Then scoring.’’
She and Williams should know. The Lynx ended regulation on a 12-1 run. Collier scored four points, Williams the other eight. The two combined to score 21 points in a 23-10 run to finish the game spanning the fourth quarter and OT. Those two, along with Kayla McBride (22 points), provided the bulk of the offense on the night.
Down 11, they went to work. Here’s how it went:
Collier from 15 feet, and a stop.
Collier from 4 feet, and a stop.
Williams from 7, and a stop.
And then Williams, after a missed three to tie, got another chance from 28 feet and hit while being fouled by Sabrina Ionescu. Williams made the free throw with 5.5 seconds left and the Lynx led by one. Her biggest shot ever?
“I don’t know where it ranks,” said Williams, who scored 23 points with five assists and five rebounds. “It’s No. 1 right now ‘cause we won.”
But not without drama. Fouled with 0.8 seconds left in regulation and the Liberty down one, Stewart went to the line, made the first, missed the second.
In OT, more drama.
Collier (21 points, eight rebounds, six blocks, three steals) and Alanna Smith (nine points, nine rebounds) scored, putting the Lynx up four. They still led by four with 1:08 left on Williams’ driving layup. But the Liberty turned consecutive Lynx turnovers into points, tying the score with 28.5 seconds left.
At the other end Stewart blocked Williams’ shot out of bounds. But then Collier got the ball, spun and scored with 8.8 seconds left. With the clock winding down Stewart had an open look, but her layup wouldn’t fall.
“It was one of my cleanest looks,” Stewart said. “And I didn’t make it.”
The Lynx did. After giving up 32 points in the first quarter, they ceded 61 over the final 35 minutes. New York made 12 of its first 24 shots and five of its first 12 threes. After that: 33% shooting overall and from three. The Liberty finished shooting 37.3%, meaning the Lynx are 181-11 since 2011 when holding an opponent under 40% shooting.
“We had a great first quarter, and they lifted up the energy,” New York coach Sandy Brondello said. “They outhustled us, we couldn’t get downhill as much. They executed better than us. That’s what it came down to.”
Look at the boxscore, and you wonder: How?
The Liberty took 19 more shots than the Lynx, outscored Minnesota 23-11 on second-chance points, outrebounded them 44-32. Four starters scored in double figures: Jones (24), Ionescu (19), Stewart (18) and Leonie Fiebich (17).
And lost.
“It’s just a testament to how we believe in each other,” said Williams, who hit two threes down the stretch. “We have so many great three-point shooters, and the face these girls are out there trying to get me the ball? I mean, I could cry. This is amazing. I love it. I say that all the time, and I don’t say that for fun. These people I’m around, we believe in each other so much. It’s crazy, man. I’m happy to be here.”
A lot of people were. Whalen was in the crowd at Barclays Center, cheering. According to Reeve, she was texting the Lynx bench during the action.
Whalen knows a great game when she sees it.
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