The New York Liberty had to grind through a tough one on Saturday, and the final stretch made the difference. Minnesota outlasted New York 90-85 in a game that swung back and forth, then tilted late when the Lynx were able to finish the possessions the Liberty couldn’t.
The first half belonged to Minnesota once the turnovers piled up. New York opened with some success inside, trying to establish itself in the paint early, but the second quarter changed the tone fast. The Lynx turned 10 Liberty turnovers into 14 points and took a 10-point lead into halftime, making life difficult for everyone in New York’s lineup except Breanna Stewart.
New York did not go quietly. Sabrina Ionescu caught fire in the third quarter and nearly dragged the Liberty all the way back by herself, scoring 19 of her team-high 25 points in that frame. She kept getting into the painted area and finishing through traffic, and Chris DeMarco said that stretch helped lift the whole group.
“I think she wants to punch the paint,” Chris DeMarco said. “She’s always been all around, passing, rebounding, shooting. So she she found the right rhythm and I think our whole team kind of took off.”
The Liberty erased a 15-point deficit and briefly moved in front before the game turned into a fourth-quarter brawl. That’s where Kayla McBride took over for Minnesota. The longtime Liberty nemesis scored 14 of her team-high 25 points in the final period, and her quick release kept New York from getting comfortable on defense as she buried difficult threes over multiple defenders.
Even then, the Liberty had chances. Trailing 86-83 in the final minute, Courtney Williams missed a transition layup in traffic, then kept the play alive by grabbing the rebound over Han Xu. New York forced another miss, but couldn’t secure the ball, and McBride came down with it to set up two Olivia Miles free throws.
The Liberty still had one last shot to extend the game. They forced a Williams miss from midrange, but Olivia Miles chased down the rebound and knocked down the game-deciding free throws for the Target Center crowd.
In a tight game like this, those extra chances matter, and New York let too many slip away.
“We’ve gotta finish possessions,” DeMarco said. “I think I talked about even before the game. We’ve gotta challenge without fouling, get a good contest and finish with a rebound.”
Marine Johannes also addressed that issue after the game.
The Lynx entered the night as the second best offensive rebounding team in the WNBA this season, and New York knew it was a problem area going in. The Liberty still couldn’t solve it when it mattered most, and that’s the kind of detail that tends to decide games against top teams.
The loss dropped New York to 13-10, and there were still some encouraging signs even in defeat. The Liberty used a three-big look in the second half with Jonquel Jones, Han Xu/Raquel Carrera, and Breanna Stewart at the three, and it helped them fight back into the game. The rebounding still needs work, but the lineup wrinkle gave DeMarco something to think about as the season moves deeper.
There was also a positive update on Satou Sabally’s recovery. She has been in concussion protocol for the past few weeks after being accidentally struck in the face in Las Vegas, but she has been on the bench with the team in recent games. Before the game, Liberty fans got even more encouraging news about her road back.
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