Lynx Triumph Over Liberty 100-93 in WNBA Finals Rematch

Napheesa Collier dominated the court with 30 points and nine rebounds, leading the Minnesota Lynx to a 100-93 victory over the New York Liberty on Wednesday night. This matchup served as a rematch of last year's WNBA Finals, showcasing the Lynx's prowess despite the Liberty's challenges.

With 7:08 left in the fourth quarter, Bridget Carleton sank a crucial 3-pointer from the corner, extending Minnesota's lead to 79-66. Just moments later, she added another three-pointer, marking the Lynx's 14th successful shot from beyond the arc on only 27 attempts, pushing the score to 84-69.

The Lynx's advantage swelled to 92-77 before New York mounted a comeback, scoring 11 consecutive points within two minutes to narrow the gap to four. However, Collier halted their momentum with a three-point play, restoring a seven-point lead with just 50.1 seconds remaining.

Collier's impressive shooting performance included an 11-of-16 success rate from the field and 6-of-9 from the free-throw line, marking her fifth game this season with at least 30 points for Minnesota (23-5). The team also set a season-high by hitting 15 three-pointers and reaching the century mark for the fourth time this year.

On the opposing side, Sabrina Ionescu led New York (17-9) with 31 points, stepping up in the absence of star player Breanna Stewart, who was sidelined due to a bone bruise in her right knee. Isabelle Harrison contributed 15 points while Marine Johannes added 14.

Alanna Smith chipped in with 12 points for Minnesota, while both Carleton and Natisha Hiedeman scored 10 each. Courtney Williams had a standout performance with a career-high 13 assists, alongside six points and nine rebounds.

Collier's impact was felt early as she hit a three-pointer with 14.3 seconds left in the first half, giving Minnesota a solid 51-42 lead. She scored 19 points in the first half alone, including the Lynx's final 11 points of the second quarter.