NEW YORK — The Minnesota Lynx and the New York Liberty both have a shot to make history when the teams meet in the WNBA Finals.
The Liberty, one of eight original franchises in the inaugural 1997 season, are seeking their first league championship in their sixth trip to the WNBA Finals. The Lynx, who tipped off in 1999, are vying for a record fifth crown as they make their seventh appearance in this round. They were the best two teams during the regular season this year, with the Liberty 32-8 for the top seed and the Lynx just behind at No. 2.
New York has earned a championship shot for the second consecutive season and is hoping to erase the scar of losing in 2023 to the Las Vegas Aces, having already eliminated the two-time reigning champions in the semifinals. Minnesota is making its first appearance in the championship round since 2017, when it won the franchise’s fourth title in a seven-year span.
“We learned from our experience; I think that’s a part of the journey,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said. “It motivated us to be better.”
Game 1 of the best-of-five series is Thursday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The Liberty built a super team ahead of the 2023 season by adding forwards Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart and guard Courtney Vandersloot to guard Sabrina Ionescu and forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton. The team fell short in the WNBA Finals, losing to Las Vegas in four games, but in the second year of this group, the squad is more cohesive on and off the court.
Stewart and Vandersloot have already won titles in past years with the Seattle Storm (2018, 2020) and Chicago Sky (2021), respectively, and would love to bring New York its first after taking down the fourth-seeded Fever in four games.
AP photo by Ian Maule / New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) drives past Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray during Game 4 of their WNBA semifinal series on Sunday in Las Vegas.While the Liberty were expected back in the championship round, Minnesota made the biggest strides in the offseason, going from 19-21 last season to 30-10 this year. The Lynx are led by versatile forward Napheesa Collier, the WNBA MVP runner-up and defensive player of the year after raising her level of play this season.
She also had help on the offensive end with the addition of guard Courtney Williams, who has been to the WNBA Finals twice before, although those trips with the Connecticut Sun in 2019 and 2022 did not end with a title.
“It’s exciting. This is what you play for, to be on that stage,” she said. “Ready for the moment and excited to get it done.”
With the exception of Williams and guard Natisha Hiedeman, the Lynx don’t have much playoff experience. Hiedeman was also with Connecticut in 2019 and 2022.
Collier became the first player in WNBA history to have at least 25 points and 10 rebounds in three straight postseason games when she had 27 and 11 in the decisive Game 5 win over the third-seeded Sun on Tuesday night.
“What makes Phee special is the consistency and the way she shows up every single day, her work ethic, demeanor,” Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said. “She’s improved every season. Every game it’s more than scoring how she helps our team. … When Phee plays like the MVP, we’re a hard team to beat.”
New York struggled against Minnesota this year, losing two of the three regular-season meetings and the championship game for the in-season Commissioner’s Cup.
The Liberty had to go on the road for the first two games in the WNBA Finals last year, so having home-court advantage this time around is welcomed. New York is 4-0 at home this postseason, sweeping Atlanta in the best-of-three first round before building a 2-0 lead there in the semifinals.
“Being on the other side of it last year, knowing how hard it was to go on the road for the first two of the finals with an opposing crowd and try to steal a win and not be able to,” Ionescu said, “I think we all understand that we’ll have the whole city behind us, cheering us on.”