MINNEAPOLIS — It’s been 25 years since the New York Liberty had a chance to close out a WNBA championship. Just like in 1999, a last-second shot gave them the opportunity to play for a title.
This time around, the Liberty are hoping for a different outcome.
A quarter-century after Teresa Weatherspoon hit “The Shot” to even up the WNBA Finals against the Houston Comets, Sabrina Ionescu nailed a 28-footer with a second left Wednesday night to give top-seeded New York a 2-1 lead in its best-of-five series with the second-seeded Minnesota Lynx. The Liberty’s first chance to close out the series is Friday night in Game 4 at the Target Center.
In 1999, the Comets and Liberty played the next day, and New York lost that game for the championship.
“I haven’t thought about that, in the sense of they didn’t go out and achieve what it is that they wanted to do,” Ionescu said. “I think for us, it’s going to be changing that scripted narrative a little bit.”
Ionescu’s shot gave New York its own spot in history as it’s the first time the franchise has ever led a WNBA Finals in its six appearances in the championship series.
“It would mean everything. Stephen A. (Smith) was on today just talking (about) how it brings him chills to think about a championship in New York, and it’s just so many people who have New York running deep in their veins, wanting a championship,” Ionescu said. “And knowing that we’re doing that to other people’s lives through the way we play and bring them happiness and joy, that’s what sport is about.”
Minnesota will try to force a decisive Game 5, which would take place Sunday in New York, where the teams split to send the series to Minneapolis. The Lynx are looking for their own history as two straight wins would give the franchise five championships, breaking a tie for the most in league history with Houston and the Seattle Storm.
Four teams have been able to rally from 2-1 deficits to win the WNBA title, with the 2017 Lynx the most recent to pull off the turnaround. Assistant coach Rebekkah Brunson was on that squad and talked to the team after the loss Wednesday night.
“There’s a lot of experience that we try to impart on them,” Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said. “I did remind them how special they are and that we’ve answered every challenging situation, whether it’s a run in the game or any part of the season. Friday isn’t going to be any different. We’re going to answer the call for sure.”
The Lynx might have to do it without forward Alanna Smith, who was a key addition to the squad this season. She injured her back in Game 3 and played a gutty 20 minutes. She had to sit out the final six minutes as New York got the victory.
Smith said she was going to play.
“I’ve been taking some anti-inflammatories, some painkillers,” she explained.
Despite the loss, the Lynx are still a confident bunch. They shot 19-for-55 after the first quarter on Wednesday night, missing some really good looks in the final few minutes of the game.
“For sure we are confident still,” Minnesota’s Courtney Williams said. “Watching the film, we know that those are shots we definitely can make.”