The Minnesota Lynx got the best of the New York Liberty in their first matchup of the season.
The Lynx defeated the defending champion Liberty 100-93 in Minneapolis on Wednesday in a rematch of the 2024 WNBA Finals, which the Liberty won in five games over the Lynx. Although Minnesota forward Napheesa Collier said Wednesday’s victory over New York is ‘just a regular season win,’ guard Courtney Williams admitted that the Lynx had a ‘chip on our shoulder’ following the Finals loss.
‘Every time we play them, we try to come out and stomp them,’ said Williams, who matched her career high in assists (13), in addition to recording nine rebounds and six points. ‘Neither one of us is going to lay down.’
The Lynx shot 49.3% from the field and knocked down a season-high 15 3-pointers. Collier recorded her sixth double-double of the season, finishing with 30 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks, two assists and one steal. Collier is now tied with the Las Vegas Aces’ A’ja Wilson for the most 30-point games this season.
The Liberty made things interesting down the stretch and went on an 11-0 run to come within four points of the Lynx with 1:02 remaining in the game. Collier responded with a driving layup that resulted in an and-one opportunity after she was fouled. Chants of ‘MVP’ rang out across Target Center as Collier knocked down the free throw to put the Lynx back up by seven points.
‘The score was close. We needed a bucket, so I tried to go out there and get it,’ she said. ‘It’s just a regular-season win for us. … We let what happened last season go. This is a new season.’
The Liberty’s losing streak extends to three games, their first of that length since 2022. Sabrina Ionescu finished with a game-high 31 points and five rebounds in the losing effort, while Marine Johannes had 14 points. The Liberty were without Breanna Stewart (right leg), Nyara Sabally (right knee) and Kennedy Burke (right calf) due to injury.
Here’s a recap of the 2024 WNBA Finals rematch on Wednesday:
End of Q3: Lynx 68, Liberty 62
Minnesota’s backcourt is heating up. Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride went 3-of-14 from the field and 2-of-5 from 3 in the first half, but the duo started to knock down some shots in the third quarter. Williams connected on her first field goal of the night with 5:57 remaining, prompting an emphatic reaction. She’s closing in on a double-double with four points, 10 assists (which ties her season high) and seven rebounds.
‘I just want to affect the game. Right now I can’t throw a rock in the ocean … but I still got to do things to help us win,’ Williams told ESPN’s Holly Rowe after the third quarter. Napheesa Collier has a game-high 22 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. McBride added 16 points, five assists and two rebounds.
The Liberty closed the third quarter on a 7-0 run to come within six points of the Lynx heading into the fourth quarter. Sabrina Ionescu has a team-high 17 points and three rebounds, while Marine Johannes added 11 points and four rebounds. Leonie Fiebich has been held to six points, shooting 2-of-7 from the field and 0-of-3 from 3.
Halftime: Lynx 51, Liberty 42
MV-Phee is on display. Lynx forward Napheesa Collier scored 13 of her game-high 19 points in the second quarter, helping the Lynx take their largest lead of the game at halftime, 51-42. In fact, Collier scored the last 11 points of the half for the Lynx. She added four rebounds, two blocks and one assist to her stat line.
Alanna Smith added 12 points and four rebounds for the Lynx, shooting a perfect 5-of-5 from the field and 2-of-2 from 3. Courtney Williams has turned in a defensive masterclass, with four rebounds, one block and one steal. The All-Star point guard is scoreless so far, shooting 0-of-7 from the field but has eight assists.
Sabrina Ionescu and Natasha Cloud each have 10 points for the Liberty.
Breanna Stewart injury update: Is Stewart playing vs. Lynx?
Stewart was ruled out of Wednesday’s matchup with a bone bruise in her right knee, Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello confirmed ahead of the matchup. Stewart suffered the injury less than four minutes into the Liberty’s 101-99 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on July 26. She appeared to suffer a non-contact injury as she ran up the court in transition. Brondello said Stewart avoided ligament damage, but added the Liberty will be cautious and put no timetable on her return.
End of Q1: Liberty 24, Lynx 24
We are all square after one quarter. The Liberty led by as many as eight points in the first quarter, but the Lynx went on a 7-0 run to tie things up.
Marine Johannes leads the Liberty with a game-high eight points, while Sabrina Ionescu added six points. New York is collectively shooting 62.5% from the field and 3-of-7 from 3.
The Lynx’s Alanna Smith hasn’t missed so far. She’s up to a team-high seven points, shooting 3-of-3 from the field and 1-of-1 from 3. Napheesa Collier added six points and Jessica Shepard has six off the bench. The Lynx are shooting 52.6% from the field, 3-of-6 from 3 and are out-rebounding the Liberty, 9-6.
‘Pay The Players’ signs on display
The crowd is rocking at Target Center for the 2024 WNBA Finals rematch between the Lynx and Liberty and the fans have something to say. Multiple spectators held ‘Pay the Players’ signs on Wednesday as WNBA stars continue to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with the league before the current contract expires at the end of the 2025 season.
The message went mainstream at the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis, when Team Caitlin Clark and Team Napheesa Collier donned matching pregame shirts that read, ‘Pay Us What You Owe Us.’ After Collier was named the MVP of the WNBA All-Star Game, the crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse chanted ‘Pay them!’
What time is the New York Liberty vs. Minnesota Lynx?
The Minnesota Lynx will host the New York Liberty at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday, July 30 at the Target Center in Minneapolis. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.
How to watch New York Liberty vs. Minnesota Lynx: TV, stream
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Target Center (Minneapolis)
TV channel: ESPN
Streaming: The ESPN App
New York Liberty starting lineup
Minnesota Lynx starting lineups
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