The New York Liberty defeated the Minnesota Lynx in a thrilling five game series, to clinch their first WNBA championship in franchise history.
With a team best 17 points in game 5, 30 year old center Jonquel Jones was awarded the 2024 Finals MVP.
Prelude to the 2024 WNBA Finals
The Liberty were expected to be in the finals before the season even started, as their 2024 campaign progressed it became more clear that they were the best team in the league, mostly due to the amount of talent on their roster.
Leading the Liberty to their franchise high 32 regular season wins and the 2024 one seed was, Three point sharpshooting point guard Sabrina Ionescu is a three time all star, 30 year old power forward Breanna Stewart is a two time WNBA MVP and a two time WNBA champion from her time on the Seattle Storm, center Jonquel Jones won a WNBA MVP award and is a 5 time All Star in her own right.
Alongside this triumvirate were a group of role players who consistently came up big when it mattered most.
As far as the Minnesota Lynx roster goes, 27 year old forward Napheesa Collier is easily their best player, winning the 2024 WNBA Defensive Player of The Year Award, and establishing herself as one of the best players in the league. Collier’s main partner in crime was 4 time All Star guard Kayla McBride, who in her age 32 season proved to be the perfect fit next to Collier, leading the Lynx to the number two seed (30-10).
The 2024 WNBA Finals showcased an exhilarating clash between the Minnesota Lynx and the New York Liberty, two powerhouse teams that had battled fiercely throughout the season. The series was a thrilling testament to the talent and resilience of both franchises, culminating in a dramatic showdown that captivated fans.
Game 1: The Minnesota Lynx Take Command
The Finals kicked off in Brooklyn, New York at the Barclays Center, where the Lynx established their resilience with a decisive 95-93 overtime victory. Led by defensive star Courtney Williams, who scored a team high 23 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and had 5 assists.
The Lynx aggressive defense stifled the Liberty’s offense, holding the Liberty to just 37.8% from the field and 39.4% from three. Offensively, Minnesota’s ball movement and scoring accuracy set the tone for the series after shooting 50,40,90 as a team, as they took an early series lead.
Game 2: The New York Liberty Strike Back
In Game 2, the Liberty responded with tenacity, showcasing their depth and versatility. Breanna Stewart lead the charge, scoring a game high 21 points, while hauling in 9 rebounds, getting 5 assists, and 5 steals, propelling The Liberty to a staggering 80-66 victory.
Liberty forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton had a stellar performance as well scoring 20 points and going 4-6 from three point territory.
Minnesota’s 6-20 from three point land as a team was a far cry from their lethal 9-22 clip in game one.
Game 3: The New York Liberty Claw Back
Going to the Target Center in Minneapolis for Game 3, the Liberty capitalized on their experience and composure. In a tightly contested match, they edged out the Lynx 80-77, after Minnesota blew a 15 point lead, which they had half way through the first quarter.
Two time league MVP and two time WNBA finals champion Breanna Stewart rallied New York scoring 30 points, and cleaning the glass for 11 rebounds, both of which were game highs.
The usually reliable Lynx defense collapsed in the third quarter, allowing the Liberty scoring opportunities and giving them the opportunity to battle back and take the lead. Credit has to be given to New York’s defense as well, never quitting, and holding the Lynx offense to 29-75 from the field.
Game 4: The Minnesota Lynx Fight for Survival
Facing elimination in Game 4, the Lynx delivered a resilient performance. Kayla McBride led the charge with 19 points, while once again being efficient from three, this time going 3-6. Jonquel Jones put up a valiant effort for the losing Liberty, with 21 points on an absurd 7-10 shooting from the field, and 4-5 from three, while bringing in 8 rebounds.
The Lynx relentless drive paid off as they secured an 82-80 victory, forcing a decisive Game 5. The atmosphere in Minneapolis was electric, with fans rallying behind their team in a show of unwavering support.
Game 5: A Championship Showdown
The 2024 WNBA Finals culminated in a nail-biting Game 5, held in “The City That Never Sleeps”. The intensity was palpable as both teams fought for every possession. The Liberty relied on their home-court advantage and another standout performance from the eventual 2024 WNBA Finals MVP Jonquel Jones, who scored 17 points on 5-10 shooting from the field, and 7-7 from the free throw line.
Breanna Stewart shot a poor 4-15 from the field, but made her presence known at the boards, bringing down 15 rebounds. Sabrina Ionescu’s disappointing finals continued as she shot a horrid 1-19 from the field, 1-10 from the three point line.
Minnesota put up a good fight with the tandem of Collier and McBride both scoring 22 and 21 points respectively. Courtney Williams’ 2-14 shooting from the field proved to be a difference maker as was the lack of production from the bench.
The only bench player to score for the Lynx was guard Natisha Hiedeman who scored a whopping 6 points, meanwhile Nyara Sabally scored 13 points and had 7 rebounds off the bench for New York.
There was also controversial officiating at the end of the game favoring the Liberty, something the media, Lynx players, and their coaching staff harped on after the game. In a contest as close as game 5, it is easy to nitpick poor refereeing, however there were legitimate problems with Minnesota.
The benches were lopsided, the Liberty outrebounded the Lynx 44-33, the Liberty went 2-23 from three point territory, but the Lynx were not much better, shooting 3-19. That does not excuse the officials, just draws attention to more under examined factors that led to their downfall, oh and Minnesota blew a 12 point lead again.
Concluding The 2024 WNBA Finals
The New York Liberty have finally accomplished their goal of winning a WNBA championship after being one of the last three of the original eight franchises to not fold or relocate, and the last of those teams to not win a championship, since the league was founded in 1997.
It has certainly been a long journey for the Liberty having made five appearances in the past, most recently losing 3-1 to the Aces in last year’s finals, and now winning on their sixth bite at the apple.
This was New York’s first title in a major sport since the New York Giants in the 2011-2012 NFL season.
As mentioned previously Jonquel Jones was named Finals MVP, after picking up the slack Stewart and Ionescu left for her. It was pretty clear Collier would have won the award had Minnesota upset New York in game 5, although McBride was terrific as well.
The 2024 WNBA Finals not only showcased the thrilling talent of both teams, but also left fans eagerly anticipating the next season, as the Lynx look to bounce back and reclaim their place at the top of the league.
Given the historic nature of this WNBA season to begin with, the 2024 WNBA Finals will likely go down as a crucial turning point in the trajectory of the WNBA, all the players in the series should be proud to have been part of this Finals.
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