The New York Liberty defeated the Minnesota Lynx 87-71 in Game 2 of their WNBA playoff series on Tuesday night. With 21 points apiece from Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones, the Liberty secured their place as the first No 8 seed to knock out a No 1 seed across the competition’s 30-year history.
Fantasy & Market Impact
- Jonquel Jones Stock Rising: Dominating the interior with 21 points and 13 rebounds, Jones proved essential moving into the semi-finals.
- Minnesota Offense Stalls: Rookie Olivia Miles struggled under New York’s rim protection, scoring 5 points on 1-of-8 shooting in Game 2.
- Liberty Championship Odds: New York advances after beating the top-seeded Lynx.
How New York’s Interior Size Broke the Lynx Defense
New York leveraged the 6ft 6in frame of Jonquel Jones early and often to dictate terms in the paint. Jones anchored the low-block, altering Minnesota’s driving lanes and securing critical defensive rebounds. By establishing paint dominance right from the opening tip, the Liberty forced Cheryl Reeve’s top-seeded squad out of their customary defensive rotations.
The Liberty executed a defensive game plan that effectively neutralized Rookie of the Year Olivia Miles. During the regular season, Miles averaged 19.8 points and 6.0 assists. But New York’s ability to protect the rim bothered the standout player. Miles managed just five points in 17 minutes of action on Tuesday night, spending the majority of the second half benched as the Liberty pulled away.
A Historic Semifinal Push and Chasing the Championship
New York carried a 49-37 lead into halftime after scoring nine of the final 11 points in the second quarter in front of a sellout crowd of 17,593. The tension peaked with 6:26 left in the third quarter when Breanna Stewart drove to the basket and was hit by Olivia Miles, with officials upgrading the play to a Flagrant-1 foul. As Stewart walked off the court to hit her free throws, the arena showered her with “M-V-P” chants. Sabrina Ionescu added 18 points, and Minnesota couldn’t get closer than seven points the rest of the way.
For Minnesota, the elimination marks a bitter end to a campaign that saw Cheryl Reeve capture Coach of the Year honors. The Lynx had the best regular-season record, but could not counter New York. Courtney Williams led Minnesota with 18 points, while Napheesa Collier chipped in 14.
The Path Forward in the WNBA Semifinals
| Team | Seed | Series Result | Leading Scorer (Game 2) |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Liberty | No. 8 | Won vs. Minnesota | Jonquel Jones / Breanna Stewart (21 pts) |
| Minnesota Lynx | No. 1 | Lost vs. New York | Courtney Williams (18 pts) |
New York now await the winner of the Atlanta-Washington series. The Dream are up 1-0 and play at Washington on Wednesday night. The semi-finals begin Sunday.
Mindful of their opening-round exit to Phoenix twelve months prior—where a 1-0 series advantage slipped away—New York were fully resolved not to experience history repeating itself.
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