Breanna Stewart scored 34 points to lead the New York Liberty to a 91–75 victory over the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx on Sunday, 27 September, leaving the favourites one defeat from elimination in the WNBA playoffs.
The eighth-seeded Liberty took a 1–0 lead in the best-of-three first-round series at Target Center. They now return home with an opportunity to finish the job, while Minnesota must win the next two games to reach the semi-finals.
For a Lynx team that finished the regular season with the league's best record, the consequences are immediate: there is no room for another defeat.
Stewart Turns the Seeding Gap Into a Survival Test
Stewart's 34 points accounted for more than a third of New York's total in a victory secured by a 16-point margin. Her scoring gave the Liberty the standout individual performance in a matchup between teams separated by seven regular-season wins.
Minnesota entered the postseason at 33–11, compared with New York's 26–18. Those records earned the Lynx the highest seed and the Liberty the final qualifying position, but they offered little protection once the opening game began.
The result does not complete the upset. It does, however, change what each side needs next. New York can advance with another victory; Minnesota must respond on the road simply to keep the series alive.
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Why New York Were a Dangerous Eighth Seed
The regular-season meetings had already supplied a warning for Minnesota. New York won two of their three encounters, including a 93–81 victory on 18 September, just nine days before the playoff opener.
The Liberty had also beaten the Lynx 99–86 on 3 July. Minnesota's lone victory in the season series came on 11 July, when they won 90–85.
That record makes Sunday's result more than an isolated success against a higher-ranked opponent. New York had already shown they could beat Minnesota, even while their overall season produced a lower playoff position.
There is championship history between them, too. The Liberty defeated the Lynx in the 2024 WNBA Finals, clinching the title at home after overtime in the deciding fifth game. This meeting carries different stakes: one of those former finalists will leave in the opening round, without getting another opportunity to challenge for this year's championship.
The opening defeat also changes Minnesota's priorities. The Lynx now need to respond in Game 2 to avoid elimination. For New York, the challenge is different: maintaining the same scoring threat when Minnesota have had time to adjust, with a semi-final place now within reach.
Game 2 Gives Liberty the Chance to Finish It
The series continues in New York on Tuesday, 29 September, with tip-off scheduled for 8:30pm Eastern Time. For UK viewers, that is 1:30am BST on Wednesday, 30 September.
The first round uses a 1–1–1 hosting format. Minnesota hosted the opener, New York hosts the second game, and a deciding third game would return to Minnesota on Thursday, 1 October.
Home-court advantage therefore remains available to the Lynx, but only if they first win away. Their top seed guarantees neither a second home game nor extra time to recover from the opening loss.
For Stewart and the Liberty, the task is to convert an impressive start into a series victory. For Minnesota, Tuesday is already an elimination game: the league's strongest regular-season record now rests on finding an immediate answer.
