The New York Liberty entered Barclays Center on Sunday not just needing a win, but needing to send a message. After a jarring Game 1 loss, the Liberty course-corrected in Game 2, downing the Minnesota Lynx, 80–66, to even the WNBA Finals at 1–1. The result keeps New York’s title hopes alive as the series heads to Minnesota, giving the Liberty a puncher’s chance as they face back-to-back road games.
“You can’t panic,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said ahead of Game 2, a point she’s reiterated since her team’s collapse on Thursday. That mantra was tested as Sunday’s contest began to mirror the rollercoaster of Game 1.
Jumping out to a convincing start, New York shot 72% from the field and registered 10 assists on 13 made field goals in the first quarter. The Liberty led 49–37 at the half behind efficient shooting from Sabrina Ionescu and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, putting up 13 and 14 points, respectively, in the opening two frames. Then, the Lynx went on a run, at one point cutting their deficit to four points in the third quarter before Napheesa Collier picked up her fourth foul, forcing the Minneosta star to sit.
After weathering that storm, the Liberty faced another Lynx surge in the fourth quarter, with only two points separating the teams with four minutes left on the clock. New York, insistent that it had learned its lesson, and emphatic about the importance of playing comprehensive basketball from tip to buzzer, couldn’t implode again.
The Liberty’s salvation came from an unlikely source, with Laney-Hamilton swinging the momentum in New York’s favor, draining a three to extend the lead to 71–66 with 3:21 left on the clock. She ended the night with 20 points, making four of her six attempts from beyond the arc. Laney-Hamilton hadn’t scored in the double figures since the New York's opening game of the postseason against the Atlanta Dream, putting up 10 points in that Sept. 22 contest. After undergoing knee surgery in July, Laney-Hamilton has slowly been working back up to full force. “B’s a warrior. Everyone can see she’s not 100%,” Brondello said ahead of Game 2, “but she goes out there and works her butt off.”
Three other Liberty starters put up double digits, with Stewart notching 21 points and a Finals record seven steals, Ionescu scoring 15 points and Jonquel Jones logging 14 points and nine rebounds. New York was much more efficient on the offensive end on Sunday, shooting 47.5% from the field and 45.8% from three, compared to Thursday’s 37.8% and 39.4%.
Stewart said she and her teammates just kept telling each other to stay together. “Not letting history repeat itself,” Stewart said of her Game 2 mindset. Even if the team’s offense got stagnant the Liberty needed to stay the course on defense. “Every rebound matters,” she said. (New York won the rebounding battle 34–27.)
The Liberty underscored the importance of improving their ball movement, pace and efficiency but most importantly, New York needed to show it could close out a high-stakes game. It did that on Sunday. After taking a punch from Courtney Williams and the Lynx in Game 1, Brondello’s squad is still standing. While the Liberty's performance showed there may still be some lingering dizziness from Minnesota’s initial haymaker, they look ready to fight. They won’t have the record 18,000 friendly fans as they did in Barclays Center on Sunday in Minnesota, but the Liberty now have a victory to back up their belief.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as The Liberty Learn Their Lesson, Pull Away in Game 2 to Level WNBA Finals.
