2024 WNBA Finals: Easy methods to watch, preview, high gamers, odds, format for New York Liberty vs. Minnesota Lynx

This matchup is all the pieces we as followers wish to see in a Finals: The 2 greatest groups, each stacked with stars and every posing matchup challenges for the opposite, going head-to-head for the possibility to name themselves champions.

The New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx have been the highest two seeds within the WNBA common season, and so they have superior to face off within the WNBA Finals beginning Thursday night time.

It is a Finals stacked with star energy. There are three gold medalists from the Paris Olympics: 2023 MVP Breanna Stewart, 2024 MVP runner-up Napheesa Collier, and 3-time All-Star Sabrina Ionescu. That is to not point out former MVP Jonquel Jones, 5-time All-Star and WNBA champion Courtney Vandersloot, four-time All-Star Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams, simply to call a number of.

Here is all the pieces you might want to know concerning the 2024 WNBA Finals.

Are the WNBA Finals 5 or 7 video games?

The WNBA Finals are a best-of-five sequence performed in a 2-2-1 format. As a result of New York had the higher common season file (the perfect within the W), it’ll host Video games 1 and a couple of on the Barclays Middle, then the sequence shifts to Minnesota for Video games 3 and 4. If there’s a Recreation 5, will probably be again in Brooklyn.

Easy methods to watch the 2024 WNBA Finals?

Right here is the published schedule for the WNBA Finals:

Recreation 1: Lynx at Liberty, Thursday Oct. 10 (8 ET, ESPN)
Recreation 2: Lynx at Liberty, Sunday Oct. 13 (3 ET, ABC)
Recreation 3: Liberty at Lynx, Wednesday Oct. 16 (8 ET, ESPN)
*Recreation 4: Liberty at Lynx, Friday Oct. 18 (8 ET, ESPN)
*Recreation 5: Lynx at Liberty, Sunday Oct. 20 (8 ET, ESPN)
All occasions are Jap (* = if essential)

All video games may be streamed on ESPN+

Who received the 2023 WNBA championship?

The Las Vegas Aces — behind robust play from A’Ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum — knocked off the New York Liberty, making it back-to-back WNBA championships for Sin Metropolis.

Las Vegas had been dominant all season, going 34-6 with the perfect offense and protection within the league. The Aces misplaced only one recreation via their playoff run, to the Liberty within the Finals.

New York Liberty vs Minnesota Lynx head-to-head file

Minnesota owned the common season sequence this yr, taking three of the 4 head-to-head video games. That included when the groups met within the Commissioner’s Cup Championship — the WNBA’s in-season event that has turn out to be one of many highlights of the league’s calendar. Bridget Carleton stepped up for Minnesota with 23 factors in that recreation, together with hitting 6-of-8 from 3, whereas Napheesa Collier was her common spectacular self with 21 factors and 6 rebounds.

Have the New York Liberty ever received a WNBA championship?

No. The Liberty have the doubtful distinction of getting been to the WNBA Finals 5 occasions and by no means coming away with a championship banner. That is a league file.

4 of these losses got here within the first six seasons of the WNBA’s existence, when the Liberty fell thrice to Cynthia Cooper’s powerhouse Houston Comets (which received the primary 4 WNBA titles). Then, in 2002, the Liberty have been again within the Finals however bumped into Lisa Leslie and the Los Angeles Sparks on their back-to-back title run.

The Liberty returned to the Finals final season however ran right into a dominant Las Vegas Aces squad on its technique to back-to-back titles. That is why the Liberty beating the Aces within the semi-finals this yr was so cathartic for New York.

Have the Minnesota Lynx ever been to the WNBA finals?

The WNBA Finals are like an outdated buddy for the Lynx — 2024 would be the franchise’s seventh journey to the WNBA’s largest stage and so they have 4 titles to point out for it.

From 2011 to 2017 — the Maya Moore period in Minnesota — the Lynx went to the Finals six out of seven years. It wasn’t simply Moore who was nice on these Minnesota groups, in addition they had Sylvia Fowles (two-time Finals MVP), Seimone Augustus and lots of extra. These groups have been stacked, very like the 2024 model of the Lynx.

Which staff has probably the most WNBA titles?

The now-defunct Houston Comets and the Minnesota Lynx have every received 4 WNBA titles.

Within the first 4 years of the WNBA’s existence — 1997 to 2000 — Houston Comets received 4 consecutive rings behind four-time Finals MVP and WNBA legend Cynthia Cooper. They beat the New York Liberty in three of these 4 seasons, and the Phoenix Mercury as soon as.

Minnesota received 4 titles between 2011 and 2017, profitable one each different yr, however they by no means repeated as champions.

2024 WNBA Finals odds

New York is a comparatively heavy favourite to win its first WNBA title, the Liberty are -275 to win the sequence at our companions Wager MGM, whereas Minnesota is +220 to win the sequence.

For Recreation 1, the Liberty are -6 favorites at dwelling.

Three issues to observe for in Minnesota vs. New York

1) Can New York deal with the stress?

This looks like a now-or-never second for the Liberty. They’ve the burden of historical past on their shoulders with the franchise being 0-5 within the Finals, however this yr they arrive in with the perfect staff (boasting each the perfect file and internet ranking within the league).

Can they deal with that stress on the league’s largest stage?

They’ve up to now this season. The Liberty got here into this season with a chip on their shoulders after falling to Las Vegas in final yr’s Finals. That’s embodied by the staff’s star, Brianna Stewart, who struggled in final yr’s Finals after which was mocked by the Aces throughout their celebrations (which hit Stewart tougher as a result of her father-in-law died throughout that sequence). Look what Stewart stated about that, by way of the USA Today’s Lindsay Schnell after beating the Aces.

“I’ve the receipts on the issues that have been stated. Our whole staff does. However actually, my mentality at present was to go and get this win for my spouse and for her dad.”

New York comes into this sequence with two key benefits: Relaxation and home-court benefit. Of these, the remainder could be the larger one — the Liberty completed off the Aces on Sunday, flew dwelling, and had a number of days to recuperate and recreation plan. The Lynx performed Tuesday night time at dwelling and beat the Solar to advance to the Finals, then needed to board a airplane the following day to get to New York. That break might be a giant distinction in Recreation 1.

2) Which staff controls the paint?

The Liberty have been the perfect staff within the WNBA this season largely as a result of no one might deal with their measurement and athleticism up entrance with two former MVPs in Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones — the Lynx have been the exception.

That is due to Napheesa Collier, who has had a breakout season and carried that into the playoffs the place she has set a WNBA file with three straight 25-point, 10-rebound video games. For the playoffs, she is averaging 27.1 factors and 9.6 rebounds a recreation. Collier and Alanna Smith give the Lynx measurement to match the Liberty, and Minnesota added extra inside presence off the bench with an in-season commerce for Myisha Hines-Allen.

Stewart and Collier have been the 2 greatest gamers within the WNBA playoffs up to now (with all due respect to Ionescu). One key to this matchup could also be Stewart’s defensive versatility — she will be able to cowl guards who’re breaking down the Liberty protection and shut them down (for NBA followers, she has a Draymond Inexperienced degree of defensive versatility). Within the close-out recreation in opposition to the Aces final spherical, Stewart was assigned to lock up Aces guard Kelsey Plum, which proved the distinction. Stewart additionally performed extra of a point-forward function on offense in that sequence. Her versatility might be a deciding issue on this sequence.

3) Which staff is hotter from 3?

It appears a bit reductive in fashionable basketball to say, “The warmer staff from 3 will win,” however on this sequence, capturing from deep will play an enormous function. Each groups rely closely on the three, with the Liberty scoring 35.5% of its factors this common season from past the arc, whereas the Lynx have been at 34.8%.

Sabrina Ionescu is the participant to observe this sequence — she is on a tear within the playoffs, scoring 20.7 factors a recreation and hitting 46.5% from 3 within the postseason, together with 5 3-pointers in closing out Las Vegas. Nevertheless, she struggled this season in opposition to the Lynx, which pressured her out excessive and Ionescu did not at all times deal with it properly.

Whereas the Lynx have shooter Kayla McBride, keep watch over Bridget Carleton, who lit up the Liberty within the Commisioner’s Cup Championship recreation and led the staff with 23 factors. Minnesota wants her to get sizzling and win them a recreation or two this sequence.

Regardless of all that speak of capturing, do not anticipate a shootout: These are two of the highest three defensive groups within the WNBA this season.

WNBA Finals full winners listing

1997 — Houston Comets
1998 — Houston Comets
1999 — Houston Comets
2000 — Houston Comets
2001 — Los Angeles Sparks
2002 — Los Angeles Sparks
2003 — Detroit Shock
2004 — Seattle Storm
2005 — Sacramento Monarchs
2006 — Detroit Shock
2007 — Phoenix Mercury
2008 — Detroit Shock
2009 — Phoenix Mercury
2010 — Seattle Storm
2011 — Minnesota Lynx
2012 — Indiana Fever
2013 — Minnesota Lynx
2014 — Phoenix Mercury
2015 — Minnesota Lynx
2016 — Los Angeles Sparks
2017 — Minnesota Lynx
2018 — Seattle Storm
2019 — Washington Mystics
2020 — Seattle Storm
2021 — Chicago Sky
2022 — Las Vegas Aces
2023 — Las Vegas Aces