Minnesota Lynx power deciding Sport 5 in WNBA Finals with dramatic 82-80 win at residence

This collection was destined to go 5 video games.

Add one other sport to the record of dramatic endings within the 2024 WNBA Finals. This time it was Minnesota’s Bridget Carleton who proved the hero, getting fouled by Sabrina Ionescu on a putback with two seconds left on the clock, then draining what proved to be the game-winning free throws to place Minnesota up 82-80.

(New York followers will say that’s a ticky-tack foul to name at that second, however intentional or not Ionescu took out Carleton’s legs and touchdown spot, that’s a foul at any level within the sport.)

Ionescu had one other likelihood for heroics within the remaining seconds however her fadeaway, contested 3 to win the sport was lengthy and the Lynx had been doing their victory dance.

Minnesota’s win forces a deciding Sport 5 again in Brooklyn on Sunday — the victor that evening will get the parade and the rings.

Sport 4 was the tightest within the collection, with 13 ties and 14 lead modifications on an evening the place neither group ever led by greater than six.

Minnesota’s actual key was their league-best protection, which they centered on New York’s stars — Breanna Stewart and Ionescu mixed to shoot 10-of-36 (27.8%), together with going 0-of-9 from 3. Defenders received out a lot increased on Ionescu and took away her house, and with that, she shot 0-of-5 from past the arc, snapping her 82-game streak — and 23-game streak within the playoffs — with a 3. The Lynx did the identical factor to Stewart everywhere in the courtroom, throwing a number of defenders at her and being bodily.

The Lynx dared the opposite Liberty gamers to step up and beat them — and Jonquel Jones nearly did. The previous MVP — who can nearly fly underneath the radar on a Liberty group with Stewart and Ionescu — completed the evening with 21 factors and eight rebounds, was 4-of-5 from 3 and had the game-tying and-1 that arrange the dramatic ending.

Minnesota’s factors got here from a extra balanced assault, with each starter in double-digits.

Kayla McBride was scorching early with 11 factors within the first quarter and completed with 19 factors, hitting 4-of-5 from 3, and shelling out 4 assists. Courtney Williams added 15 factors and 7 assists, whereas Napheesa Collier scored 14.

Followers can solely hope Sport 5 on Sunday is as thrilling as Sport 4.

Neither group might create separation all evening — New York went on a 9-0 run to take a five-point lead within the third quarter, solely to have the Lynx shut the quarter on a 9-2 run to be up 64-63 after three. It was backwards and forwards like that each one sport, tied at 23-23 after one quarter, the Lynx had been up only one on the half 46-45.

If the Lynx are going to win the franchise’s fifth title, and do it on the highway, they’re going to want one other defensive efficiency like this one and clear up their capturing within the paint and on the free throw line (15-of-20 on this sport) — they will’t depart factors on the ground. And Collier goes to must step up together with her finest sport of the playoffs.

The Liberty — traditionally 0-5 within the WNBA Finals and attempting to interrupt that streak — could have the house crowd behind them however it won’t matter if Stewart, Ionescu and Jones don’t step up with enormous video games. For all the standard depth the Liberty have, they want their stars to point out out underneath the brightest of lights.

Correctly — this WNBA Finals needed to go 5 video games.