Courtney Williams blended the defense with her dribble. Napheesa Collier picked up four steals. And Bridget Carleton buried the two freebies that put the hosts over the edge. 

Early, Kayla McBride and Collier connected on four of five 3-pointers and each scored at close range. But the crew had four turnovers because of miscommunication, a poor pass, the Liberty’s up-close pressure, and a shove by McBride.

On the other side, Jonquel Jones splashed a triple plus made a post-up shot, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton tallied seven digits and the bench put up five points. But Breanna Stewart was contained to zero of seven baskets by being doubled and having her jumper contested promptly.

Defensively, Collier had two steals in the sequence- poking the ball loose from Stewart and intercepting Leonie Fiebich’s pass. Then the Lynx got sloppy, losing the ball three extra times, getting scored on quickly twice. Each turnover was a product of Stewart’s pass breakups and a strip.

For the Liberty offensively, Fiebich swished a corner tray, nailed a long pull-up two-pointer and dribbled past Williams from the post to the cup for a basket. Stewart produced two of four buckets. 

At halftime, the Lynx led 46-45. The crew had 12 paint points, nine on the break, two on extra tries, eight off turnovers and two from the bench. 

The Liberty accumulated 22 interior marks, eight in the open court, two via second chances, eight off turnovers and seven from the reserves.

Next, the hosts’ offense slowed down to 18 points. Alanna Smith was the leading supplier with two 3-pointers and a rim roll. The rest of the team converted two of 12 shots in the frame. Yet the defense prevented the visitors from taking control, picking up three steals and forcing two more giveaways. 

The Liberty matched the Lynx in third-quarter scoring and, at one point, scored 11 straight marks. Jones and Stewart combined for five baskets without misses. 

The fourth quarter began with Lynx up 64-63.

Subsequently and uncharacteristically, Stewart missed three practice shots and was held to 12.5% accuracy. And Jones scored one of four makes.  

 For the hosts, Cecilia Zandalasini provided two relief buckets. And McBride made a mid-range jumper and a left-wing triple to put the Lynx up by five points in crunch time.

But the Lynx went scoreless for over two minutes, and Jones plus Sabrina Ionescu tied the game at 80 digits. 

Williams tried to break the stalemate by dribbling left on Laney-Hamilton to the elbow for a jumper but missed. Then Ionescu was called for a loose ball foul as she attempted to box out Carleton’s offensive rebound.  

Carleton then made both freebies and on defense, locked and trailed Ionescu closely to prevent a clean shot off the catch with two seconds left.

The Lynx won 82-80. The squad had 26 paint points, 11 on the break, five on spare tries, 19 off turnovers and 10 from the bench.

McBride scored 19 points on six of 15 attempts with, two rebounds, four assists and three turnovers.

Williams had 15 points on 43.8% shooting, with four rebounds, seven dimes, one steal and two turnovers.

And Collier notched 14 points, making 40% of her shots, with nine rebounds, four dimes, four steals and three giveaways. 

The Liberty had 38 interior marks, 12 in the open court, four via second chances, 19 off turnovers and nine from the reserves.

Jones tallied 21 points on seven of 10 shots, with eight rebounds, two assists, one steal, two blocks and three turnovers.

Fiebich totaled 19 points on 58.3% accuracy, with three rebounds, five assists, two steals and one turnover.

Stewart had 11 points on five of 21 looks, with 11 boards, four dimes, three steals, one block and two giveaways. 

And Ionescu had 10 points on five of 15 attempts, with six rebounds, five assists and four turnovers. 

McBride handled the on-court interview. She said, “The last game was heartbreaking, 48 hours ago. We wanted to come out and leave everything out here, and that’s all we had to do. Now we get to go play for everything, for all the marbles.”

At the postgame presser, coach Cheryl Reeve was asked about the difference in Game 5. She said, “I wish I knew. I’d either not sleep or sleep really good if I knew the difference. It’s two great teams. Who knows?

—

For more info on the Miami Heat, subscribe to Off The Floor.

The New York Liberty won Game 2 at home to tie the WNBA Finals. Sabrina Ionescu unfastened Minnesota’s coverages early on. Breanna Stewart registered a record seven steals in a championship bout. And Betnijah Laney-Hamilton connected on four back-breaking trays.

Early, the Lynx’s offense missed four makeable 3-pointers and committed five turnovers, while the hosts’ defense prevented any trips to the line. Additionally, the Liberty converted its first 13 of 18 field goal attempts and held a 10-point lead through 12 minutes. 

Most of the action came from Ionescu, who scored a layup on the break, dribbled into the paint for a floater, curled around a pick, making a jumper in the middle and downed two trays. Stewart and Laney-Hamilton each contributed seven marks.

Subsequently, the Liberty was held to 29.4% shooting in the second quarter. Yet, five offensive rebounds that turned into four second-chance points, multiple trips to the line, and forcing five turnovers made them match the Lynx’s scoring. Despite the inaccuracy, the hosts were the nastier team. At one moment, their advantage rose to 17 points. 

The Liberty led at intermission, 49-39. The squad had 14 paint points, 10 on the break, six via second chances, 14 off turnovers and four from the bench. 

The Lynx put up 20 interior marks, nine in the open court, none on extra tries, six off turnovers and three from the reserves.

Then the guests came out of the break dropping four of six baskets by hand of Courtney Williams and Alanna Smith. But the Liberty’s defense tightened up, holding the guests to two of 10 baskets by contesting jumpers on time and having help rotate promptly. 

Offensively, the Liberty were in the mud in the third quarter, too. Jonquel Jones, Ionescu and Stewart were the only providers, each with four marks.

Next, the fourth quarter started with the hosts ahead 61-53.

When the Lynx were within striking distance, Napheesa Collier hit a fadeaway and a power-step through the lane. And Williams dribbled past Jones from the top to the cup for a scoop. But it wasn’t enough.

Laney-Hamilton responded with a corner 3-pointer, and Leonie Fiebich struck the next blow: the wing 3-pointer on the break that stretched the lead to nine points supplied by Williams dribbling the ball off her foot. 

On top of that, Stewart continued being a defensive menace. Her doubling produced a strip on Williams and she poked a bal loose from the post plus broke up a bad pass from Collier. 

The Liberty won 80-66. The team had 28 paint points, 19 on the break, 10 via second chances, 26 off turnovers and seven from the bench. 

Stewart had 21 digits on seven of 18 attempts, with eight rebounds, five assists, one block, seven steals and five giveaways.

 Laney-Hamilton contributed 20 points on 57.1% accuracy, with two rebounds, two assists, one steal and three turnovers. 

Ionescu put up 15 points on five of nine looks, with four rebounds, five assists, two seals and two giveaways. 

And Jones had 14 points 46.2% shooting, with nine rebounds, one dime, two steals and four turnovers.

The Lynx had 34 interior marks, 13 in the open court, four on spare attempts, 17 off turnovers and five from the reserves. 

Collier put up 16 points on seven of 12 shots, with eight boards, three dimes, four steals and seven giveaways.

Williams had 15 digits on 50% accuracy, with eight assists, six rebounds, one steal and five turnovers.

And Smith had 14 points on six of nine tries, with two rebounds, two assists, one steal and three turnovers. 

After the game, Stewart said she couldn’t wait to play following the upset in Game 1. When asked about her defense, she said, “I wanted to make it difficult for every single one of the players I was going up against…”

At the post-match presser, Ionescu was asked about how defensive pressure impacts her play. She said, “Being able to understand how teams are playing me and being able to kind of make that adjustment in real time. Possession by possession, quarter by quarter, teams have kind of changed the way they’ve guarded. Whether they are switching, hedging, trapping…”

—

For more info on the Miami Heat, subscribe to Off The Floor.

The hosting Liberty took their fingers off the trigger, and the Lynx struck them down. The visitors were behind 15 points in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter but rose from the grave on moves from Courtney Williams, Kayla McBride, Natisha Hiedeman and Napheesa Collier to force overtime. They then outmarked the Liberty, 11-8.

Early, the Liberty were making pelts out of the Lynx. Jonquel Jones overmatched inside protections. Sabrina Ionescu added a pair of trays and spun into the lane, making a floater. Leonie Fiebich downed two 3-pointers. And they pieced up the glass, coming up with six extra tries that turned into 10 points. 

The Lynx countered with seven of 14 baskets but were still on their heels. 

Subsequently, the deficit expanded to below 18 points nearly four minutes into frame two. But the Lynx started showing fangs- the defensive pressure on Ionescu skyrocketed, bothering her with length and using blitzes that neutralized her passes. Fiebich’s four 3-point attempts were contested cleanly, too.

Offensively, Collier scored back-to-back shots on the break that slashed the deficit to single digits. And McBride blasted a corner triple and tallied a coast-to-coast basket.

The Lynx were down 36-44 at intermission. The team had 18 paint points, six on the break, three via second chances, four off turnovers and five from the bench.

The Liberty put up 20 interior marks, 15 in the open court, 12 on extra tries, eight off turnovers and five from the reserves.

Next, McBride, Collier and Bridget Carleton opened the third quarter on a 6-0 run. Yet the Liberty’s German sniper retaliated with a trifecta from each corner. Jones hit a 12-foot jumper and two free throws. And Stewart supplied seven more points. 

The fourth quarter started with the Lynx down 61-68. With five minutes left, New York’s advantage had climbed back to 15 points. Jones produced at the line. Stewart splashed a 3-pointer. Fiebich added five extra marks. And Ionescu made a transition layup. 

But the Lynx clawed their way back again. McBride and Hiedeman connected on triples. Collier hit a mid-range jumper off the catch, powered by Stewart for a bank shot and denied Jones at close range. And Williams, maneuvered to the left for an 18-footer, cut up the break, making a floater and nailed the four-point play that gave the Lynx the lead with 5.5 seconds left in the fourth.

Then Collier blocked Stewart at three feet from the cup. Stewart got off another attempt but was fouled by Collier with .1 seconds left. As the Liberty were down a point, she only converted one of two, setting up overtime instead of taking the win. 

In overtime, Williams had five points but had a brutal turnover that Ionescu scored on, cutting the Lynx lead to two points. Collier had back-to-back steals and made the dagger fadeaway over Jones. 

The Lynx won 95-93. The team had 42 paint points, 17 on the break, 11 via second chances, 17 off turnovers and 15 from the bench. 

Williams had 23 points on nine of 18 attempts, with five rebounds, five assists and three giveaways. McBride put up 22 marks on 55% accuracy, with two rebounds, four assists, one steal and one turnover. And Collier had 21 points on 10 of 16 looks, with eight rebounds, two assists, three steals, six blocks and one turnover. 

The Liberty totaled 36 interior marks, 19 in the open court, 23 on extra tries, 15 off turnovers and 10 from the reserves.

Jones racked up 24 digits on nine of 14 attempts, with 10 boards, three dimes, one steal and two turnovers. Ionescu registered 19 points on eight of 26 ventures, with five boards, three assists, four steals and three giveaways. Stewart logged 18 points on 29% shooting, with nine rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two turnovers. And Fiebich had 17 points on 43.8% accuracy, with six rebounds and four assists.

Collier handled the on-court interview. When asked about her defense on Stewart, she said, “She’s one of the best players in the world. I just tried to be aggressive and make the shots as hard as possible.”

At the postgame presser, Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said the late comeback defines her team. “You have to be mentally tough… and we were that team. I’m thrilled we could hang in there.”

—

For more info on the Miami Heat, subscribe to Off The Floor.

The New York Liberty put down the back-to-back defending champions in Game 4 in Las Vegas, avenging last year’s Finals defeat, too. Sabrina Ionescu plus Jonquel Jones lit up the perimeter. Breanna Stewart scored at three levels. And the defense shut down any hope for a second-half comeback.

The Liberty’s intensity resembled that of unfed wolves early. Ionescu rattled off a dozen marks, nailing three trays and driving left into the lane for a bucket plus the foul. And Stewart scored on a big-to-big pick-and-roll set, saved a broken play by maneuvering from the top to the cup easily and registered a putback.

Yet, the Aces picked up extra opportunities and earned multiple trips to the line, offsetting their six of 19 start from the field. 

In frame two, Leonie Fiebich – New York’s connector- picked up her third foul as the group was ahead 10 points with five minutes left in the half. As she sat, the visitors were outscored 11-4 to end the period on moves from Chelsea Gray, A’ja Wilson, Alysha Clark and Kelsey Plum. The Liberty converted two of 11 baskets and committed three turnovers in that span.

At halftime, the Liberty were up 41-38. The squad had 20 paint points, none on the break, seven via second chances, three off turnovers and two from the bench. 

The Aces had 18 interior marks, four in the open court, four on spare tries, 12 off turnovers and seven from the reserves. 

Then both squads raised their defensive RPMs. For the guests, Kennedy Burke was held scoreless on three tries. Stewart missed at the arc against Clark and Wilson plus failed curling into a jumper over Plum. Ionescu got her 3-pointer denied by Wilson on a switch. And the squad had five turnovers as it recorded five of 19 baskets. 

The Aces were barely any better, connecting on a third of looks and outscoring the Liberty by one. Wilson was the solution on offense, dribbling from the wing to the rim for a layup, scoring on an inverted pick-and-roll set with Clark and making a shot under the cup on the feed from Tiffany Hayes. 

The fourth quarter started with the visitors on top, 53-51.

It was a heavyweight fight heading into the championship rounds. The Liberty’s defense maintained its edge, and their three artillery strikes were the difference.

Stewart had three blocks, two on Plum up close and the last against Wilson at mid-range. And Jackie Young and Gray were held scoreless on five attempts. 

Despite Stewart’s four misses, the offense was in sixth gear, shooting 50% to close the game. Ionescu was the four quarter’s leading scorer with seven points, coming from a give-and-go on the right side plus nailing two freebies and a left-side catch-and-shoot banger.

The Liberty won 76-62. The group picked up 30 paint points, four on the break, 14 via second chances, eight off turnovers and eight from the bench.

Ionescu totaled 22 points on 50% shooting, with seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and four turnovers. Stewart dropped 19 marks on eight of 21 attempts, with 14 rebounds, five assists, one steal, four blocks and two giveaways. And Jones had 14 points on 45.5% accuracy, with six rebounds and one turnover. 

The Aces logged 28 interior digits, seven in the open court, four on extra tries, 14 off turnovers and 13 from the reserves. 

Wilson put up 19 points on seven of 13 shots, with 10 boards, one dime, one steal, five blocks and a turnover. Plum tallied 17 points on 31.3% shooting, with two rebounds, one assist and two steals. And Hayes had 11 points on 37.5% shooting, with three rebounds, two assists, one block and two turnovers.

Stewart and Ionescu handled the on-court interview. The former said, “We watched the film. Game 3 was ugly… We didn’t want to play another game in New York until it’s the Finals.”

The latter said, “We haven’t done anything yet… We are three wins away, and that’s really important to understand. We got to come out, and we got to punch because nothing’s been given to us yet.”

The winner of Connecticut Sun @ Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday will play New York in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Thursday. 

—

For more info on the Miami Heat, subscribe to Off The Floor.