Fired up and more than ready! As they say, the greatest victories come from the ashes of frustration. And what could be better than having a major edge against your opponents? Following the disappointing Game 4 loss, where the New York Liberty fumed over questionable officiating after the Minnesota Lynx were called for just 9 fouls in total compared to their 14, they have something huge in their favor for the upcoming final matchup.

Well, it’s their home-court advantage at the Barclays Center! Everyone knows for a fact that Barclays is known for being full of energy, which may just be the key the Liberty needs to close out the series. “That’s what we worked for all season long,” head coach Sandy Brondello said.

She added, “It’ll definitely be another sellout, it’ll definitely be loud…we got one more game. We’re going to on our homecourt.” And according to the numbers, their confidence is quite understandable.

The team had a 16-4 record at home during the regular season, the best in the league. They’ve won five of six postseason games on their home court so far. Along with their momentum, the crowd’s energy has always been crucial. Hence, that’s a major edge, considering the Minnesota Lynx’s less dominant 14-6 road record. However, the only loss for New York at home in the postseason came at the hands of the Lynx in Game 1. Nonetheless, the New Yorkers are filled with anger.

In Game 4, the conflict over when the referees’ calls—or lack thereof—became the talk. “I will say this—I know Cheryl said it last time, but we got no calls today,” the NY Liberty coach said in frustration. 

Will Sandy Brondello & Co. turn their rage into a powerful win? 

It all came to a head when Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu was called for a foul in the game’s final moments. With the score stuck at 80-80, Lynx’s Bridget Carleton fought for a rebound and drew a foul from Ionescu. 

Consequently, Carleton sank both free throws, clinching an 82-80 win and pushing the series to a decisive Game 5. During the post-game press conference, Sandy Brondello didn’t hold back when targeting the officiating. According to her, she was trying to call a timeout, but the referees didn’t hear her. 

“Do I have to speak up in a press conference? They called ticky-tack fouls, and we were down there getting hit and got nothing,” she vented. Although Brondello stays calm most of the time, she lost it this time.  

“I’m one of the nicest bl–dy coaches in the league, but this pis-es me off. Just be fair, you know? If they’re getting hit, it’s a bl–dy foul,” she asserted. Although reporters tried to deflect the conversation back to the Liberty’s execution or strategy, Brondello was laser-focused on the refs.

But, despite it all, they are now looking ahead to Game 5. On top of that, they are confident that the home-court advantage will be a game-changer. But Lynx’s Kayla McBride has already declared, “It’s the last 40 minutes of the season…It could be anywhere, it doesn’t matter.” 

So, will Lynx bag the title in an arena roaring for the Liberty? Or will Sandy Brondello’s Liberty turn all that frustration into victory? We’ll find out on Sunday.