Just when everyone thought the New York Liberty had the upper hand in what was their first chance to secure the first-ever WNBA championship, the Minnesota Lynx reminded them why their defense is feared. After Sabrina Ionescu’s game-winning heroics in Game 3, Saturday’s Game 4 at the Target Center was quite disappointing. Not convinced? Ionescu and Breanna Stewart’s poor shooting forced a decisive Game 5 for the first time since 2019! 

Talk about a tight game! 14 lead changes, 13 ties, and neither team led by more than 6 points! The Lynx defense — Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride — stepped up big time, keeping Ionescu off the three-point line. And Breanna Stewart? It took until the 7:20 mark of the second quarter for Stewart to put her name on the scoresheet. 

Ionescu, who nailed a game-winning 28-footer in Game 3 — the most-watched WNBA Finals game since 2001 with 1.39 million viewers on ESPN, struggled the whole time in Game 4, especially when her desperation heave with just 2 seconds remaining on the buzzer didn’t hit the rim. and resulted in a foul. But was that all? Absolutely not!

Before the last failed attempt, with just eight seconds remaining, scores were leveled at 80. Lynx guard Courtney Williams missed the basket in what would have been the game-winning shot after dribbling the ball to run the clock down. That’s when it happened that led to Liberty’s undoing. Bridget Carleton got the rebound but Ionescu boxed her out, leading the latter to commit to a foul. With just two seconds left in regulation, Carleton made the winning free throws with scores now tallied 82-80 in favor of the Lynx.

Liberty’s offense missed all nine of their 3-point attempts, which includes Ionescu’s five failed three-point shots while totaling a 10-point contribution to the final score, as New York fell 82-80 to Minnesota in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals on Friday night.

When asked how they managed to contain one of the league’s most dynamic shooters, Phee was straightforward. “They’re good players, they’re going to get shots off, but they can’t get easy ones,” she said. “So that’s my goal every time is to make it as hard as I can.” 

Kayla McBride, who was instrumental in holding off Ionescu reach her full potential and contributed 19 points from some freak angles, agreed with a warning saying this in the post-game conference, “I mean, this is the fourth time we’re playing them. We both know each other so well. We know each other’s tendencies.”

“And so it’s just making everything hard, you know, and I think that’s the name of the game on both sides right now,” she added in the postgame press conference. The Lynx did just that. But it wasn’t just Ionescu who fell short. 

Liberty’s offense falters against Lynx’s defense

Their start player, Breanna Stewart, shockingly shot just 5-of-21 from the field, finishing with 11 points. And let us not forget that she is the same fiery forward who bagged 30-point, 11-rebound in Game 3. 

But after having played 3 matches of the Finals, the Liberty stars seemed to have cracked her game and knew how to make her uncomfortable. They sent extra defenders her way each time she touched the ball. They disrupted her entire balance, right from her jumper to driving. 

Needless to say, the Defensive Player of the Year Collier was at the forefront of limiting Stewart’s impact. Along with it, Kayla McBride added 19 points. But more than that, we’ll have to credit her hustle and relentless on the defensive side.

Until the very last moment, Liberty couldn’t bring their A-Game, and the Lynx utilized this opportunity in the best possible way. But considering the past, Stewie has had rough games before, and she has always returned with a monster performance.

So, we never know. NY Liberty fans hope to see that version of Stewart in Game 5 in Brooklyn. If the New Yorkers want to claim their first-ever WNBA title, they must find a way to break through their rivals’ defense. It is going to be a matchup between the best of offense vs. defense. Are you ready for the finish game?