After trailing by as much as 15 points, the New York Liberty made a stunning comeback to defeat the Minnesota Lynx 80-77 in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals on Wednesday night. Sabrina Ionescu’s game-winning shot from just inside the half-court logo with a little over a second left on the clock left the Target Center in disbelief. The win gave the Liberty a 2-1 series lead, putting them just one victory away from their first-ever WNBA championship, according to the Los Angeles Times.
For much of the game, the Liberty appeared out of contention. The Lynx came out strong, starting with a 21-7 run and forcing seven turnovers in the first quarter alone. They built a 15-point lead at its peak, and it seemed like the game might be over early.
However, Breanna Stewart ignited a second-half rally for the Liberty. She powered an 8-0 run to close out the third quarter, cutting the Lynx’s lead to just one point with a crucial and-1 play. Stewart dominated the third quarter, scoring 14 points. She continued her offensive outburst by scoring the first eight points of the fourth quarter, tying the game with another and-1. This brought her to 30 points, marking her third 30-point game in WNBA Finals history and tying Angel McCoughtry’s league record.
Stewart’s performance, however, wasn’t enough to seal the win alone. After a free throw from Stewart with six minutes left, the Liberty went cold, failing to score for the next three minutes. During this stretch, the Lynx managed to stay ahead, but Jonquel Jones’s clutch 3-pointer and layup in the final minutes gave the Liberty their first lead since early in the game. Shortly after, Ionescu sank her second 3-pointer of the night, extending the Liberty’s lead to four points.
The Lynx fought back, tying the game with a layup from Bridget Carleton and two free throws from Napheesa Collier, who had a historic night of her own. Collier finished with 22 points and nine rebounds, surpassing Diana Taurasi’s single-season playoff points record with 249 points. Kayla McBride added 19 points, making five 3-pointers, while Carleton contributed 14 points.
With the game tied, Ionescu took over in the final seconds, drilling the deep game-winner that secured the Liberty’s victory. Stewart finished the night with 30 points and 11 rebounds, while Ionescu had 13 points, six assists, and five rebounds.
Game 4 is set for Friday night in Minneapolis, where the Liberty will have a golden opportunity to capture their first WNBA title, after falling short last season against the Las Vegas Aces.