MINNEAPOLIS — In their opportunity to clinch their inaugural WNBA championship, New York Liberty stars Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart came up just shy of victory.
The duo had a challenging night on the court, combining to hit only 10 of their 36 shots, with all attempts from beyond the arc falling short as the Liberty lost to the Minnesota Lynx 82-80 in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals on Friday evening.
This result sets the stage for a crucial Game 5 on Sunday in New York.
Napheesa Collier, who primarily defended Stewart throughout the match, emphasized the importance of challenging the opposing players.
“Try to make it as hard as possible for them to get the shots they want,” Collier stated. “They are good players and will get their shots off, but we need to prevent them from having easy opportunities. That’s my objective, to complicate their process as much as I can.”
Stewart, who could only manage 11 points, acknowledged that Collier’s defense affected her rhythm.
“I felt like I was moving too fast; I needed to find a way to slow down,” Stewart remarked, having previously scored 30 points in the Liberty’s Game 3 victory.
“They are sending multiple defenders when I’m slipping on a screen; I need to be more aware of that. We have a quick turnaround, and I’m preparing for Sunday.”
Ionescu, who made a decisive 28-foot basket to win Game 3, had another chance for a late-game victory, but her attempt at the buzzer failed to connect with the rim.
She finished the game with 10 points while facing tight coverage from Kayla McBride throughout.
McBride commented, “We’ve faced them four times now. We know each other’s tendencies well, so our goal is to make everything challenging. That applies to both teams at this stage.”
Despite their shooting struggles and the loss, the Liberty entered their upcoming game with confidence, especially given their strong home performance.
“We need a short-term memory. The series is now tied, and we have a winner-take-all Game 5,” Stewart stated. “We’re heading back to New York, and we’re going to make it happen. We plan to get it done there.”