The Game 5 was the first overtime winner-take-all Finals game in WNBA history.
The New York Liberty outclassed the Minnesota Lynx in overtime to clinch their maiden WNBA championship on Sunday. Playing in front of the home crowd in Game 5, Brenna Stewart’s 2 free throws in the dying seconds of the final quarter stretched the game to overtime. Liberty then scored 7 in overtime to title-deciding game 67-62.
With their first title, they redeemed the heartbreak of last season’s finals, where they fell 1-3 to the Las Vegas Aces.
The Lynx jumped out to an early nine-point lead before the Liberty rallied to take a two-point advantage. The hosts extended their lead to 10 points in the third quarter, but as seen earlier in the series, Minnesota staged a late comeback in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 60 apiece. Napheesa Collier then hit a clutch shot to put the Lynx ahead with less than five seconds remaining.
However, a controversial foul call on Breanna Stewart allowed the Liberty to mount a comeback and force the game into overtime. The defense held strong in the overtime, securing the Liberty’s first championship in the league’s history.
Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
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