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Will the Liberty defeat the Lynx to win their first title?

© Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
  • What: WNBA Finals Game
  • When: October 18, 2024
  • Who:  New York Liberty vs. Minnesota Lynx
  • Time:  5:00 p.m. PST
  • Where: Target Center (Minneapolis, MN)

The Minnesota Lynx host the New York Liberty for Game 4 of the WNBA Finals on Friday night.

In a thrilling Game 3 of the WNBA Finals, point guard Sabrina Ionescu nailed a contested step-back 3-pointer, giving the Liberty a three-point lead over the Lynx with just one second remaining in the fourth quarter. The Liberty were able to win the game 80-77. 

It’s a win-or-go-home Game 4 for the Lynx on their home floor.

New York Liberty

The Liberty’s top players, Ionescu and forward Breanna Stewart, proved to be unstoppable against the Lynx during the crucial moments of Game 3

Stewart showcased her scoring prowess in the second half, contributing 22 of her 30 points after halftime, which is almost half the team’s total of 45 points.

Forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton only scored two points, and despite her late-game heroics, Ionescu finished well below her postseason and regular-season scoring averages, with only 13 points. 

However, the Liberty shot 45.9 percent from the field and made 10-of-25 three-pointers, a 40 percent clip.

Meanwhile, center Jonquel Jones, who had grabbed at least six rebounds in 10 straight games going back to the regular season, finished with just five.

Stewart helped make up for the slack on the glass with 11 rebounds, and three other Liberty players (Laney-Hamilton, Fiebich, and Ionescu) each had at least four rebounds. 

The Liberty were flawless from the free-throw line, making all 14 of their attempts. They outrebounded the Lynx by one and blocked nine shots.

The Liberty has been exceptionally strong on the road this season, with a 17-5 record, including the playoffs. 

Minnesota Lynx

The Lynx are on the verge of elimination at home, but despite the disappointment of their Game 3 loss, they strongly believe in their ability to win not only Game 4 but also the entire series.

Cheryl Reeve, the Lynx’s head coach, commended the team’s defensive performance and expressed confidence in their chances in Game 3. The team believes that with improved execution, its defense will become even more formidable. 

“Our defense gave us a chance to win the game, period, and our offense is going to help our defense,” Reeve said. “If you told me that we would have got the amount of stops that we did and we were playing off that, and we wouldn’t have scored 80, that would be surprising to me.”

Despite squandering a large lead and ultimately losing the last game, the Lynx had several positive takeaways. Forward Napheesa Collier had an outstanding performance, contributing 22 points, nine rebounds, and five steals.

Guard Kayla McBride also made a significant impact by scoring 19 points, including five three-pointers.

Additionally, despite being one of the league’s weakest rebounding teams, the Lynx were only outrebounded by one and even managed more offensive rebounds than the Liberty.

Furthermore, the Lynx showed superior ball control by committing only 10 turnovers compared to the Liberty’s 16. They also had 20 assists, while New York managed only 18.

Collier has been averaging nearly 25 points per game in the postseason. At the same time, McBride has been one of Minnesota’s top shooters, she’s made multiple three-pointers in seven out of 10 playoff games, including 11 in three Finals games.

Forward Bridget Carleton and guard Courtney Williams made significant contributions (what did they do), and the game was just a three-pointer away from potentially heading into overtime.

Liberty-Lynx Best Bet

The Liberty hold a series lead in the WNBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. They have been to the Finals on five previous occasions, including last season’s loss to the Las Vegas Aces. 

The Lynx have challenged the Liberty all season, defeating them in the Commissioner’s Cup and claiming an incredible OT win in Game 1 of this series, which the Liberty won 80-77.

I think the Liberty will close it out and win their first championship tonight. The spread in this one is 3 points, and these games have been so close that I’ll pass on the spread and side with the moneyline instead.

The best bet in this one is Liberty on the moneyline at -150 odds. 

Can the Lynx bounce back against the Liberty in WNBA Finals?

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Tony Reyes is a sports betting analyst and reporter for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X @TonyParlay.

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