The New York Liberty won their first championship in franchise history by defeating the Minnesota Lynx 67-62 in an overtime thriller in the fifth and final game of the series. The Liberty, the only original WNBA franchise without a championship, had previously lost in five finals appearances. The game required a comeback by the Liberty, who erased a nine-point deficit in the first quarter to eventually win after a hard-fought battle. Jonquel Jones, Leonie Fiebich, and Nyara Sabally led the way for the Liberty, while stars Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu struggled in shooting throughout the game. Ionescu had provided heroics earlier in the playoffs but struggled to score in the final game of the series. The series began with a shocking win by Minnesota in Game 1, but the Liberty rebounded with wins in Games 2 and 3 before the Lynx took Game 4 in a close contest. Forward Napheesa Collier was a standout player for the Lynx, winning Defensive Player of the Year after the regular season. The championship win was a historic moment for the Liberty and a long-awaited achievement for the team and its fans.
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New York Liberty Claims First-Ever WNBA Championship
