The 2024 WNBA Finals delivered again on Sunday with a thrilling winner-take-all Game 5. For the first time in franchise history, the New York Liberty are WNBA champions after outlasting the Minnesota Lynx, 67-62 in overtime. Jonquel Jones was named Finals MVP.
Game 5 was not pretty, but it was dramatic and entertaining. The Lynx jumped out to a 12-point lead in the first half, but the Liberty kept chipping away and took the lead heading into the fourth quarter. From there, it was a back-and-forth affair until Breanna Stewart tied the game with a pair of controversial free throws with 5.2 seconds remaining. In the extra frame, the Liberty took the lead on the first possession via a Leonie Fiebich 3-pointer, and never trailed again.
The Liberty shot 22 of 72 from the field, including 2 of 23 from the field, and got just 18 combined points on 5 of 34 shooting from Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu -- but somehow survived. Jones had a team-high 17 points, while Nyara Sabally came off the bench to add 13 points in the performance of her life.
Bracket
Only two teams remain 🙌
— WNBA (@WNBA) October 9, 2024
The #1 New York Liberty and the #2 Minnesota Lynx were battle tested and both came out on top to secure their spots in the 2024 #WNBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV#WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/u0J7XKb9aj
Finals (best-of-five)
All times Eastern
Thursday, Oct. 10 (Game 1)
- Lynx 95, Liberty 93 -- OT (Lynx, 1-0)
Sunday, Oct. 13 (Game 2)
- Liberty 80, Lynx 66 (Series tied, 1-1)
Wednesday, Oct. 16 (Game 3)
- Liberty 80, Lynx 77 (Liberty lead, 2-1)
Friday, Oct. 18 (Game 4)
- Lynx 82, Liberty 80 (Series tied, 2-2)
Sunday, Oct. 20 (Game 5)
- Liberty 67, Lynx 62 -- OT (Liberty win, 3-2)
Semifinals (best-of-five)
Sunday, Sept. 29 (Game 1s)
Tuesday, Oct. 1 (Game 2s)
- Liberty 88, Aces 84 (Liberty, 2-0)
- Lynx 77, Sun 70 (Series tied, 1-1)
Friday, Oct. 4 (Game 3s)
- Lynx 90, Sun 81 (Lynx, 2-1)
- Aces 95, Liberty 81 (Liberty, 2-1)
Sunday, Oct. 6 (Game 4s)
- Liberty 72, Aces 62 (Liberty win, 3-1)
- Sun 92, Lynx 82 (Series tied, 2-2)
Tuesday, Oct. 8 (Game 5)
- Lynx 88, Sun 77 (Lynx win, 3-2)
First round (best-of-three)
Sunday, Sept. 22 (Game 1s)
- Liberty 83, Dream 69 (Liberty, 1-0)
- Sun 93, Fever 69 (Sun, 1-0)
- Lynx 102, Mercury 95 (Lynx, 1-0)
- Aces 78, Storm 67 (Aces, 1-0)
Tuesday, Sept. 24 (Game 2s)
- Liberty 91, Dream 82 (Liberty win, 2-0)
- Aces 83, Storm 76 (Aces win, 2-0)
Wednesday, Sept. 25 (Game 2s)
- Sun 87, Fever 81 (Sun win, 2-0)
- Lynx 101, Mercury 88 (Lynx win, 2-0)
