They say the WNBA Finals is not for the faint of heart, and Breanna Stewart and the New York Liberty are proving just that. In Game 2, Stewart made sure New York didn’t go down 0-2 in the series, because, well, who likes losing? Not the Liberty, that’s for sure. With a clutch performance, Stewart and her squad powered through the Minnesota Lynx in an 80-66 victory to level the series. “We like it when it’s difficult,” Stewart said, probably smirking as she stared down adversity.
After the Game 1 heartbreak, where Stewart missed a free throw in the final second (yep, you read that right, 0.8 seconds to be exact), she wasn’t about to let history repeat itself. This time, she did more than just show up—she showed out. Dropping 21 points, grabbing eight rebounds, dishing five assists, and swiping a Finals-record seven steals, Stewart was basically on a mission to single-handedly throw Minnesota off their game. Someone might want to check if Stewart moonlights as a detective because she was stealing everything in sight.
“Stewart’s Revenge Tour: Now With Extra Steals”
Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier, who did her best with 16 points, had to watch as her team got dunked on—figuratively, of course—by Stewart’s ferocity. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, the Liberty’s not-so-secret weapon, added a smooth 20 points, including a clutch three-pointer that sparked a 12-0 run in the fourth quarter. When Laney-Hamilton drained that corner three, the Lynx could almost hear the fat lady warming up her vocal cords.
As for Minnesota? They managed to get within two points late in the game, only to watch their offense completely disintegrate. In fact, the last time they scored, Courtney Williams hit a layup with 3:40 left on the clock. After that? Crickets. Not a single point. No, really. Nothing. Nada. They might as well have packed up and headed back to the airport early.
“Liberty Love the Pressure, Lynx Go MIA”
In front of a roaring Madison Square Garden crowd of 18,046—celebrities like Jennifer Hudson and Katie Couric cheering in the stands—the Liberty locked down when it mattered most. Sandy Brondello, Liberty’s head coach, admitted that her team took a mental note of Minnesota’s Game 1 tactics, especially with how they contained Leonie Fiebich. “We knew we needed to bounce back, and it was a big bounce-back game,” Brondello said. No kidding, Coach.
And let’s talk about Sabrina Ionescu for a moment. No, she didn’t channel Caitlin Clark (though, judging by social media, everyone seems to think so), but she did play her role to perfection. “It’s a chess match,” Ionescu explained, as if she’s sitting across from Bobby Fischer in the final round of some high-stakes tournament. “We’ve seen their small ball lineup, and now it’s our turn to make adjustments.” Spoken like a true basketball genius.
“Minnesota’s Fans Await Game 3 Like It’s Christmas Morning”
While Stewart was basking in the glow of the win, Collier was already looking ahead to Game 3 in Minnesota. “We’re really disappointed in how we played today, but excited to go home,” Collier said, probably imagining how loud the Target Center crowd will be. And oh, it’ll be loud alright. Stewart’s already anticipating it too, but she says the Liberty love hostile environments. “We like it when it’s loud. We like it when it’s difficult,” she declared. Someone better remind Minnesota’s fans to bring their earplugs, because Stewart feeds off that noise like it’s her pre-game snack.
As for the Lynx, if they plan on winning Game 3, they’ll need more than just hope and home court. They’ll need some serious offense, a plan to stop Stewart from stealing everything that isn’t bolted down, and maybe some good old-fashioned desperation.
“Final Thoughts: Bring on Game 3!”
So here we are, folks. The series is all tied up, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. New York is marching into Minnesota with confidence, while the Lynx have their backs against the wall. The question is, will Stewart and her Liberty crew ride this wave all the way, or will Minnesota make the ultimate comeback?
