Whatever historical events took place at Barclays Center Thursday night can be saved for later conversations. What happened during the game, a game in which the New York Liberty looked to dominate the Minnesota Lynx, was nothing short of any superlative you’d care to insert here.
There is no doubt, or there shouldn’t be, that these two teams are the definition of elite. Both have superb rosters, excellent coaches, and work ethics. That is just a fact. But each team has a very different history. New York has never won a championship. Minnesota has won four. However, every player on the court has yet to experience a big win in their current uniforms. Cheryl Reeve has four titles. Sandy Brondello won a title as coach of the Phoenix Mercury in 2014. Winning is certainly not new to these coaches.
What won the game for Minnesota was not simply great defense and timely shots; it was the same chemistry and resolve that they have played with since day one. While the Liberty dominated the first quarter and appeared to be on the way to a victory, Minnesota then proceeded to win the next three quarters plus overtime.
Minnesota Came On Strong In The Second Half
The Liberty didn’t allow the Lynx to chip away at the lead; the Lynx took advantage of what seemed to be a lack of cohesion and communication among the Liberty and used their defensive skills to do the chipping. Napheesa Collier‘s defense of Breanna Stewart was a perfect example of why she was voted Defensive Player of the Year.
Four of the five starters for New York put up game-winning numbers. The top scorers for Minnesota, Collier, Kayla McBride, and Courtney Williams all had 20+ points. Neither bench made a huge impact, although Natisha Hiedeman added 10 for the Lynx and Courtney Vandersloot had 8 for the Liberty.
on repeat this morning 🔁 https://t.co/UYDiHkn36i pic.twitter.com/vyyA96a0Ja
— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) October 11, 2024
Williams was indeed the standout player of the game. Her presence on the court is inspiring. When the Lynx are in synch, they are a well-oiled machine that epitomizes what team play is all about. There were moments during the game when, as Sabrina Ionescu said post-game, “We can’t play to ‘not lose’ and I think we started to play a little bit [like that].
While New York had good runs during the game, the mistakes that they made proved costly. Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello said:
“I just thought we went away from our principles of play.”
That was precisely what the Lynx to advantage of to win. Small breakdowns, little leaks if you will that disrupted the flow of the Liberty’s game.
Minnesota Will Look To Take A 2-0 Lead This Weekend
With a couple of days between games, each team will have the opportunity to refine what they need to do. Having lost such a lead in the fourth quarter was a devastating blow to the Liberty, something they can’t afford to let happen again. Minnesota is going to have to do a better job from the tipoff, stay more composed, and make their presence known so as not to have to play catch-up.
How different the teams will look on Sunday will most likely be a matter of degree. As unpredictable as this first game was, so will go the rest of the series. To watch these two teams play out-distances any one individual player on any team, regardless of the media hype. It is a game of teams and should be viewed as such. An individual can stand out, but a team wins the game. See you on Sunday.
And that, my friends, as they say, is that.’ — Martin Ruben.
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