The New York Liberty may have entered the WNBA playoffs as the No. 8 seed. But they for sure never played like it. The Liberty were simply a different team once the postseason arrived. New York completed a two-game sweep of the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday. A decisive 87-71 win at Barclays Center, no less. This meant they were the first No. 8 seed to eliminate a No. 1 seed in WNBA history. They also won the opener 91-75 in Minnesota before returning home and finishing the job.
The upset capped one of the weirdest paths to the semifinals, maybe ever. It was surprising that New York were able to finish the season the way they did with a 26-18 record. Their regular season was marred by injuries and a lot of inconsistent play. On the other hand, Minnesota ended their season with a league best record of 33-11. However, once the series between these teams arrived, it became hard to tell who was No.1 and who was No. 8.
Jonquel Jones led the Liberty with 21 points and 13 rebounds in Game 2, while Breanna Stewart added 21 points and Sabrina Ionescu scored 18. The three veterans combined to score or assist on 70 of New York’s 87 points, giving the Liberty the kind of top-end production that can change a playoff series. It all culminated with a devastating sweep of Minnesota by the Liberty.
The Liberty also had the benefit of experience, with Stewart, Jones and Ionescu all playing major roles on New York’s 2024 championship team. They were at the center of the franchise’s first title run again when the stakes rose this week, and Ionescu summed up the team’s attitude after the clincher. “We know we’re not a traditional eight seed. We understand once the playoffs come, it’s a new season,” Ionescu said. “We have more to do.”
The @nyliberty are the first No.8 seed in WNBA history to eliminate a No.1 seed in the First Round, defeating Minnesota 2-0!
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The Liberty found their championship form at the perfect time
The regular season gave New York very little reason to expect a deep postseason run, as the team changed coaches, dealt with injuries and finished seven games behind Minnesota in the standings. Those problems faded quickly once the playoffs began, with the Liberty controlling both games from the opening stretches.
Stewart had 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in Game 1, becoming the first player in WNBA playoff history to record at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals in one game. Jones then followed with a double-double in the clincher, while Ionescu supplied the perimeter scoring and playmaking that kept Minnesota from loading up on New York’s frontcourt.
That balance allowed the Liberty to attack the Lynx in different ways. New York could play through Stewart, use Jones around the basket or put the ball in Ionescu’s hands when Minnesota tried to pack the paint, while the Liberty’s size helped them control the glass and create second chances.
Minnesota never found the answer in Game 2. New York took a 49-37 lead into halftime and never allowed the Lynx to get closer than seven points in the second half, turning a series that looked lopsided on paper into a surprisingly short stay for the league’s top seed.
Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones are already looking ahead
The Liberty have every reason to enjoy the upset, but the focus inside the locker room has already shifted toward the semifinals. New York will face either the Atlanta Dream or Washington Mystics, with that series continuing Wednesday before the next round begins Sunday.
The veterans also know the job is far from finished, particularly after last year’s first-round collapse against Phoenix following a Game 1 victory. New York avoided that mistake this time and played its best basketball when the season was on the line.
The result gives the Liberty a chance to make another run at the championship, this time from the lowest seed in the bracket. After eliminating the team with the league’s best record, they will enter the semifinals with three proven stars playing at a level that looks familiar from their title run two years ago.
Her role has also been managed with the playoffs in mind. Hayes averaged 17 minutes per game this season after playing nearly 27 minutes the year before, with Nakase deliberately keeping the veteran fresher for the stretch when every possession carries more weight.
That approach paid off immediately against Dallas, and Hayes’ confidence now has a game attached to it. Golden State will play Game 2 against the Wings in Arlington on Wednesday night, with a win sending the Valkyries into the semifinals for the first time and a loss forcing a decisive Game 3 in San Francisco.
For a franchise in only its second season, the expectations have changed quickly. Hayes told her coach she believes Golden State can win the championship, and the Valkyries now have a chance to make that prediction a lot more interesting by backing it up on the court.
New York Liberty Make WNBA History, Sweep No. 1 Seed Minnesota Lynx