WNBA Finals 2024: 3 Prompt Reactions to Lynx vs. Liberty on the Bracket
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Bleacher Report
Will probably be all chalk on this 12 months’s WNBA Finals.
The No. 2 seeded Minnesota Lynx crushed the Connecticut Solar 88-77 on Tuesday to seal a visit to the Finals, the place they may face the top-seeded New York Liberty, who downed the Las Vegas Aces within the semifinals.
Forward of what needs to be an thrilling collection, listed here are three on the spot reactions to this 12 months’s WNBA Finals matchup.
Liberty Have Extra at Stake in Finals
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The Liberty fashioned one of many WNBA’s first true tremendous groups after they introduced in former WNBA MVPs Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones together with Courtney Vandersloot forward of the 2023 season.
To this point, they’ve one WNBA Finals look however not a lot else to point out for.
New York bought previous one in all its largest obstacles, the Las Vegas Aces, within the semifinals, now it is time to convey house the franchise’s first championship.
The Liberty have regarded like one of the best group within the league all 12 months, coasting to a 32-8 report and dropping only one recreation en path to the Finals. Led by star guard Sabrina Ionescu and Stewart, New York has hit its stride within the postseason, and something aside from a championship might be considered as a disappointment.
That is to not discredit the Lynx, who’ve additionally had an amazing 12 months, however the backside line is New York has a roster composed of stars who’ve but to ship a long-awaited championship to the town.
Minnesota Has Been New York’s Most Worthy Opponent All Yr
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David Sherman/NBAE by way of Getty Photos
Nearly as good as New York has been this 12 months, Minnesota has been the one group to offer it actual bother.
The Lynx beat the Liberty thrice this 12 months, together with a win within the Commissioner’s Cup Championship. They’re the one group to have beat New York a couple of time this season and for a group that has simply eight losses, Minnesota accounts for greater than a 3rd of them.
Of their most up-to-date matchup in September, Stewart dropped 38 factors, however it wasn’t sufficient to get previous the scrappy Lynx squad.
Minnesota had the second-best defensive rankings within the league this 12 months at 94.8. When the Liberty face a protection that sturdy, they’re sure to slide up. In a five-game collection, the Lynx simply have to overpower them on protection in three video games to take house a championship.
Stewart vs. Collier Matchup Might Decide Finals MVP
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Simply two months in the past, Collier and Stewart performed alongside each other as they gained a gold medal in Paris with Crew USA.
Now, they may go up in opposition to one another within the WNBA Finals in what needs to be a generational matchup.
Collier is taking part in a number of the greatest basketball of her profession this postseason, averaging 27.2 factors and 9.3 rebounds per recreation. Stewart has additionally been nice, placing up 20 factors and eight.2 rebounds per recreation, however it has been removed from her greatest postseason.
Collier and Stewart, each of whom performed for the nice Geno Auriemma at UConn, are in several phases of their profession. Stewart is a confirmed vet with two championships and as many Finals MVPs. Collier, although properly completed, continues to be lacking a pair of trophies from her resume.
Will probably be a battle between an already established nice versus one seeking to submit her standing as one. What extra might you ask for?
