How Stewart, Ionescu and Liberty came one win away from the WNBA title

That sounded familiar. Almost a week ago, the Minnesota Lynx erased an 18-point deficit to win Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on the road.

On Wednesday, the New York Liberty rallied from a 15-point deficit in Minneapolis to win Game 3.

And now New York is just one win away from its first WNBA championship.

Breanna Stewart nearly helped the Liberty win with 30 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks. She scored 13 straight Liberty points in the third and fourth quarters.

But Sabrina Ionescu hit the game-winner, a 28-foot 3-pointer, with one second left. It is the second-longest go-ahead field goal in the final five seconds in WNBA Finals history, behind Teresa Weatherspoon's 47-footer for New York in Game 2 of the 1999 Finals.

Minnesota's Napheesa Collier scored 22 points in the loss and has 249 in the 2024 playoffs, breaking Diana Taurasi's 15-year-old record for most points in a single postseason (245).

The WNBA Finals – the first series in WNBA playoff history to feature multiple 15-point comeback victories – continue with Game 4 on Friday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Previously, ESPN explains how the Liberty won Game 3.

What has changed for Ionescu?

For most of Wednesday's game, it was hard to tell whether Ionescu was waiting for the right time or was taken out of the game by Kayla McBride's defense. Ionescu didn't attempt a field goal until 5:17 minutes into the second quarter. She scored her first field goal on the final possession of the first half.

Then, perhaps fueled by the learning lessons of last year's Finals loss, her poor shooting in Game 1 and her minimal contribution in Game 2, she became the best player on the court for perhaps the best minute and a half in Liberty history.

First came a brilliant pass to Jonquel Jones, who hit a layup with 1:31 left to give New York its first lead since 5-4, 74-73. Then came Ionescu's 24-foot 3-pointer with 55 seconds left, topped only by the game-winner's 28-footer – a shot that will never be forgotten in Liberty history as they win their first title.

According to ESPN Research, Ionescu was 0-for-5 from 3-point range in the final before that final basket when he was covered by McBride.

How much did Alanna Smith's back injury impact the game?

The Lynx were leading 41-28 when Smith, who was averaging 9.6 points per game and shooting 56.1% in the playoffs, went down hard in the lane with 2:52 left in the first half. after fouling Jones. Although the Lynx forward was able to start in both the third and fourth quarters, Smith played just 6:37 total after halftime.

Minnesota turned to Myisha Hines-Allen, who averaged 4.0 points per game in the postseason. New York adjusted and left Hines-Allen open on the sidelines. This allowed Stewart to act defensively and the strategy worked. Minnesota made just two field goals in the Finals (6:39), giving New York just enough room to complete the third-largest comeback in Finals history.

What was different in the fourth quarter?

Stewart once again became a dominant force and New York made a comeback with their superstar. She started the Liberty's momentum with a brilliant third quarter, and the break between periods didn't slow Stewart's momentum. After missing a tip-in early in the quarter, Stewart made three straight field goals, single-handedly answering everything Minnesota was doing as a team.

When she was finished, Stewart had scored 13 straight Liberty points from the end of the third period to the 6:18 mark of the fourth period, making her total 69. That's the most consecutive team points scored by a single player in the WNBA Finals has made history, according to ESPN Research. Her 30-point, 11-rebound night marked her second career 30-10 final game. Jones, as a member of the Connecticut Sun in 2019, is the only other player to achieve this.

Stewart's defense, whether he was guarding Collier – who shot 9-for-22 in the game and was 0-for-3 with just two free throws in the final 8:46 – or whether he was roaming the lane when Hines-Allen was in the game. The game was also on MVP level. She had 4 blocks a game after her Finals record 7 steals in Game 2.

Was Minnesota tense or tired down the stretch?

In many ways, Wednesday was a reversal of Game 1. This time, Minnesota took an early lead at home and New York made the comeback late. While Stewart and then Ionescu seemed energized in the second half, the Lynx may have felt the impact of playing five games against Connecticut in the semifinals and having a shorter bench due to Smith's injury.

McBride, who did such a good job protecting Ionescu in the series, lost her twice in the final minute on those two three-pointers. Collier had a difficult fourth quarter offensively and the Lynx shot 5 for 18 in the final 10 minutes. The Lynx's largest-ever attendance of 19,521 was not enough to give Minnesota a late game that won Game 1.