Kayla McBride was defending Sabrina Ionescu when she hit a 27-foot three-point shot to beat the Minnesota Lynx, 80-77, in Game 3.
“She made the shot,” said McBride. “I guarded her for 40 minutes.”
The shot in question was a step-back dagger three that sucked the life out of the Target Center with one second left in the fourth quarter and ended the game.
The game-winning shot spoiled an otherwise near-perfect game by the Lynx, in which they rose to the occasion offensively and defensively until the final four minutes. Minnesota entered the game with clear objectives. They didn’t allow the Liberty to control the glass with offensive rebounds, cut back on turnovers, and played a more efficient game.
After allowing 30 offensive rebounds in the two games of the series, Minnesota held the Liberty to only six in Game 3. That allowed the undersized Lynx to keep the rebounding advantage in check; New York only had one more total rebound than them.
However, New York’s six offensive rebounds resulted in 10 second-chance points. Still, the Liberty’s lack of extra attempts at the rim forced them to their lowest offensive rating of the series, 103.9.
The Lynx improved their defensive rebounding by adopting a rebound-by-committee approach. Five Lynx players came down with at least four rebounds, led by Napheesa Collier, who finished the game with nine. However, Minnesota’s focus on rebounding slowed it in transition. Despite the improved rebounding, the Lynx only had 11 fast-break points and forced 18 total turnovers.
Offensively, the Lynx also played to their strengths throughout most of the game. All of Minnesota’s starters except Alanna Smith finished in double-digits for scoring, and the Lynx were shooting 47.1% from three going into the fourth quarter. After committing 19 turnovers in Game 2, Minnesota only coughed the ball up 12 times. The Lynx played the entire fourth quarter without turning the ball over.
That culminated in the Lynx holding a minimum five-point lead from the 7:24 mark in the first quarter until 46 seconds remaining in the third. The Liberty eventually cut Minnesota’s lead to 62-61 heading into the fourth quarter.
Minnesota’s offensive struggles marred the fourth quarter. The Lynx went 0-3 in transition, shot just 5 of 18 from the field, and scored 15 points in the eventual loss. Cheryl Reeve drove that point home post-game.
“If we just had to score one or two more times, it’s our game,” she posited, “so it’s a hard-fought game.”
Minnesota’s lack of scoring was partially due to New York’s good defense. However, it also was a result of the Lynx’s slow movement. Minnesota’s slow movement meant that possessions often resulted in a Lynx player trying to isolate and drive the ball on the Liberty before crossing under the rim and resetting the offense into a set play.
The Lynx created unpredictable offense. However, in a WNBA Finals game, it’s unlikely this tactic would catch the Liberty flat-footed. Instead, it sometimes took away valuable seconds and forced the offense to rush their plays.
The other fatal flaw seemed to be the Lynx’s failure to get the ball in Collier’s hands late in the game. She finished with just four shots in the final frame despite being the Lynx’s best offensive option throughout the season and setting the WNBA record for points in a single postseason run.
Ultimately, the Liberty came back from 15- and 13-point deficits and closed out the game. The Lynx played their game plan and gave themselves a great chance to win the championship Friday in front of the home fans at Target Center.
Instead, they will be playing for their playoff lives on Friday. With a win, they will return to New York to play an all-or-nothing game five to raise their fifth banner. It’s a difficult task, but the Lynx always knew winning a championship would be difficult.
“It’s hard, and we understand that it’s hard,” Courtney Williams said before Game 1. “But we invite hard. We love hard.”
