Lynx win Commissioner’s Cup over Liberty, establish themselves as WNBA Finals contender: 3 takeaways

NEW YORK — With less than a second to play in the fourth quarter and the result of Tuesday’s Commissioner’s Cup final all but officially decided, Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams began walking around the UBS Arena floor flashing the money sign.

Her teammate, guard Kayla McBride, was at the free throw line about to put the final two points on the Lynx’s 94-89 win over the New York Liberty. The result, as Williams’ gesture alluded, not only marked the organization’s first-ever Commissioner’s Cup championship but also came with a significant payday for the franchise’s players.

With a $500,000 payout to the winning team, each player’s bonus for winning the cup (around $40,000) is significantly more than winning the WNBA Finals (around $11,000). Presenting sponsor Coinbase has committed another $120,000 in cryptocurrency with $5,000 guaranteed for each player participating in the final, and there is a significant charity component, too.

Five Minnesota players scored in double figures, but it was guard Bridget Carleton who played her best game of the season. She scored 23 points on 8-of-10 shooting and added five assists. Forward Napheesa Collier had 21 points and six rebounds and took home MVP honors.

Collier was among the Lynx bigs who limited Liberty center Jonquel Jones to a season-low three points. Cecilia Zandalasini scored 15 points off the bench, as well.

The road win sent a clear message to the rest of the WNBA, and those who follow it: “You gotta talk about us now. You got no choice,” Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said.

Added Collier: “It means a lot. I think it’s just a testament to where we’re at this season. This is the best group. The way that we’re jelling. Our personalities just mesh so well.”

2023 WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart led New York with 24 points and 11 rebounds, while guard Sabrina Ionescu scored 23 points and had 10 assists. Tuesday marked a disappointing result for the Liberty, who were looking to repeat as Commissioner’s Cup champions and playing in front of a decisively pro-Liberty crowd, though not at Barclays Center much to their frustration pregame.

The two teams will meet next Tuesday in a regular-season game in Brooklyn, giving the Liberty a chance to avenge the defeat. But even a win next week would do little to dampen the significance of Tuesday’s result.

Lynx establish themselves as legitimate WNBA Finals contender 

Before tipoff, Reeve recognized the significance of even appearing in the Commissioner Cup final. “I think as an organization, this is where we want to be, competing for championships of every kind during the season,” she said.

In recent seasons, Reeve said she has had to convince her teams sometimes that they could compete against some of the WNBA’s top competition, but this year’s group has had a self-belief from the beginning of the year. Though Tuesday’s win doesn’t count in the official standings, the Lynx entered the game 13-3, tied for the second-most wins of any team.

Tuesday’s victory serves as a statement of what Minnesota is and could be. Despite some first-half defensive struggles, the Lynx received offensive contributions from both starters and key reserves. They fought off New York runs in the fourth quarter and showed why they have the best record in the west to this point.

“We answered every run, on the road,” Reeve said. “And that tells you everything about our basketball team and how they feel about each other, their belief in one another. This is my favorite part, this team, they correct things in the the timeout before I get there as the timeout is going on. Their communication is next level.”

In each of the last two years, at least one of the teams in the Commissioner’s Cup final has played in that fall’s WNBA Finals. Minnesota is hoping to continue that trend. “If we continue to improve and keep on this trajectory, they need to understand that there’s a great chance we could be in the WNBA Finals,” Reeve said before the game.

Minnesota’s defense struggles from 3, stifles Jones

All season, the Lynx have clamped down on opposing shooters. Entering Tuesday’s final, Minnesota’s 90.6 defensive rating was not only the best mark in the WNBA this season, but the league’s best mark since 2007. The Lynx also led the WNBA in 3-point defense, allowing opponents to shoot only 27.1 percent from the field.

New York, however, was able to both space the floor and take advantage of open opportunities, especially in the first half. The Liberty shot 57.1 percent from 3-point range in the first quarter and shot 53.3 percent by halftime. Their 50 first-half points were also the most points the Lynx had given up in an opening 20 minutes this year.

Even still, Minnesota trailed by only 3 points at halftime.

The Lynx’s defense stiffened in the second half, allowing only 10 points in the third quarter. And throughout the fourth, Minnesota fought off multiple New York pushes. The key to it all was how they defended Jones.

In her last seven games entering Tuesday night, Jones averaged 20.6 points and 8.7 rebounds on 65.6 percent shooting from the field. She attempted only three shots and didn’t score until the 1:21 mark of the fourth quarter. The Lynx fronted her throughout its win, making entry passes difficult.

It was another stellar defensive performance on the MVP candidate — Minnesota limited Jones to only four points in its 17-point win over New York on May 25.

Turnovers plague Liberty, especially in second half

Ionescu continued her hot scoring stretch, shooting 10 of 21 from the field. But she also recorded seven turnovers with three of them coming in the fourth quarter. One of them came on the Liberty’s ensuing offensive possession after Stewart had sliced the Lynx’s lead to one with 6:56 to play.

“I personally turned the ball over too much,” Ionescu said. “I think I was sped up as well.”

New York finished with 21 turnovers, resulting in 27 points from Minnesota. The Lynx, meanwhile, had only 11 turnovers, resulting in nine Liberty points.

“We’re our own worst enemy,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said. “We’re still right there. It’s a great learning experience. We rebounded well, but the turnovers were just an Achilles heel tonight.”

Tuesday marked Courtney Vandersloot’s first game since June 4, and she played 13 minutes off the bench in the defeat. How New York re-integrates her into the lineup remains another question, especially after another strong performance from Kayla Thornton.