The 2024 WNBA Finals are here, with the Freedom of New York And Minnesota Lynx clash like Thursday Game 1 pairs the top two teams in the league this year in a best-of-five series.
For top-seeded Liberty, this season has been what the franchise had in mind in assembling a super team heading into 2023. Breanna Stewart And Sabrina Ionescu illuminate the notice board and Jonquel Jones Dominant in the paint, the Liberty posted a 32-8 record in the regular season. New York hasn’t slowed down in the playoffs, highlighting how good they can be while holding off the defending champion The Aces of Las Vegas to a season low of 62 points in Game 4 of the semi-final.
However, the same can be said about Minnesota. The Lynx went 30-10 in the regular season and beat the Liberty in 2024 WNBA Commissioners Cup Final in June. Before Napheesa Collier had an incredible season, posting top 10 in points, steals, rebounds and blocks. The high-scoring Lynx were also a nightmare to slow down, thanks in part to a backcourt featuring a sharpshooter. Kayla McBride and assistance machine Courtney Williams.
Here’s what you need to know as the 2024 WNBA Finals begin Thursday:
#2 Minnesota Lynx at #1 New York Liberty
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Time: 8 p.m. ET
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TV: ESPN
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Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
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Series ranking: 0-0
Watch the WNBA Finals with a Fubo subscription
How did they get here? The Liberty stormed through the regular season, posting a winning percentage of .800. This continued in the playoffs, where they swept the Atlanta Dream before dispatching the Aces in four. Minnesota, meanwhile, finished 30-10 in the regular season, then swept the Phoenix Mercury in the first round. The semifinals were tougher, as the Lynx lost the first game before coming back to beat the Connecticut Sun in five games.
What’s at stake? The importance of winning Game 1 in any playoff series is clear, but it has been especially important in the WNBA. Since the league instituted the current best-of-five format in 2005, the team that begins the series with a win has won the title 15 out of a possible 19 times.
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This article was originally published on USA TODAY: WNBA Finals Game Today: Lynx vs. Liberty Playoff Game Thursday
