Friday night was a wild one, folks! The New York Liberty absolutely brought the heat, defeating the Minnesota Lynx 93-81. But this was more than just a regular season W; it was Breanna Stewart delivering a massive 24 points and 10 rebounds, not only leading her team but also officially passing WNBA icon Sue Bird for ninth place on the career scoring list! What a moment! This game felt like a preview of a possible first-round playoff matchup, and if so, it just got way more interesting.
Stewie’s Historic Climb Powers Liberty’s Surge
Can we talk about Breanna Stewart for a minute? 24 points, 10 boards, four assists, three steals. That’s a stat line that screams dominance. Moving past Sue Bird with 6,806 career points is huge, and get this: she’s already just five points shy of eighth place, currently held by Cappie Pondexter. You know she’s eyeing that next spot. Stewart wasn’t alone either. Jonquel Jones showed up big with 18 points and 10 rebounds, a double-double of her own. Sabrina Ionescu dropped 17 points, dished out six assists, and snatched three steals. Plus, we saw Pauline Astier put up 14 and reserve Marine Johannes chip in 13. This Liberty squad is heating up, with eight wins in their last eleven games, climbing to the sixth seed. They’re playing some serious ball!
Top Seed Lynx Stumble, But Hold On
On the flip side, the Minnesota Lynx are in a rough patch right now, dropping their third straight game. That’s a first for them all season, which tells you how uncharacteristic this slump is. Even with Olivia Miles leading their scoring with 20 points, Kayla McBride adding 16, Napheesa Collier 14, Courtney Williams 12, and Natasha Williams 11, they just couldn’t seal the deal. They even had a 69-67 lead with 8:18 left after Miles converted a three-point play. But Stewart immediately hit a three-pointer for New York, and that was it. The Liberty closed it out, outscoring the Lynx 23-12 the rest of the way. Crazy finish! Despite the loss, Minnesota still holds onto that top seed in the WNBA. Wild, right?
So, there you have it: a massive statement game for the Liberty, fueled by a historic night for Breanna Stewart. These two teams, currently the first and sixth seeds, could absolutely meet again in the first round of the playoffs. With the season heating up after the World Cup break, every game feels like it has extra weight. You gotta wonder if the Lynx can snap out of this slump, or if the Liberty are building momentum at the perfect time!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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