The New York Liberty, written off by pretty much everyone and stuck as the No. 8 seed after an injury-plagued season, just pulled off one of the most stunning upsets in WNBA history. They didn’t just beat the No. 1 seed Minnesota Lynx; they absolutely embarrassed them, becoming the first No. 8 seed to ever beat a No. 1 seed in a first-round series. That’s right, historic!
The Liberty’s Dominance Was Absolutely Wild
Seriously, what we saw from the Liberty was the team everyone had been waiting for all season. Their size, length, and physicality were just overwhelming. They made Olivia Miles, who’d been tearing it up, look like a rookie for the first time this year. Get this: New York trailed for a grand total of three minutes and 23 seconds across *both games* in their sweep. Both wins were by 16 points. Breanna Stewart was a force, especially in Game 1, dropping a performance that put her in rare air with the fourth 30-point, 10-rebound, five-assist playoff game in WNBA history. And it wasn’t just Stewie! Sabrina Ionescu, who’s been battling injuries and hasn’t quite been herself, stepped up huge with 18 points and seven assists in Game 2, hitting 7 of 18 from deep in the series. If Ionescu can keep playing anywhere close to her usual level, it changes everything for the Liberty’s title hopes. They might have the worst odds to win it all, but no team looked better in the first round.
Valkyries Make History, Dream Sweep On
On the other side of the bracket, we saw another wild finish as the Golden State Valkyries pulled off a stunning comeback in Game 3 against the Dallas Wings. They were down by 16 points in the third quarter of a do-or-die game, clawed their way back, and secured the first playoff series victory in franchise history! That’s a huge moment for a new squad. The Valkyries now get to face the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces, who had their own three-game battle with the Indiana Fever. Speaking of the Fever, they flamed out again, falling short in that series. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Dream showed just how tough they are, sweeping the Washington Mystics. Their series wasn’t pretty, full of physicality, but the Dream proved they won’t back down. This was their first multi-game playoff series win since 2013, and DeWanna Bonner, who joined late in August and only played five regular-season games, showed her playoff experience value by taking over.
The semifinals kick off on Sunday with Game 1s for both series. Can the Liberty keep this incredible momentum going against the tough Dream? And can the Valkyries keep that comeback magic alive against the champions? You know we’ll be watching every single possession!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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