Bronx, NY— Breanna Stewart delivered one of her most dominant performances of the season Friday night, pouring in 36 points to lead the New York Liberty to a 99-86 victory over the Minnesota Lynx at Barclays Center.
The win came just three days after the Liberty captured the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup and also denied Minnesota head coach Cheryl Reeve the opportunity to become the winningest coach in WNBA regular-season history. Reeve remains tied with former coach Mike Thibault with 379 career victories and will have another chance to break the record Monday against the Chicago Sky.
Stewart wasted little time asserting herself.
The former league MVP erupted for 16 first-quarter points, setting the tone as New York raced to a 26-22 advantage after the opening 10 minutes. She continued her offensive barrage in the second quarter, scoring a total 18 points while shooting an efficient 7-for-10 from the field during the first half.
With Stewart leading the charge, the Liberty received strong support from Jonquel Jones and Sabrina Ionescu, who each contributed 11 first-half points as New York carried a 59-49 lead into halftime.
Minnesota briefly grabbed a 47-46 lead with 3:32 remaining in the second quarter, but New York responded with a decisive 13-2 run to close the half. Jones sparked the surge with a three-point play, and Pauline Astier capped it by converting a running layup just before the halftime buzzer.
The Liberty maintained control throughout the second half before putting the game out of reach early in the fourth quarter. A 7-3 run, highlighted by a three-pointer from Jones, extended New York’s advantage to 85-68. The Lynx never got closer than 12 points the rest of the way.
Jones finished with another outstanding double-double, recording 14 points and 15 rebounds while anchoring the Liberty on both ends of the floor. Ionescu added 17 points as New York improved to 13-8 on the season.
Minnesota, which dropped to 15-5, was led by Kayla McBride’s 18 points, while Courtney Williams chipped in 16.
The Lynx continued to play without All-Star forward Napheesa Collier, who has yet to make her season debut after undergoing offseason surgery on both ankles. Collier returned to practice this week and is expected to return to the lineup soon. Minnesota has also been without forward Dorka Juhász, who has missed the season after suffering a right foot injury during a EuroLeague Women semifinal in April. She, too, has resumed practicing.
The Liberty were missing Satou Sabally, who remains in the league’s concussion protocol after sustaining a head injury against the Las Vegas Aces last week. Interim head coach Chris DeMarco said before the game that Sabally continues to make progress and is feeling better. She also missed time with a concussion during last year’s WNBA Finals while playing for the Phoenix Mercury.
Adding to the night’s atmosphere, NBA Hall of Famer Yao Ming was among the notable guests in attendance at Barclays Center.
Up Next:
The Lynx return home Monday night to host the Chicago Sky, while the Liberty continue their homestand looking to build on the momentum from their Commissioner’s Cup championship and Friday night’s impressive victory.
