WNBA finals Game 5: New York Liberty beat Minnesota Lynx in OT to win first title – as it happened

And so a culture-changing season in the WNBA comes to a close. Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese dominated the headlines during the season, but we’re ending with a dramatic finale that showcased the depth of talent in the league.

Bryan Armen Graham was on the scene:

That’s a wrap. Next up in women’s sports: the NWSL playoffs, coming up soon.

Jonquel Jones wins WNBA Finals MVP

Clara Wu Tsai of the Liberty’s board of governors notes that the team was formerly playing before 2,000 fans a game in Westchester County. Now they’re in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. They’re doing pretty well now.

Meanwhile, two of the players’ daughters are playing in the confetti next to the trophy.

In the end, it’s a gritty, gutsy performance from the Liberty. Sabrina Ionescu couldn’t hit anything from the floor. Breanna Stewart wasn’t much better.

But Ionescu hit one big shot, and Stewart hit free throws under immense pressure.

The MVP of the game, though, was Jonquel Jones. She picked up 17 points and six rebounds.

“That is some of the most beautiful basketball we’ve seen in WNBA history,” says ESPN’s Holly Rowe. Was it? Not really. This was a battle of attrition, not a shootout.

Stewart gets the first postgame interview. “I wanted to come here. I wanted to be the first (to win in New York).” She won two championships in Seattle.

New York Liberty win first WNBA championship

Lynx 62-67 Liberty, 10.1 seconds left, overtime: One down. Two down. Stewart has had a very rough night shooting, including some missed free throws, but she has come up huge at the line when it mattered most.

Timeout Minnesota.

Lynx 62-65 Liberty, 10.1 seconds left, overtime: New York inbound to Stewart. She’s fouled. Can she ice the game at the line?

Lynx 62-65 Liberty, 13 seconds left, overtime: The only field goals in overtime were scored eight seconds into the session and 1:46 in.

Carleton tries a long 3 to tie – no! Sabally has the rebound.

Collier fouls out. Spike Lee waves goodbye. Harsh.

Lynx 62-65 Liberty, 18.4 seconds left, overtime: Ionescu misses a jumper, barely hitting the rim. 1-for-18.

Williams turns it over to Stewart. New York kill the clock.

Ionescu shoots from Caitlin Clark range with the shot clock running down. She’s 1-for-19.

Timeout Minnesota.

Lynx 62-65 Liberty, 1:15 left, overtime: Offensive foul on Sabally. Rare call in pro basketball, but that was pretty blatant. Carleton was completely set to take the charge.

Sabally gets quick redemption with a block on Collier. Hiedeman gets trapped on the sideline and turns it over.

Timeout New York. One more solid offensive sequence might do it.

Lynx 62-65 Liberty, 1:51 left, overtime: The long break to check the video, followed by a floor wipe, seems to have sapped the life out of the building. Will it affect the Liberty’s momentum?

Not yet, at least – more good defense, and Heideman tries to force a pass to Collier. Out of bounds.

Stewart has a good look for a 3-pointer, but it comes up short. Again.

McBride drives and draws a foul from Jones. She hits both shots.

Lynx 60-65 Liberty, 2:44 left, overtime: No, not a “clear path foul.”

Reminder – Collier has five fouls. One more, and she’s out. Carleton also has five.

Lynx 60-65 Liberty, 2:44 left, overtime: Good defense from New York, and McBride is forced to launch a 3. Airball, shot clock violation.

McBride bounces back with a steal, and Sabally fouls. Could this be a “clear path foul,” which would give Minnesota two free throws and possession? I’m inclined to say no, because Ionescu was in position to defend.

Ionescu is 1-for-17. And New York are still winning. Who would’ve guessed that?

New York have been so close to putting this away already. Can they exorcise some demons and hang on here?

Lynx 60-65 Liberty, 3:14 left, overtime: Fiebich opens with a 3! That’s just the second for New York in this game.

Sabally commits a foul but then snares the rebound on a Williams miss. Williams hasn’t been herself tonight.

Fiebich tries another 3 with the clock running down but misses. Williams misses a tough layup.

New York turnover. Williams misses again and gets the rebound, but Sabally gets a steal and a breakaway layup.

Timeout Minnesota.

End regulation: Lynx 60-60 Liberty

Stewart makes the second. Tied.

Stewart makes the first …

Replay shows Smith got Stewart on the wrist.

Can Stewart hit two clutch free throws after missing two?

Or it’ll be a foul. Smith fouls Stewart, who’ll shoot two.

Or maybe not – Minnesota are challenging the call.

Lynx 60-58 Liberty, 5.2 seconds left, 4th quarter: Ionescu misses a 3. Carleton gets the rebound.

Collier misses a layup. Stewart gets her 15th rebound.

Timeout New York.

The next update will announce the 2024 WNBA champion. Or overtime.

Lynx 60-58 Liberty, 33 seconds left, 4th quarter: Oh, big call here. Carleton is called for blocking on Jones. That easily could’ve gone the other way.

Collier gets her fifth foul.

Stewart misses both free throws! New York retain possession.

Lynx 60-58 Liberty, 1:04 left, 4th quarter: Jones misses, and the Lynx gain possession.

Collier drives the baseline, and Minnesota lead again.

Stat check …

Collier has 20, shooting 10-for-20. She’s also the leading Lynx rebounder with seven.

Jones leads the Liberty with 17 points. The next two scorers are both German national teamers – Sabally with 11, Fiebich with 10.

Stewart has 14 rebounds.

Lynx 58-58 Liberty, 1:35 left, 4th quarter: New York commits its fifth team foul somehow, so McBride goes to the line. She makes both.

Stewart misses. Collier rebounds. Williams sizes up the defense and gives it to Collier, who drives and ties it.

Timeout New York.

Lynx 54-58 Liberty, 2:08 left, 4th quarter: McBride. Again. So many driving layups.

AND FINALLY … Ionescu hits a 3! First field goal of the game for her, first 3 of the game for New York.

Collier gets inside to answer at the other end.

Ionescu figures she’ll have another go. Misses, but ends up with the rebound and feeds it to Stewart, who’s making a textbook backdoor cut and finishes. Beautiful.

Lynx 50-53 Liberty, 3:41 left, 4th quarter: Another missed 3 for New York. Jones keeps it alive for Fiebich to get the rebound, and the German Olympian drives and draws a foul. Makes both. New York by 3.

Lynx 50-51 Liberty, 3:57 left, 4th quarter: Another jump ball! Are we in the 1950s? Collier ties up Jones inside.

For once, McBride doesn’t get possession. Fiebich gets it. But Ionescu tries an impossible runner and is 0-for-13.

Stewart gets a big block on Heideman, and Fiebich breaks a couple of ankles en route to a layup. Liberty back in front.

Heideman 3-pointer misses. Ionescu gets the rebound and is knocked to the floor by Collier – that’s her fourth. Uh oh.

Can the Liberty really win this game without a 3-pointer? Or without a field goal from Ionescu? They’re shooting 30.4% from the field, including 0-for-14 from 3-point range. Their free throws – 15-for-17 – have kept them in it. They’ve also built up a rebounding advantage – 34-27, with Stewart hauling in 14.

Lynx 50-49 Liberty, 5:29 left, 4th quarter: Replay shows I might have been harsh in saying Smith tried a judo toss. I think either player could’ve been called for the foul, though.

Beautiful pass from Stewart inside to Jones, who might be the MVP at this rate. She scores again.

Carleton and Fiebich miss at each end.

McBride finds a seam and scores. Maybe she’ll be MVP? Nah – if Minnesota win, it’s Collier.

Hiedeman ties up the ball with Sabally. Shot clock down to four, and even after New York take possession, they only have time for Ionescu to heave up a prayer.

Heideman takes the feed from McBride at the other end, and just like that, Minnesota reclaim the lead.

Timeout New York.

Anonymous email: “What’s with the foul disparity–do the Lynx have it coming to them with aggressive coverage(s)?”

I think it also has to do with the Liberty working the ball inside – a good choice when they can’t hit a 3-pointer. Or maybe the back-and-forth accusations of favoritism from each coach in this series have warped the officials’ minds.

Lynx 46-47 Liberty, 7:26 left, 4th quarter: Ionescu heads to the bench.

Jones gets tangled with Smith. Smith tries a judo toss but gets hurt in the process, while Jones is whistled for the foul. Life no longer makes sense.

Timeout Minnesota.

Whichever team regains composure first will probably win.