Minnesota
New York Liberty start slow, lose, 84-67, to Minnesota Lynx in Minny
You never want to start slow. When you don’t get off to a good start, you spend the rest of your time scrambling and trying to make up for early mistakes. Sometimes, you’re able to make it all the way back. However, even if you do catch up, you have to hit another gear if you want to escape with a win. And if you can’t find that gear late, you’re in a tough spot.
Coming into Saturday’s game, the New York Liberty were looking to bounce back following their first loss of the season against the Chicago Sky. The team was back in action on national TV against a team in the Minnesota Lynx that has gotten better over time and have been a pleasant surprise thus far. As the first game of a jam packed holiday schedule, there was a lot of excitement. Unfortunately for Liberty fans, they didn’t have much to cheer for.
Final score: Lynx 84, Liberty 67.
The big number of the day was 18. That was how many turnovers the seafoam had on the afternoon. A lot of them came from miscommunication and mistakes that they simple should never make
“Some of the turnovers, I wasn’t quite sure why we were trying to pass the ball in there,” Sandy Brondello said in postgame. “We just to have a little more discipline. Something doesn’t work, we have to know what the next action is and be better at that.”
Something to keep an eye on for the Liberty is their turnover rate. Granted it’s still early, but they’ve turned the ball on 20.7% of their possessions, fourth highest mark in the WNBA so far. That combined with their poor 3-point shooting (ninth in the 12-team W) has made things a lot harder for them on offense so far.
Despite their struggles, you could see the vision when things are going well
Key plays from Courtney Vandersloot to get the Liberty back in it
-Drive and score vs. the under
-Rotate to get a steal, find Fiebich in transition for 3
-Drive with no coverage after the handoff from Stewie pic.twitter.com/pKjlo0MCId— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) May 25, 2024
Brondello has talked about paint to great, and it’s something the team needs to get better at. Of Breanna Stewart’s eight field goals (game high 20 points), four of them were within seven feet. Finding those easier shots and making the most out of every possession will help them get back on track.
A bright spot
The bench unit is still a work in progress, but we got to see one of the reserves make a name for themselves today. Liberty rookie Leonie Fiebich played a season high 19 minutes and rewarded Brondello’s faith in her with a career high 11 points and three three pointers. Leo was instrumental in the Liberty’s second quarter barrage that made the game close at halftime:
レオ11得点
リバティーのルーキーで2桁得点は
2021年9月のMichaela Onyenwereが最後でそれ以来なかったそう
サバリー妹は去年2桁いってなかったのかぁ
今シーズンはいけそう
#13 Leonie Fiebich pic.twitter.com/hGL6RLumcN— どこからでもBucket (@DokoBucket) May 25, 2024
“For me, it’s always fun to be on the floor, to be around my teammates,” Fiebich said after the game. “I love to cut, I love to shoot the ball, and they put me in a good spot today and it certainly helped that the shots go in. And I will just continue to fill gaps, whatever the team needs and be tough on defense.”
Brondello added: “It was great to see Leo come out and be aggressive, make some shots. She’s versatile. We think she’s gonna keep getting better and better and have a great WNBA career. She’s a great shooter. She’s a great defender. She moves well. She does all the little things well. It was nice for her to see the ball go in and we just want her to be who she is and be confident in what she does well, and she showed that tonight.”
The Liberty bench has a lot of good players on it. As the season progresses and set rotations are developed, Fiebich’s versatility will help her stand out and give the team a new dimension to work with.
Milestone Watch
- With her rebound at 2:58 of the third quarter, Breanna Stewart became the fifth-fastest player in WNBA history to reach 2000 rebounds (229 games). Stewart finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds for her league-high fourth double-double of the 2024 season.
- Leonie Fiebich set a new career high for points with two three-pointers in the second quarter of today’s game. Fiebich finished with 11 points on 60% (3-of-5) shooting from beyond the arc.
- Sabrina Ionescu posted 13 points and added two three-pointers to extend her streak of regular season games with at least one made 3-pointer to 31, which is the longest active streak in the WNBA.
Looking back, looking forward
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On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis by police officer Derek Chauvin. Floyd’s murder led to protests in Minnesota, New York, and around the world. The killing led to increased conversations about police conduct, safety for communities, etc. at home and abroad. In 2020, the WNBA were in the wubble and dedicated that season to social justice. Sandy Brondello was in the wubble in 2020, and in pregame was asked by Jackie Powell of The Next to reflect on this moment in history and how it impacted the WNBA that we know today in 2024:
“I’d say massively. I was in the bubble and the stance that the players took, the social platforms that they have, were so strong. It shows that the players are more than just basketball players. They can force [society] to make changes. I know Minnesota has done that in the past with some of the initiatives there. [The players] were standing up for what they believe in. [Floyd’s murder] was a sad day, it was a sad for everyone.
The WNBA players now are making a stand [addressing] social injustices around the world, they’re standing up for that and using their voices.”
In the arena, the Lynx held a moment of silence before the game and had a special message
@minnesotalynx with a pregame moment of silence in memory of George Floyd, who was killed four years ago today in south Minneapolis. Assistant coach Rebekkah Brunson’s brief remarks to the crowd included this: “The fight has not stopped.” #Lynx #WNBA
— Patrick Borzi (@BorzMN) May 25, 2024
As we continue to push for more accountability, transparency, and better treatment from law enforcement, it helps that athletes are using their platforms to call for change.
Next up
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The Libs get some much needed days off and will be back to work on May 29 vs. the new look Phoenix Mercury. Tip off at the ‘clays will be at 7:00 p.m. ET.
The final day of the Minnesota high school baseball season takes center stage Monday, as four championship bouts take place at Target Field.
All games can be streamed, for a fee, at NSPN.TV/MSHSL
Class A
No. 1 Madelia (28-3) vs. No. 2 Red Lake County (27-2), 10 a.m.
Class 2A
No. 1 St. Cloud Cathedral (24-2) vs. No. 3 Glencoe-Silver Lake (23-4), 1 p.m.
Class 3A
No. 1 Totino-Grace (19-8) vs. No. 2 Mahtomedi (23-5), 4:30 p.m.
Class 4A
No. 2 Champlin Park (22-6) vs. No. 4 Rosemount (24-5), 7:30 p.m.
The Minnesota Lynx have the early favorite for Rookie of the Year; the Las Vegas Aces have the reigning MVP.
Olivia Miles made two huge shots for the Lynx in the final minute, but two free throws by A’ja Wilson put the Aces ahead for good in a 100-97 win Saturday in Sin City.
Miles scored 12 of her career-high 29 points in the fourth quarter — 10 in the final 2:23.
“When you have a rookie like that, maybe not playing her best, maybe turning it over, whatever it is, not defending the way we need her to defend and then just kind of willing yourself at the end and willing the team at the end to give us a chance that’s a special player,” coach Cheryl Reeve said.
Miles 3-pointer with 25 seconds left gave the Lynx a 97-96 lead, but Wilson countered with a pair of free throws less than five seconds later to put the Aces back up by one.
A stepback triple by Miles was long with seven seconds left, and after a couple free throws for Vegas, a desperation heave at the buzzer by Courtney Williams was off the mark and the Lynx (10-3) lost for the first time in nine games. Las Vegas (10-3) has won six straight.
Miles somewhat downplayed her offensive success postgame, noting she committed six turnovers. “A lot of them were unforced, but I’ve giving myself grace. I got to learn. It’s my first time playing against them, feeling the pressure of the game. … I’m definitely going to take this one and learn from it, take the good with the bad. It’s not always as bad as you think it is and it’s not always as good as you think it is. Just stay level headed.”
Down by 15 late in the first half, Minnesota methodically chipped away with a Kayla McBride 3-pointer making it a two-point game with 2:47 left. She finished with 19 points.
After a couple Aces’ free throws, Miles scored on a finger roll. Then, after Wilson made a jumper at the other end, Miles responded with a reverse layup and it was 93-91 Las Vegas.
Kayla McBride got a defensive rebound off a Las Vegas miss and Miles drove the lane for a layup and drew a foul on Wilson. The No. 2 pick in this year’s draft calmly sank the ensuing free throw with 48 seconds left and the Lynx 94-93, its first advantage since 4-3.
A questionable foul on McBride — one which was upheld by video review but Reeve said was a misinterpretation of a rule — led to three free throws by Jewell Loyd for a 96-94 Aces lead moments later.
Natasha Howard had 22 points and nine rebounds for the Lynx before fouling out.
She said Minnesota picked up its defensive intensity and was more physical with the Aces after halftime. “We dictated where we wanted them to be on the defensive end. That’s how it was easy to get steals, stops and getting rebounds and pushing the ball. We should have started that off in the first half instead of the second half and we wouldn’t be in this predicament of talking about a loss. … Vegas threw the first punch, but we got to be ready at all times.”
The Lynx return home to host expansion Portland on Monday night.
The Las Vegas Aces will host the Minnesota Lynx Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. The Lynx have the WNBA’s best record despite superstar Napheesa Collier playing zero games this season.
Lynx vs. Aces will air on CBS, and streams on DIRECTV (free trial).
Here’s what you need to know:
What: WNBA regular season
Who: Minnesota Lynx (10-2) vs. Las Vegas Aces (9-3)
When: Saturday, June 13, 2026
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Where: Michelob ULTRA Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
TV: CBS
Live stream: DIRECTV (free trial), fuboTV (free trial), Paramount+
DIRECTV
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Sign up for DIRECTV to watch the WNBA for free. DIRECTV is a subscription streaming service that lets you watch live TV from major broadcast and popular cable networks. Enjoy local and national live sports, breaking news, and must-see shows the moment they air. Included: unlimited cloud DVR storage space so you can record as many shows as you want and stream on the go. DIRECTV starts at $89.99 per month after a 5-day free trial. Right now, new subscribers also get $30 off their first month of DIRECTV Choice.
What to know about Lynx vs. Aces
Here’s a recent story from the Associated Press:
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Rookie Olivia Miles had 24 points, seven rebounds and six assists, Kayla McBride added 22 points, and the Minnesota Lynx used a big first half to cruise past the Dallas Wings 100-76 on Tuesday night for their eighth straight victory.
Natasha Howard scored 21 points and Courtney Williams added 16 for Minnesota (10-2), which became the first WNBA team to reach 10 wins this season. McBride made four of Minnesota’s seven 3-pointers.
Paige Bueckers led Dallas (7-4) with 23 points. Arike Ogunbowale added 16 points, and Jessica Shepard had 12 points and nine rebounds. Azzi Fudd, the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft, finished with six points on 2-of-12 shooting.
Four of Minnesota’s starters reached double-figure scoring by halftime. Howard and Miles each had 14 points, and McBride and Williams each added 12 to help the Lynx lead 58-38.
Minnesota made 23 of 32 (72%) field goals in the first half, including 6 of 8 3-pointers.
The Lynx led 75-60 entering the fourth, with 71 points coming from their starters. Williams made a basket with 30.7 seconds left to put Minnesota at the 100-point mark for the third time this season.
The teams combined to make 26 straight free throws before a miss with 56.8 seconds left in the fourth.
Up next
Dallas hosts Phoenix on Thursday.
Minnesota plays at Las Vegas on Saturday.
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