The mecca of basketball New York’s long wait is over. After 28 long years and five trips to the WNBA Finals, the New York Liberty, one of the leagues’ original franchises, can now call themselves champions.
In front of an electric Brooklyn crowd in which the stars were out at the Barclays Center, the Liberty defeated a scrappy, relentless Minnesota Lynx team 67-62 in overtime in a winner-take-all Game 5 of the Finals.
Included in that raucous crowd were some A-list celebrities such as rapper/actor Common, actress/singer/talk show host Jennifer Hudson, rapper Fat Joe, Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts, film director Spike Lee, NBA commissioner Adam Silver and WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to name a few.
Nyara Sabally was the unsung hero and the Liberty’s unexpected star off the bench. Coming into Sunday game, she averaged 2.8 points per game in the Finals but came alive when it mattered most to score a crucial 13 points in Game 5.
The former Oregon Ducks star made a difference beyond her unforeseen offensive impact. She was a monster on the boards, collecting seven rebounds and had a massive block in overtime stuffing Lynx star Napheesa Collier at the rim when the Lynx did everything they could in their attempt to tie the game down the stretch. The big topic after the dust settled was the rejection. Collier dominated the WNBA playoffs in points, rebounds, blocks, and steals.
Her teammate Breanna Stewart applauded Sabally after the game.
Embed from Getty Images“We were trying to do whatever we could. We needed, like a spark and she was that. She continued to trust the process and we are so proud of Ny. So proud,” she said.
How valuable was the German national team member?
The typical role player was often given the challenge to guard Collier and played the entire overtime session.
“That’s what I’ve been working for my all my career – moments like these,” she said after the game during the trophy presentation.
“And to be able to come in here and do this in a Game 5 at home, it just means the world.”
The new star then hugged her sister as tears started to well up in her eyes as she could not hold back her emotions.
But the Liberty were in desperate need of the face of the franchise to come up big to even force overtime. Without Stewart, the Lynx may have found themselves dancing to their famed celebratory “Electric Slide” at the buzzer had it not been for two-time WNBA Finals MVP.
With under six seconds remaining in regulation and down two, 60-58, Stewart stood at the free throw line with nerves of steel-like composure and calmly sank both free throws like she was on the court by herself. But the moment was not without its controversy, with many arguing that the free throws should never have been awarded.
The officials had whistled a foul when Stewart was driving to the hole and appeared to have minimal and incidental contact with Alanna Smith as she took a shot. The Lynx challenged the call, but the decision was upheld after a video review.
“I’m sorry but that wasn’t a foul! Let the damn players dictate the outcome of a close battled tested game,” NBA superstar LeBron James posted on social media.
Lynx coach and four-time champion with the franchise Cheryl Reeve said the call “decided the game,” adding the game, and WNBA championship was “stolen from us.”
“The officials during the game should have a third party because that was not a foul. That call should have been reversed on that challenge,” she told reporters.
“I know all the headlines will be ‘Reeve Cries Foul.’ Bring it on, right. Bring it on,” Reeve said. “Because this s**t was stolen from us. Bring it on.”
Regardless, Stewart was a force on the boards, grabbing 15 rebounds to go with her 13 points and three blocks.
The Liberty’s other big star, Sabrina Ionescu, struggled mightily in the game, scoring just five points on 1-of-19 shooting.
New York’s Jonquel Jones was named the Finals MVP.
The Bahamian was steady Sunday while her teammates struggled to find their rhythm. She scored 12 points in two quarters, nearly half of the Liberty’s production. Jones finished with 17 points and six rebounds. She was humble after being handed the prestigious award and the crowd chanting ‘MVP.’
“None of this happens without my teammates and without the people that have poured into me,” she said while acknowledging her mother, her fiancé and others.
The Lynx were up 34-27 at the break. If not for the solid play of Jones, New York would have been in serious trouble.
The Liberty came out of the locker room stone cold with the Lynx opening the game on a 6-0 run. Jones finally ended the scoring drought hitting a bucket to settle New York’s nerves.
Collier started hot with slashing moves to the basket for several lay-ins. After a Collier bucket to extend the lead to nine, 19-10 in the first quarter, New York’s coach Sandy Brondello called a timeout to stop the momentum. Collier finished the opening quarter with 8 points and a game-high 22 points overall.
With the Lynx up 10, Stewart finally showed up to the party, scoring her first points in the second quarter.
Despite her shooting woes, Ionescu never let her lack of scoring affect the other parts of her dishing out key assists.
After the Lynx emerged from their locker room cold, the former University of Oregon guard found Sabally for back-to-back buckets, the second of which put the Liberty up 40-38 with the team’s first lead of the contest.
Ionescu was energized and pumped up after the moment, flexing as the buoyant Brooklyn crowd showered her with love and support. After the win, Ionescu gave credit to her team.
“I just did whatever it took to win. I believed in my teammates, believed in this entire organization. It takes everyone; you don’t do this alone.
“God, we did it in New York,” she screamed, much to the delight of the crowd.
Those same supporters have a much-anticipated parade to attend.
After the Liberty’s 3-2 series win, New York City Mayor Eric Adams posted on social media that “City Hall and other city buildings will be lit up seafoam in their honor. But that’s not all. We’re throwing these incredible athletes a parade to celebrate all their hard work this season.”
Details for the celebration are expected Monday.
