Leading by four with fewer than seven minutes to play Tuesday in New York, the Lynx looked poised to topple the Liberty for a third straight time this season. And then the Minnesota offense stalled out in a massive fashion in its 76-67 defeat. Cecilia Zandalasini scored to put the Lynx up 65-61 with eight minutes to play.
That marked the Lynx’s second-to-last score of the contest. Minnesota went the next seven minutes, 30 seconds without a point until Dorka Juhasz scored with 30 seconds to play after both benches had largely cleared. In between those two buckets, Minnesota missed 10 consecutive shots from the field and two from the free-throw line while committing four turnovers.
The Liberty (17-3) went on a 15-0 run to rally and avenge Minnesota’s Commissioners Cup victory that netted the Lynx players $1 million just a week prior. Tuesday’s duel was a defensive slugfest. Neither team scored more than 22 points in any quarter.
The Liberty shot just 37 percent from the field and 22 percent from deep on Tuesday, but Minnesota wasn’t any better. The Lynx shot 39 percent from the field and just 30 percent from 3-point range. Minnesota held Breanna Stewart to 5-for-20 shooting from the field, though the superstar grabbed 17 rebounds and scored nine points in the decisive quarter.
Jonquel Jones finished with 21 points — on 8-for-13 shooting — to go with 12 rebounds. Napheesa Collier had 15 points — on 7-for-13 shooting — 10 boards and six assists for the Lynx (14-5).
