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Liberty Sweep Lynx in WNBA Playoffs
Confirmed
In Short: The New York Liberty swept the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the first round of the 2026 WNBA playoffs.
The New York Liberty advanced to the WNBA semifinals after sweeping the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in a best-of-three series.
In Game 2 on Tuesday night, the Liberty defeated the Lynx 87-71, becoming the first No. 8 seed to sweep a No. 1 seed in playoff history.
Sabrina Ionescu led the Liberty with 18 points, seven assists, and four rebounds in the decisive game.
The series began with a 91-75 victory for the Liberty in Game 1, where Breanna Stewart posted a 34-point double-double.
The Liberty's success was not just about individual performances but also strategic execution. Allisha Gray was a key factor for the Dream in their Game 2 victory over the Mystics, contributing significantly to their 93-75 win.
The 2026 WNBA season has been marked by groundbreaking moments both on and off the court, with the Liberty's unexpected run serving as a highlight.
The Indiana Fever and Las Vegas Aces will face off in a winner-take-all Game 3 on Thursday, with Caitlin Clark posting the first 25-point, 15-assist performance in WNBA history in Game 2.
The Dallas Wings are now trying to force a Game 3 in their series with the Golden State Valkyries.
The Liberty's victory over the Lynx was a shocking result, as the Lynx entered the postseason as favorites but were eliminated after just two games.
The series between the Liberty and Lynx was a rematch of the 2024 WNBA Finals, with the Liberty proving their mettle in the 2026 playoffs.
The Liberty's win sets up a semifinal matchup against the No. 4 seed, with the series beginning on Sunday.
What this adds
The Liberty's sweep of the Lynx was a significant upset, as the Lynx were heavily favored to advance.
The 2026 WNBA season has seen several unexpected developments, with the Liberty's run being one of the most notable.
The Liberty's performance in the playoffs has exceeded expectations, with Ionescu leading the charge.
Background
The Minnesota Lynx face elimination after a stunning Game 1 loss to the New York Liberty in the 2026 WNBA playoffs.
The 2026 WNBA playoffs kicked off with a quadruple-header of Game 1s on Sunday, and the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx were stunned by the No. 8 New York Liberty in a rematch of the 2024 WNBA Finals.
What's confirmed
- The first round of the 2026 WNBA playoffs continued on Wednesday night, with the Atlanta Dream downing the Mystics 93-75 to advance to the semifinals, where the No. 4 seed will host the No. 8-seeded New York Liberty in a best-of-five series that begins on Sunday.
What's still developing
- The Fever faced elimination in Game 2, but Caitlin Clark refused to let her team go down without a fight.
- The top-seeded Minnesota Lynx and the eighth-seeded New York Liberty opened up the four-game slate of first-round matchups on Sunday afternoon at Target Center, the start of a best-of-three series between two teams who are awfully familiar with each other.
- When Brodie signed with the Lynx in the offseason, many thought she would play the exact role she has late in the season and did in Game 1 on Sunday.
- With the WNBA regular season officially in the books, the best time of the year is upon us: playoff basketball.
- As a result, the Liberty take a 1-0 series lead with the series now shifting back to Brooklyn for a Game 2 battle at Barclays Center at 7:30PM CT on Tuesday.
- New York is one win away from ending Minnesota’s season early and advancing to the semifinals, while the Lynx now need to win the next two games to advance.
- The first quarter of the game was almost the opposite of what you would expect in a Game 1.
- New York came out of the gate strong, shooting red-hot from deep and taking the Target Center crowd out of it while leading by as much as 10 in the open frame.
- Gray is in her 10th season and Canada is in her ninth, having won WNBA titles in 2018 and 2020 with Seattle.
- One of New York's stars of the series was Sabrina Ionescu, who helped lead the team to its first and only WNBA title in 2024.
- Although it surprised WNBA fans that the Liberty upset the Lynx that easily and quickly, Ionescu wasn't shocked at all.
- She knew her team had the capability of advancing in the playoffs despite their seeding.