Basketball isn’t just a sport. It’s also an art form, adorned in all sorts of different colors and brushstrokes.
Masterpieces do happen on the hardwood. They’ve been all the more common in this year’s WNBA Finals, a clash unlike few others in recent basketball history.
The Liberty and Lynx have conjured up captivating spells during their first four postseason contests with one another. Each game has been marked by moments of wonder — from Courtney Williams’ four-point equalizer and Napheesa Collier’s heroics in Game 1 to Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu’s outbursts in Game 3 to Game 4’s breathless finish. All of that has amounted to a 2-2 series, one in need of a decisive Game 5 to settle the score and determine a WNBA champion.
For New York, the implications of a title would reverberate for years to come. The Liberty are yet to wear the WNBA’s crown, having fallen short of the finish line on five separate occasions, most recently last year. Stewart and Ionescu have impressed at times during the series. But they’ve also been inconsistent, with subpar showings in Games 1 and 4 underpinning New York losses. Sandy Brondello’s squad can ill afford similar showings in its last duel.
Meanwhile, Minnesota is hoping to return to the WNBA’s mountaintop for the first time since Maya Moore stepped away. Such a result will prove a tall task — Stewart, Ionescu, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton and Jonquel Jones are as fierce as they come.
But with Collier, Kayla McBride, Bridget Carleton and Courtney Williams at the helm — not to mention star tactician Cheryl Reeve — the Lynx look well-equipped to joust — and potentially vanquish — their Big Apple adversaries.
The Sporting News is tracking live updates from Game 5 of the WNBA Finals between the Liberty and the Lynx. Follow below for highlights, analysis and more as the W’s two best franchises attempt to snatch history for themselves atop the Barclays Center floor.
STREAM: Watch WNBA Finals games live with Fubo (free trial)
Liberty vs. Lynx score
| 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | OT | F | |
| New York Liberty | 10 | 17 | 20 | 13 | 5 | |
| Minnesota Lynx | 19 | 15 | 10 | 16 | 2 |
WNBA Finals live updates, results, highlights from Liberty vs. Lynx Game 5
(All times Eastern)
10:34 p.m.: Carleton’s wide-open three misfires! There’s 13 seconds left and Collier will depart after fouling out. Not looking great for Minnesota.
10:33 p.m.: After a pair of errant efforts, the Lynx get the ball back down three with 18.5 seconds left. They don’t necessarily need a three. But it would certainly be nice.
10:30 p.m.: Stewart knocks the ball out on Heideman and the Liberty get the ball back! 1:15 left, Liberty up three.
10:29 p.m.: Carleton takes the charge on Sabally to hand the ball back to the Lynx. They’re down just three after McBride netted a pair of free throws. Clock dwindling towards a minute left in OT.
10:27 p.m.: Heideman chucks an entry pass towards Collier out of bounds. The Lynx are still yet to score in the overtime period. A little over two minutes left hear at Barclays.
10:23 p.m.: Sabally races down the floor after corralling an errant Minnesota pass, sinking the layup to bring New York’s lead to five. She’s got 13 on five makes today! What a showing by the Oregon alum.
10:18 p.m.: Fiebich opens the overtime period with a three! New York strikes first.
10:14 p.m.: McBride’s triple goes wide. Thornton fields the rebound but fails to call for a reset. We’re headed to overtime.
10:13 p.m.: Stewart sinks both. We’re tied at 60 with 4.8 left!
BREANNA STEWART TIES THE GAME. WE ARE GOING TO OT! pic.twitter.com/pAOUG2Kt7M
— WNBA (@WNBA) October 21, 2024
10:12 p.m.: The call is upheld. Stewart has two free throws to equal up the score at 60.
10:09 p.m.: Stewart fields an inbounds pass from Fiebich, takes two dribbles and clatters into Smith, who has a foul called on her with 4.8 seconds left. Looks like Minnesota is challenging the call. But if not, Stewart will head to the free throw line needing two freebies to tie up the game.
10:06 p.m.: Collier fouls Stewart on the post-up. The two-time MVP steps up and clanks not one but two free throws! A repeat of Game 1 for the Liberty standout! And it could cost New York a title!
10:05 p.m.: Collier scoops her effort past Thornton. The Lynx take the lead!
10:00 p.m.: It’s been about as back-and-forth as one could imagine. This time, it’s Collier with the blow, twirling beyond Stewart’s outstretched grasp before flicking a close-range effort up and in. We’re tied at 58 with 1:35 left!
9:55 p.m.: Ionescu finally finds the target! Sinks a long-range effort to push the Liberty out by four!
9:49 p.m.: Brondello is employing a lengthy lineup, spurning the likes of Ionescu, Betnijah Laney-Hamilon and Courtney Vandersloot for Fiebich, Sabally and Thornton. Appears she’s trying to take advantage of Minnesota’s diminished height. However, there’s a clear speed disadvantage, something that Minnesota has capitalized on as of late. McBride blew past Jones for a lefty lay-in before finding the blazing Heideman on the fast break to give Minnesota the lead.
9:46 p.m.: Alanna Smith has been dogged in her pursuit of Jones thus far, especially considering the back injury she suffered earlier in the series. She very well could have re-aggravated said ailment after falling on her backside following a collision with Jones. She looked in a bad way while being tended to underneath the basket. Will be one to look out for going forward. She appeared to be emotional following the incident.
9:44 p.m.: Wonderful left-to-right cross and finish by Kayla McBride, who opens the scoring to start the fourth and cuts New York’s advantage to just one.
End of third quarter: Liberty 47, Lynx 44
9:35 p.m.: New York showed out in a major way in the third frame. Bolstered by Sabally’s steady scoring, the Liberty outgunned the Lynx 20-10 in the third. They’ll enter the decisive fourth quarter with a three-point edge.
9:30 p.m.: Impressive showing thus far from Nyara Sabally so far. The bench big has eight points thus far — the second-highest mark among New Yorkers. We’re level at 42 with a little more than a minute left in the third.
9:25 p.m.: AND ONE! Jones finishes through contact as the Liberty cut the Lynx advantage back to two. She’s up to 13 for the day.
9:22 p.m.: Ionescu opens up her scoring account with a pair of free throws. She’s still yet to sink a field goal. But she’s got the Liberty within two.
9:15 p.m.: The Liberty are on the prowl, having opened the quarter with four points. They’re on an 11-2 run dating back to the end of the first half. Lynx lead sits at just three.
End of second quarter: Lynx 34, Liberty 27
8:54 p.m.: The Lynx maintained their advantage, warding off a late Liberty scoring outburst to enter into halftime with a seven-point edge. Collier has been wondrous, tallying 14 points and five rebounds to spearhead Minnesota’s championship efforts. As for New York, Jones and Leonie Fiebich have been breaths of fresh air, dropping 10 and six points respectively to keep Brondello’s squad within arm’s reach of its adversary.
8:42 p.m.: Minnesota’s defense continues to stifle New York to no end. Ionescu is still scoreless. The turnovers are piling up. And the Lynx continue to capitalize. Minnesota’s lead has ballooned to 14 after Collier deftly shrugged off Stewart’s contest to drop a lefty layup off the back window. She’s got 14 thus far — more than any other player.
8:38 p.m.: Among the many luminaries in attendance tonight is one Angel Reese, who is repping her Unrivaled counterparts Collier and Stewart.
A familiar face in the crowd for Game 5! Heyyy Angel 👋#WNBAFinals presented by @youtubetv pic.twitter.com/OuQB5I28vq
— WNBA (@WNBA) October 21, 2024
8:33 p.m.: Stewart breaks the seal on her scoring, firing home a runner from inside the free throw line. Could that spark a flood of baskets for the UConn alum?
End of first quarter: Lynx 19, Liberty 10
8:28 p.m.: Opening frame comes to a close. Minnesota holds a nine-point edge, with Collier (eight points, three rebounds) proving the Lynx’s most effective player thus far.
On the New York side of the ball, Sandy Brondello’s side needs more from Stewart and Ionescu. They combined for zero points on 0-8 shooting through the game’s first 10 minutes.
8:25 p.m.: The Liberty burst into life for a moment, cutting Minnesota’s lead to just two points. The Lynx upped the ante shortly thereafter, though, rattling off basket after basket via backdoor cut.
8:16 p.m.: The Lynx have started the game the better of the two sides, riding Collier’s steady scoring to an early 10-6 lead. Stewart and Ionescu are a combined 0-5 to start the game. Not what you want to see as a Liberty fan.
8:09 p.m.: The ball is tipped off! And away we go! Game 5 of the WNBA Finals is here!
7:30 p.m.: Jones isn’t the only hoops maven to take the floor before Sunday night’s duel. So too is Napheesa Collier, who is looking to capture his first career WNBA title with a win in Game 5. The 31-percent three-point shooter was seen firing off some triples ahead of Sunday’s contest.
The reigning DPOY, Napheesa Collier, preparing for tonight’s game. #WNBATwitter pic.twitter.com/UOlk2UhLCe
— Her Hoop Stats (@herhoopstats) October 20, 2024
7:05 p.m.: If New York is to win Sunday’s game — and the championship that goes with it — it will need a strong performance by Jonquel Jones. When the former MVP records double-doubles, the Liberty tend to win; New York’s Game 1 loss to Minnesota represents the only defeat the Liberty have incurred when Jones records at least 10 points and 10 assists.
Jonquel Jones warming up ahead of the decisive Game 5 tonight. #WNBATwitter pic.twitter.com/ZNfGnq2v9z
— Her Hoop Stats (@herhoopstats) October 20, 2024
6:30 p.m.: Tonight’s duel represents a major moment for both franchises taking part in the festivities. Unsurprisingly, the players are making sure to dress for success, with Breanna Stewart, Natisha Heideman and Ellie the Elephant among the biggest standouts.
Now this, is a Game 5 fit 😮💨🔥 pic.twitter.com/5xW6a3aF1t
— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) October 20, 2024
we ready. pic.twitter.com/OzGb4vjTWa
— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) October 20, 2024
Now this, is a Game 5 fit 😮💨🔥 pic.twitter.com/5xW6a3aF1t
— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) October 20, 2024
— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) October 20, 2024
1 TIME FOR THE BIRTHDAY CHICKKKK 🤪🎈 pic.twitter.com/Lm8lJpMBsM
— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) October 20, 2024
What channel is Liberty vs. Lynx on today?
- TV channel: ESPN
- Live stream: ESPN+, Fubo
The Liberty and Lynx will settle their quarrels in the WNBA Finals on ESPN. Cord-cutters can follow all the action on ESPN+ and Fubo.
MORE WNBA FINALS COVERAGE:
Liberty vs. Lynx start time
- Date: Sunday, Oct. 20
- Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Game 5 of the WNBA Finals is scheduled to tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20. No matter the result, the 2024 WNBA season will come to a close at the end of Sunday’s contest.
