In a battle between the top team in each conference, the Minnesota Lynx defeated the New York Liberty, 94-89 on Tuesday to win the fourth annual WNBA Commissioner’s Cup.
The victory prevented a second straight Commissioner’s Cup victory for Liberty and secured a $500,000 prize pool to be split among Lynx players. The cash award is a blessing in a league with a salary cap of roughly $1.4 million and an average salary just above $100,000. Each player will earn a minimum of $30,000 for winning.
In a game that was close from start to finish, the Liberty took a 50-47 halftime lead after Courtney Vandersloot capped the first half with a layup in the final seconds of the second quarter. The score remained tied until the end of the third quarter, when it was tied 60-60 with 49 seconds remaining.
The Lynx then straddled the end of the third and the start of the fourth on a 10-0 run to take a 70-60 lead.
The Liberty responded with a personal 9-0 run by All-Star Breanna Stewart to cut their deficit to 1. But New York would never regain the lead.
Minnesota relied on its good shooting and ball distribution to keep New York at bay and secure victory in a possible run-up to the Finals. The Lynx’s victory is the second in two meetings with Liberty following an 84-67 victory on May 25. The teams will conclude their regular season series in a rematch on July 2 in New York.
The Lynx won thanks to a balanced effort, as five players scored in double figures. Bridget Carleton led the way with 23 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals. She shot 8 of 10 from the field and made 6 of 8 3-point attempts on a night in which Minnesota shot 48.3% (14 of 29) from beyond the arc as a team.
Napheesa Collier was named MVP after scoring 21 points, six rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block. The Lynx shot 47.8% from the field, made all 14 of their free throws and assisted on 26 of their 33 field goals.
Stewart led Liberty’s effort with 24 points, 11 rebounds and three assists. He turned the ball over five times. Sabrina Ionescu added 23 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals, but she struggled from 3-point range on a 2-of-11 effort from beyond the arc and committed seven turnovers. The Liberty committed 20 turnovers compared to only 10 for the Lynx.
