Breanna Stewart made an incredible impact on defense, stealing the ball seven times in the Liberty’s 80-66 victory over the Lynx during Game 2 of the WNBA Finals.
Record-Breaking Performance:
Breanna Stewart set a new record for steals in a WNBA Finals game and any WNBA playoff game. Her seven steals surpassed previous regular-season leaders like Ticha Penicheiro, Tamika Catchings, and Michelle Brogan. Stewart has now raised the bar for playoff performances.
Breanna Stewart makes history, setting the single-game finals record with SEVEN steals!#WNBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV
— WNBA (@WNBA)
Comparisons to NBA Greats:
Stewart’s achievement ties her with Robert Horry, who also recorded seven steals during Game 2 of the 1995 NBA Finals between the Rockets and Magic. No one has reached Horryโs mark since then. Other notable players like Kevin Love, Dwyane Wade, and Michael Jordan have also had impressive steal counts in NBA Finals games but fell short of this record.
Fans love seeing these kinds of historic moments because they make sports so exciting!
More Than Just Steals:
On top of her defensive prowess, Stewart scored 21 points, grabbed eight rebounds, dished out five assists, and blocked a shot. She became the first player since Alyssa Thomas in 2019 to achieve such stats in a Finals game. With nine games scoring at least 20 points in WNBA Finals history, she is just behind Maya Moore’s record of ten games.
Courtney Vandersloot praised Stewart for her all-around performance that limited Napheesa Collier to only twelve shotsโher lowest attempt count this postseason.
Looking Ahead:
With both teams having one win each in the series, Wednesdayโs game could be pivotal as they head to Minnesota. Despite playing away from home, New York is slightly favored to win according to ESPNBET odds.
Sometimes it feels like anything can happen when these athletes hit their stride!
