The WNBA Finals are set for an epic showdown, with everything riding on the final game.
Game 4 Thriller:
On Friday night, the Minnesota Lynx narrowly escaped elimination by defeating the New York Liberty 82-80. With just four seconds left and the score tied, Courtney Williams of the Lynx missed a crucial shot. But Bridget Carleton was there to grab the rebound and got fouled by Sabrina Ionescu. Carleton then calmly sank both free throws to seal the win.
Bridget Carleton gets fouled on the put back and sinks both free throws to secure the Game 4 WIN for Minnesota #WNBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV
— WNBA (@WNBA)
Ionescu’s Last-Second Attempt:
After a timeout, Liberty handed Ionescu another chance like in Game 3 when she nailed a game-winning shot from deep. This time, her long-range attempt missed its mark. According to Michael Voepel from ESPN, this marks the first time since 2019 that the finals will stretch to five games—and it’s also noteworthy as it’s the last year for this format before switching to best-of-seven next season.
For first time since 2019, the @WNBA Finals will go the distance to five games — in the last season the league has a best-of-5 format. (Best of 7 next year). @minnesotalynx prevail 82-80 on 2 free throws from @bridgecarleton (pride of Canada and @CycloneWBB) with 2 seconds left.
— Michael Voepel (@MAVoepel)
A Look Ahead:
The decisive Game 5 is scheduled for Sunday at Barclays Center in New York. Fans are hoping for another heart-stopping match!
Reflecting on past games, two featured incredible comebacks where teams overcame large deficits. In Game 1, Minnesota erased an impressive gap of eighteen points—the largest comeback in finals history! Meanwhile, Game 4 saw constant shifts with neither team leading by more than six points throughout fourteen lead changes and thirteen ties.
Fans think this series shows some of basketball’s finest moments ever!
Liberty’s coach Sandy Brondello even called it “the highest-level WNBA Finals series in league history.” The excitement surrounding these games is undeniable; viewership numbers have soared too! ESPN PR revealed that Game 3 attracted over one million viewers—the most-watched cable broadcast yet!
As we anticipate what could be an unforgettable finale this weekend… who knows what surprises await us next?!
