Liberty Denied Championship in Game 4 Thriller

Game-winning free throws from Bridget Carleton set up a winner-take-all Game 5 between the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx.

Oct 18, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) celebrates her 3-point basket against the New York Liberty during the first half of game four of the 2024 WNBA Finals at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

New York Liberty fans have waited 27 years for the franchise's first championship ... a potential 48 hours should be nothing.

The Liberty fell just short of clinching their first WNBA postseason title on Friday night, as yet another instant classic in the 2024 WNBA Finals went to the Minnesota Lynx by an 82-80 final at Target Center. Bridget Carleton sank a pair of free throws with two seconds remaining in regulation to provide the victorious difference.

Jonquel Jones paced the Liberty with 21 points on 7-of-10 from the field while Leonie Fiebich had 19 more, becoming just the fifth rookie in WNBA history to tally triple digits in her maiden postseason voyage. All five Minnesota starters reached double figures as Kayla McBride had 19 while Courtney Williams tallied 15 more. Napheesa Collier scored 15 on just 10 shot attempts but fell just one rebound short of a double-double.

Oct 18, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Alanna Smith (8) defends against New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones (35) during the first half of game four of the 2024 WNBA Finals at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

With Minnesota's win, the series becomes a winner-take-all melee on Sunday night at Barclays Center (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Unlike the opening trio, which featured mesmerizing comebacks on both sides, Game 4 was a back-and-forth tilt that saw neither team lead by more than six. Carleton's fateful freebies created the last of 14 lead changes after there were only three combined in the first three.

New York kept things close despite the struggles of stars Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart (a combined 10-of-36 from the field) and just nine visits to the foul line (hitting each and every attempt). The 20-9 advantage in Minnesota's favor was the biggest free throw discrepancy in the series to date, which angered Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello in the aftermath.

Oct 18, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New York Liberty forward Leonie Fiebich (13) shoots as Minnesota Lynx forward Bridget Carleton (6) defends during the second half of game four of the 2024 WNBA Finals at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

In spite of all that, the Liberty kept pace in front of a deafening crowd yearning for one more game. Jones hit each of her first six tries in the opening three periods and notably sank a successful and-one at the onset of the final minute to set up the closing dramatics.

McBride's miss on the other end turned into a Collier turnover but the Liberty worked too deep into the shot clock to get off a go-ahead try, leading to Carleton's charity stripe tallies on a Ionescu foul when she put up a quick one off Williams' miss. Ionescu, the Game 3 heroine, launched another would-be winner off an inbound but it failed to fall, setting up Sunday's epic finale.

New York thus has one last opportunity to secure an elusive title. This is the third time that the Liberty have been in a winner-take-all showdown in the WNBA Finals but the first time they've pulled hosting duties for such an occasion, earned by their finish atop the regular season standings.

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