Liberty Drop Game 1 Heartbreaker in 2024 WNBA Finals

The New York Liberty lost a 15-point lead over the final five-plus minutes of regulation en route to a heartbreaking loss in Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA Finals.

Oct 10, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones (35) drives past Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) in the second quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

BROOKLYN -- The Minnesota Lynx bit into the New York Liberty's homecourt advantage and refused to let go.

Minnesota erased a large Liberty lead with 5:20 remaining and ran off with a shocking 95-93 overtime victory in the opening game of the 2024 WNBA Finals.

Courtney Williams was the original heroine with a go-ahead four-point play after a Sabrina Ionescu foul with just over five seconds remaining in regulation, capping off an 18-2 run for the Lynx that erased an 81-66 deficit with 5:20 left on the game clock.

Breanna Stewart got to the line for two free throws with less than a second to go but split the pair to force overtime before Napheesa Collier hit the winner with eight ticks left. Stewart's late drive failed to draw a foul call, dooming New York to yet another loss in Game 1 of a WNBA Finals series ... its sixth in as many appearances (including a loss in the single-game debut edition in 1997).

With the win, Minnesota improved to 4-1 against the Liberty this season, which includes the in-season Commissioner's Cup championship at UBS Arena in June. Thursday's win was the Liberty's first loss at home this postseason and its first since Sept. 15 ... also against the Lynx.

Wasted in the effort was a clean 24-point, 10-rebound effort from Jonquel Jones, who did not pick up a foul until the 7:51 mark of the fourth quarter. Leonie Fiebich scored 17, becoming just the fourth rookie to reach such a tally in a Finals opener. Most of the latter tally was built via five threes, setting a new record for a freshman's Finals debut.

The Liberty got off to a sterling start that drastically contrasted the way they opened their prior tilt against Minnesota, as they held a plus-seven advantage on the boards while building a 32-19 lead (New York had likewise trailed by 13 after the first 10 last time around). Minnesota would slice the lead to eight by halftime and inched as close as two but the Liberty, backed by a raucous, star-studded Brooklyn crowd, seemed to have responses at every turn.

That was, however, until the end, when Minnesota embarked on its epic run, finished off with Williams' attempt at Larry Johnson cosplay. New York had forced Williams to miss her first attempt at an equalizer but Alanna Smith grabbed the rebound, her first of the offensive variety. Chaos ensued over the final seconds of regulation, as the Liberty maintained possession on a rare ball out of bounds that led to a jumpball as well as Stewart's trip to the foul line with less than a secod remaining.

Granted new life in the final period, New York lost the ball on three consecutive possessions, allowing Minnesota to build a two-possession lead. Jones turned an interception into New York's own equalizer, but the MVP runner-up Collier sank the last of her 21 points on a fadeaway before one last miss from Stewart sealed the Liberty's dire fate.

Game 2 of the series will be staged on Atlantic Avenue on Sunday afternoon (3 p.m. ET, ABC).

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